Flying cars, or electric aircraft designed to take off and land vertically, could soon be tested in Florida skies, and Tallahassee officials say the capital city is still positioned to be part of the state’s plans even after rejecting a major airport development proposal earlier this year.
In April, the city turned down a $60 million airport development proposal that included an optional landing site for air taxis. Tallahassee International Airport Aviation Director David Pollard said the air-taxi component was not the reason the proposal was rejected.
“The developer had some requirements of the city with respect to investment by the city,” Pollard said. “We were working towards a third-party developer that could fund, design and do it all turnkey. So that didn’t quite shape out the way that we had hoped for it to.”
Now, Florida is moving forward with the technology. Gov. Ron DeSantis said electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, known as eVTOLs, could begin testing in Central Florida by the end of the year.
“And now I’m proud to announce that by the end of the year, Florida will be actively testing eVTOL aircraft throughout Central Florida’s aerospace region,” DeSantis said. “They’re going to lift off and they’re going to fly and they’re going to land and they’re going to be able to bring people to different places and then come back.”
DeSantis also said the state is building the infrastructure needed to support advanced air mobility, including vertiports, which are landing and takeoff sites for the aircraft.
“Last year, I signed legislation recognizing advanced air mobility as an official mode of transportation in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said. “And we have moved from establishing that framework to actually building the infrastructure right here at SunTrax to be able to test this technology.”
Pollard said Tallahassee International Airport is included in Florida’s planned aerial highway network. He also said the city is not abandoning airport development plans, and a new request for proposals focused solely on a hotel could be issued within the next 30 to 60 days.
“We’re on the leading edge of this, working in close cooperation with the state of Florida and other partners as we plan to develop and design the future of aviation and the opportunities that advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft will provide to the customers in the future,” Pollard said.