Boeing subsidiary Wisk Aero has signed a strategic agreement with Archerfield Airport Corporation (AAC) to support eVTOL air taxis at Archerfield.
Announced today, the agreement will provide support for Wisk to develop an advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem and operations at Archerfield, beginning with an electrification project to determine the electrical and infrastructure requirements and facilities.
AAC Executive General Manager Rod Parry said the airport was well-placed to service the emerging AAM sector, which is expected to be in operation in time for the 2023 Brisbane Olympic Games.
“Archerfield’s central location only 11 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD and between three 2032 Olympic and Paralympic zones," Parry said.
"Along with its recent $20 million infrastructure upgrade and critical mass of aeronautical expertise, positions it perfectly to become a primary node in the AAM ecosystem, providing the facilities for eVTOL recharging, maintenance and other services.
“By the time of Brisbane’s Olympic Games, eVTOLs will likely be providing essential emissions-free transport services from vertiports around the region, keeping traffic off our busy roads and ensuring the efficient transfer of personnel to key sites throughout South-East Queensland.”
Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 aircraft is an all-electric, autonomous, four-seat eVTOL designed for passenger transport. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with presences in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Poland.
The company has conducted more than 1750 eVTOL developmental flights.
"Wisk is committed to bringing safe, sustainable and scalable autonomous air taxis to South-East Queensland," said Dan Parsons, Wisk Manager of Market Development.
"Archerfield is at the forefront of facilitating the AAM ecosystem within Brisbane and we're excited to partner to evaluate potential future Wisk operations and airspace integration at their site, one of the major private airports in the region."
When it enters service, the Wisk eVTOL is expected to cruise at 110-120 kt with a range of about 78 nm.