Aerospace

Wisk Aero Completes First-Ever Public Demonstration Flight at EAA AirVenture

Wisk Aero, a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility, has accomplished the world’s first public demonstration flight of a completely autonomous, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) fixed-wing air taxi. The company’s first public display of its 5th Generation autonomous, eVTOL technology demonstrator (Cora) occurred during the milestone flight at EAA AirVenture.

Boeing unveiled its Generation 6 eVTOL Wisk aircraft at the Paris Airshow.(Opens in a new browser tab)

Wisk conducted a multi-transition flight in which the air taxi converted four times from hover to wing-borne flight. The flight also included multiple maneuvers that demonstrated the unique capabilities of the aircraft, such as hover, 360-degree turns in place, and more.

Brian Yutko, CEO of Wisk, stated, “We’re thrilled to demonstrate the autonomous technology underlying our self-flying initial approach. This exhibit shows how autonomous technology and electric propulsion have advanced to a ready stage. Together with the advancements we’re making towards Type Certification for our sixth-generation air taxi, we’re demonstrating that autonomy is a reality right now. Within this decade, we hope to introduce the first passenger service on an entirely electric, self-driving air taxi.

FAA Recruiting Pilots at AirVenture for Research Study(Opens in a new browser tab)

Wisk’s public demonstration flight continues the company’s history of aviation firsts, which also includes the first full transition of an eVTOL aircraft in the world (1st Generation air taxi), the first piloted flight of an all-electric, fly-by-wire aircraft that is human-rated in the world (2nd Generation air taxi, 2015), and the first piloted full transition flight of an eVTOL aircraft that is human-rated in the world (3rd Generation air taxi, 2017).

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.