Futuristic air taxis may soon join drones in the skies over North Texas.<\/p>\n
The North Texas Council of Governments, a regional planning organization, is seeking permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to run a pilot project for testing unpiloted electric-powered aircraft that take off and land vertically. The council filed its application on Wednesday, January 21.<\/p>\n
Members of the council are counties, cities, school districts, and other government organizations in a 16-county region anchored by Dallas-Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
Among the airports that would be partners in the pilot project are Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Arlington Municipal Airport, Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, and Fort Worth Meacham International Airport.<\/p>\n
Roger Venables, Fort Worth\u2019s aviation director, says he foresees regular air taxi service becoming a reality within the next five years. At Meacham, for instance, air taxis could shuttle passengers to and from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field.<\/p>\n
Meacham and Spinks serve private aircraft, such as business jets, while Perot Field serves cargo aircraft.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking to embrace the next evolution of air transportation, particularly within an urban environment,\u201d Venables says of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. \u201cOur airports experience relatively low congestion compared to commercial airports, positioning them well as early adopters for pilot programs and demonstration activities.\u201d<\/p>\n
DFW International Airport and Arlington\u2019s airport are also exploring air taxi service.<\/p>\n
In 2023, the airports started collaborating with air taxi company Overair to one day launch service. The following year, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said he expected air taxis to ferry passengers to the city\u2019s Entertainment District<\/a> in time for this year\u2019s World Cup<\/a> soccer matches. But that won\u2019t happen, as the FAA still hasn\u2019t authorized transporting passengers to fly on air taxis.<\/p>\n City of Arlington spokeswoman Susan Schrock says the city plans to demonstrate vertical takeoff and landing aircraft at an event around the time of this summer\u2019s World Cup. However, the aircraft will carry goods, not people, Schrock says.<\/p>\n The North Texas Council of Governments\u2019 proposed three-year pilot project would operate short-range passenger shuttles and short-haul cargo aircraft. Initially, the airplane-helicopter hybrids would fly along two routes.<\/p>\n