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collaborate with Supernal to help
        us develop eVTOL aircraft that
        are compatible with the Korean
        UAM operational environment
        and market. Unique to Korea,
        the federal government plans to
        utilize 5G and LTE mobile com-
        munication capabilities to enable
        the seamless flow of information
        and communication by pilots.
        The Korean government also
        plans to create dedicated AAM
        operating corridors separate
        from helicopters and other low-
        level airspace users.

        Q Can you talk about some of
        the developmental milestones
        before your planned market          Group’s high-tech manufacturing  Q While the majority of eVTOL
        entry in 2028?                      processes, as well as creating      companies are starting oper-
                                            the necessary value chain to        ations with a pilot on board, a
        The next milestone is launch-       support the emerging industry.      few have gone the autonomous
        ing our full-scale technology       Additionally, many operators are    route. Does autonomous air-
        demonstrator later this year.                                           craft figure in Supernal’s plans
        In 2026-2027, we will conduct       choosing to de-risk their position   for the future?
                                            in the AAM industry by embrac-
        extensive prototype flight testing
        to validate performance, safety     ing a mixed fleet strategy. We      Automation in the cockpit has
                                            are confident that the value of
        and reliability under various con-                                      been augmenting pilots’ capa-
        ditions. We expect to develop       partnering with Supernal and        bilities for decades, increasing
                                            Hyundai Motor Group will allow
        and fly the first conforming                                            safety substantially along the
        aircraft in 2027 to meet all regu-  us to have the same level of        way. Supernal’s initial aircraft is
                                            access to great operators that
        latory and design specifications                                        designed for a single pilot with
        prior to our operators beginning    our peers currently have.           a path toward remotely piloted
        commercial flights with Supernal                                        operations, and we anticipate
        vehicles in 2028.                   Q Supernal’s headquarters           that simplified vehicle operations
                                            is based in the U.S. Does           will encourage a new cadre of
                                                                                pilots to enter the field. As tech-
        Q If current timelines hold,        the company plan to start           nology continues to progress
        some of your competitors would  operations in the U.S. before           – and the proper regulations
        have cornered a chunk of the        targeting other countries and       are enacted – we will consider
        AAM market before you start         regions?                            further steps toward autonomous
        operations in 2028. Do you lose                                         flight.
        sleep over that?                    The United States has always
                                            been a priority market for
        No and we hope other AAM            Supernal. To that end, we are       Q The company has signed
        companies are successful for        currently collaborating with the    agreements with established
        the sake of the wider market. It    cities in our home markets,         companies such as Honeywell,
        will take time for AAM to meet      including Los Angeles, Miami        GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems,
        the projected demand, which is      and Seoul. We’re committed to       and Microsoft for its eVTOL.
        why Supernal is prioritizing “time  serving as an industry resource,    Was it a conscious decision to
        to scale” over “time to market.”    assisting local stakeholders        collaborate with mainly estab-
        We’re working to develop our        in assessing the regulatory,        lished players?
        vehicle for scaled manufactur-      technological and commercial
        ing, harnessing Hyundai Motor       feasibility of AAM.                 As part of our “open ecosystem”

        ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE - INSIGHT                                                   MAY - JULY 2024 | 25
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