US's GLOBALX launches urban air mobility unit in Florida
US's GLOBALX launches urban air mobility unit in Florida
28.11.2023 - 16:15 UTC Published on CH Aviation
GlobalX (G6, Miami International) has announced it has established UrbanX Air as a wholly-owned subsidiary to develop urban air mobility options in South Florida to deploy Eve Air Mobility (Fort Lauderdale International) aircraft it has under a Letter of Intent.
The carrier did not reveal any specific commercial plans but reiterated that it expected the deliveries of the first of its 200 tentatively-ordered Eve Air Mobility electric vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft in 2026. Both the finalisation of the order for the new aircraft type and its operation by UrbanX Air are subject to necessary regulatory approvals. If executed, UrbanX Air expects to be the first operator of eVTOLs in South Florida.
UrbanX Air plans to act in cooperation with the local governments and businesses to ensure "the service the company offers benefits not only the passengers but the surrounding communities".
"In coordination with Miami-Dade County and other local stakeholders, we will forge meaningful collaborations through a public-private partnership to ensure this cutting-edge technology lifts the entire community," said the president and chief executive of UrbanX Air, Lucy Morillo.
Morillo is a veteran legal and executive manager and a member of multiple aviation associations, including the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Advanced Air Mobility Advisory Committee (AAMAC) and Eve Air Mobility's advisory board.
Eve Air Mobility is a subsidiary of Embraer and recently struck a deal with United Airlines to debut its eVTOLs in commuter service in the San Francisco metro area in 2026. Its eVTOL aircraft is designed to carry four passengers (or six in an autonomous configuration) on short distances for up to 100 kilometres.
For its part, GLOBALX currently operates a fleet of one A319-100, seven A320-200s, three A321-200s, one A321-200(P2F), and two A321-200(PCF)s. It is nearing the certification of its Colombian cargo subsidiary, GlobalX Colombia. Chairman and CEO Ed Wegel recently told ch-aviation about the carrier's global expansion plans.
