112年后电动飞机重飞美国首条商业客运航线：ALIA CX300横越Tampa Bay，交通部宣布电动飞行试点新里程碑
美国交通部（DOT）10月30日宣布，电动垂直起降飞行器整合试点计划（eIPP）达成又一个里程碑：Florida 州完成该计划下的首次演示飞行，成为第七个启动试点的地点。这组飞行由 Florida 州交通厅（FDOT）与 Joby Aviation、BETA Technologies 两家公司共同完成，在 Tampa Bay 上空测试货运投送与航线运行，重演了1914年从 Tampa Bay 起飞的全球首条定期商业客运航线——美国商业客运航空正是在这片水域上空起步。交通部称，此举是落实特朗普总统「释放无人机主导地位」（Unleashing Drone Dominance）行政令的最新一步。
具体飞行共两组。BETA Technologies 的 ALIA CX300 全电动传统起降（eCTOL）飞机从 St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport 起飞、飞抵 Tampa，复刻1914年首次客运飞行的航路；Joby 则用其 S4 电动垂直起降飞机完成从 Albert Whitted Airport 到 Tampa International Airport 的试飞，并在 SunTrax 测试场开展测试。今年11月，FDOT 还将与 Electra 在 Florida 中部多地进行飞行测试；FDOT 与其他试点参与方计划在今年余下时间继续安排试飞。
交通部长 Sean P. Duffy 说：「Tampa Bay 在112年前以首次客运飞行帮助实现了飞行梦想。如今，在特朗普总统领导下，航空业的下一次量子跃升正在发生。」他表示，美国正把这类新飞机安全地纳入空域，改变人和货物的移动方式。联邦航空管理局（FAA）局长 Bryan Bedford 表示，每一次试点飞行都提供关键数据与经验，帮助建立日常运行的安全标准。Florida 州州长 Ron DeSantis 称这是「Florida 首次先进空中交通电动飞机演示飞行」、历史在 Tampa Bay 诞生；该州交通厅厅长 Jared Perdue 表示，Florida 正为「飞行汽车」的未来铺路。
BETA Technologies 创始人兼首席执行官 Kyle Clark 介绍，该公司今年早些时候已与 Republic Airways 沿 I-4 走廊做过高频次运行、一天最多飞九个航段、每航段能源成本不到17美元；Joby Aviation 创始人兼首席执行官 JoeBen Bevirt 则提到，112年前 Tony Jannus 飞越 Tampa Bay 开启了商业航空，公司此次是回到商业航空的诞生地、演示垂直起降电动飞机的未来。
电动垂直起降飞行器整合试点计划今年3月由交通部长 Sean P. Duffy 公布，8个入选项目覆盖28个州，与飞机制造商、运营商和州级伙伴合作，测试城市空中出租车、区域客运（含短距起降飞机）、货运物流、医疗应急、自动飞行与近海及能源行业运输等用途。今年7月至10月，Pennsylvania、Utah、Louisiana、Texas、North Carolina、New Mexico 等地已先后完成器官医疗转运、货运与区域空中出租车等演示；去年交通部与 FAA 还推出了美国首个先进空中交通（AAM）国家战略及含40项建议的行动计划。FAA 将利用试点数据制定新规，让这类技术在安全前提下规模化运行。
关联：联邦航空局发出首张电动垂直起降飞机市场调查特别适航证：BETA 的 A250 已完成首飞
关联：交通部宣布新墨西哥州完成eVTOL整合试点首次演示飞行
112 Years Later, an Electric Aircraft Reflies America's First Commercial Passenger Route: ALIA CX300 Crosses Tampa Bay in DOT Pilot Milestone
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on October 30 another major milestone in its Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP): Florida completed its first demonstration flights under the program, becoming the seventh location to launch. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) conducted the flights with Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies, testing cargo deliveries and routes over the Tampa Bay area in a recreation of the world's first scheduled passenger airline service, which began over Tampa Bay in 1914. DOT said the flights are the latest step in implementing President Trump's Unleashing Drone Dominance executive order.
Two flight series made up the demonstration. BETA Technologies' ALIA CX300, an all-electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft, flew from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport to Tampa, replicating the first-ever passenger flight of 1914. Joby conducted test flights with its S4 electric eVTOL aircraft from Albert Whitted Airport to Tampa International Airport and at the SunTrax testing facility. In November, FDOT and Electra will conduct further flight tests at several locations across central Florida, and FDOT and other eIPP participants plan additional test flights through the rest of the year.
"Tampa Bay helped make the dream of flying a reality 112 years ago with the first-ever passenger flight. Now thanks to President Trump, the next quantum leap in aviation is happening," said Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, adding that the United States is integrating the new aircraft into its skies safely to transform how people and products move. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said each pilot flight provides crucial data and lessons that will help establish safety standards for everyday operations. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the morning's flights Florida's first Advanced Air Mobility electric aircraft demonstrations, making history in Tampa Bay, and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said the state is paving the way for the future of flying cars.
BETA Technologies founder and chief executive Kyle Clark said the company earlier this year flew high-cadence operations along the I-4 corridor with Republic Airways — up to nine legs a day, with energy costs under $17 per leg. Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt noted that Tony Jannus launched commercial aviation by flying across Tampa Bay 112 years ago, and that Joby had returned to its birthplace to demonstrate an electric vertical-takeoff aircraft.
Secretary Duffy unveiled the eIPP in March. Its eight selected projects span 28 states and partner with manufacturers, operators and state partners to test urban air taxi services, regional passenger transportation including short takeoff and landing aircraft, cargo and logistics networks, emergency medical response, autonomous flight and offshore and energy-sector transportation. From July to October, projects in Pennsylvania, Utah, Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina and New Mexico tested organ medical transport, cargo delivery and regional air taxi flights. Last year DOT and the FAA also launched the nation's first advanced air mobility (AAM) strategy, with an action plan of 40 recommendations; the FAA may use data from the pilot projects to develop regulations enabling the technology safely at scale.
Related: DOT Announces New Mexico Completes First Demonstration Flight of the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：BETA Technologies 的 ALIA CX300 电动飞机飞行中（资料图，机型与本次重飞航线的 CX300 相同）。ZLEA 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: A BETA Technologies ALIA CX300 electric aircraft in flight (file photo, same model as the CX300 that recreated the route). Photo by ZLEA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
