Bell - Urban Air Mobility

As a copywriter, I've tackled a diverse range of assignments, from ads to websites, blogs to brochures, social posts and video scripts. One of the more unique projects I've taken on was writing the Congressional Testimony for Michael Thacker, Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Bell, for a hearing before the House Committe on Science, Space and Technology on the topic of urban air mobility (as in flying cars...or more specifically, air taxis). 

This project consisted of three deliverables - a ten page written testimony, a five minute oral testimony, and a one page summary. In writing all three, I pulled together previous speeches and presentations delivered by Mr. Thacker, industry research into everything from urban mobility challenges to FAA regulations, and my own interest in aviation, rolled them into a narrative, and wrote all three documents in the span of a week. 

ORAL TESTIMONY

ONE PAGE SUMMARY

This is a brief written summary of the written testimony from Michael Thacker, Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation, Bell, testifying on Urban Air Mobility: The Way Forward, for the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, on July 25, 2018.

SUMMARY:

Since the first skyscraper rose, cities have been destined to become multi-dimensional, yet we still plan and build in a two-dimensional world. As space at ground level is limited by existing infrastructure, it is imperative that the future of Urban Mobility look to the vertical dimension.

At Bell, we believe that converging technologies will enable viable urban air transportation sooner than many realize. In the near future, we envision a fleet of on-demand, autonomous, quiet vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft whisking passengers over traffic and across our urban landscapes.

Significant work is pushing forward on many fronts and with many public and private partners, including the FAA, NASA, Safran and Uber. For our part, we are focused on four integrated frameworks that will help define the Urban Mobility model:

• Operational – defining the necessary requirements for urban on-demand mobility (ODM)
• Regulatory – partnering with agencies to establish a holistic regulatory approach
• Technology – developing the technologies that will enable a new era of flight
• Manufacturing – developing new manufacturing techniques to maximize safety and minimize cost and weight

Taken together, these integrated frameworks will inform the continued development of our air taxi concepts. While we are not quite ready to share designs or timelines, we are currently tracking to fly sometime in the mid-2020s.

Bell and our partners are working aggressively to bring these ODM solutions to life. As we do, it is clear that the existing regulatory framework encompasses all of the elements needed for these new aircraft and operational concepts. However, the existing standards will need to be adapted, and new means of compliance accepted.

• Performance-based compliance – extending Part 23, Amendment 64’s performance-based compliance approach to Part 25, 27, and 29 would enhance the path to safe technology integration across aircraft platforms.
• Holistic approach – a holistic, integrated approach across vehicle certification, flight standards and air traffic control will help ensure safety outcomes without inappropriately burdening any individual part of the system.
• Pro-innovation standards – we must be sure to allow for and encourage smart development and innovative approaches while ensuring safe, effective operation.
• International cooperation – international coordination and the ongoing viability of reciprocal airworthiness acceptance are crucial to the development of ODM solutions, and we are pleased to see the FAA and EASA taking early steps to collaborate on these new models of flight.