Seletar Airport, the second and very less-known airport in Singapore is 20 minutes to the northwest of Changi Airport, is the place where most private jets are landed and also where the future of aviation might take place. The neighborhood of the airport is working to make itself a hub for flying taxis. Two agreements that might turn the long-positioned aerodrome into an airport or vertiport have been signed by Singapore with Skyports Ltd, which is an advanced air mobility start-up, and Volocopter GmbH. This plan for Seletar to be operational is immediate as soon as 2024, which is likely to serve as a global model of mobility future. The eVTOLs have garnered a lot of interest but the limelight this year was stolen by the electric cabs at the Singapore Air Show. According to a statement, Singapore continues to be the mobility leader in the world and this new development will add more to that achievement. This involves more than just reducing traffic on the roadways. Singapore possesses all the necessary components for testing, learning, and scaling the adoption of mobility as well as the business to sell it globally.
singapore airport

Singapore continues to be the mobility leader in the world and this new development will add more to that achievement.

However, flying taxis still have to clear some hurdles as none of them have been approved by regulators to take off with passengers onboard. Authorities can take years to accept and approve a new technology and flying taxis have only recently made a significant transition from a concept to reality. Currently, the regulators are examining the safety standards of the vehicles before approving them for commercial purposes. Volocopter predicts a combined economic benefit to Singapore of S$4.2 billion and around 1,300 industrial jobs by the year 2030 and to increase public awareness, it is showcasing one of its aircraft in the city-state. The previous month, one of the divisions in Kenya Airways agreed to buy up to 40 flying taxis from EVE UAM, which is a subsidiary of Eve holdings Inc. headquartered in the US initiating in 2026. As the first hub for flying taxis that is operational, the same is set to make its way in Coventry, England, which was earlier known as Britain’s automotive city.
singapore airport

The first hub for flying taxis is set to make its way in Coventry, England, which was earlier known as Britain’s automotive city.

The fares will start at about 40% of the cost of the helicopter for the passenger which could drop the price of a premium taxi in around five to six years. Other than regulatory hurdles, the range is another factor with eVTOLs flying time relatively limited. The electrification of popular planes for passengers like Boeing’s 737 and Airbus SE’s A320 series has been eliminated due to the weight of the batteries which are essential to fly long miles. The aerial devices being electric will not reduce the huge carbon emission of aviation. It is also said that without significant improvements made in the specialized energy volume of the batteries as compared to fuels like kerosene, it is almost impossible that electrified planes or any other aviation vehicle of that type will threaten the commercial aviation of the modern era. Out of the total, almost 80% of the carbon emission is caused by the aviation industry and flights that are longer than 1,500 km. This is the reason why flying taxis will not be accepted as a solution for the near future according to a statement by Director-General Willie Walsh, of the international air transport Association.