ICYMI: Governor Ron DeSantis Highlights Florida’s Leadership in Advanced Air Mobility During Historic “Flying Car” Demonstration in Tampa Bay

Florida’s first flight demonstration recreated the world’s first commercial airline flight in 1914 between St. Petersburg and Tampa

TAMPA, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted Florida’s leadership in transportation innovation as “flying cars” officially take to the skies through the first in a series of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) flight demonstrations led by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). As part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) and AAM Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), this series of demonstration flights marks a major milestone in Florida’s nation-leading efforts to transform how people and goods move throughout the state—especially above some of Florida’s most heavily traveled roadways.

“This morning, history was made in Tampa Bay with Florida’s first Advanced Air Mobility electric aircraft demonstration flights,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “From the first commercial airline flight over Tampa Bay in 1914, to today’s AAM demonstrations along that same historic route, Florida has long been a launchpad for new ideas that shape the future of transportation. I’m proud that Florida is a place where groundbreaking transportation technologies can be developed and deployed. Thanks to strategic investments, education partnerships, and policies that promote innovation, we’re ensuring that Florida continues to lead the way in aviation and aerospace.”

“More than 100 years ago, Florida helped launch the commercial aviation industry, and now Florida is paving the way for the future of flying cars,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “The work we are doing today will revolutionize the way people and goods move around the state, and this flight series will serve as an important step forward in our efforts to take highways to the sky.” 

"Florida has the routes, the operators, and the infrastructure this industry needs to scale," said BETA Technologies Founder and Chief Executive Officer Kyle Clark. "Earlier this year, we 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. Our ALIA aircraft was built to move people and goods faster, more reliably, and at a fraction of the cost of conventional aircraft. The eIPP lets us keep flying, gather the operational data, and prove out the case for routine commercial passenger service alongside experienced operators."

“Florida is leading the way in embracing electric air taxis and the opportunities they will create for residents and visitors alike,” said Joby Aviation Founder and Chief Executive Officer JoeBen Bevirt. “It’s exciting to see the state turn that ambition into action, and we’re proud to work with FDOT as we plan to fly our aircraft across the state, from Tampa Bay and Orlando to the Space Coast. These flights will give communities a firsthand look at how quiet, electric vertical flight can transform everyday travel, beginning on the route where commercial aviation was born.”

This flight demonstration is one of many in Florida’s “Future of Flight Series,” which serves as a key fact-finding mission for the FAA as they develop the regulations, infrastructure, and operating procedures that are necessary to safely deploy flying cars for commercial use. This series of demonstration flights is supported by a robust portfolio of partners in Florida’s eIPP, including Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) such as Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies, as well as many academia partners, local municipalities, and airports around the state. Florida’s eIPP flights, including those in the Future of Flight Series, will collect data in key focus areas such as noise, airspace integration, and more that will help guide important decisions about this emerging new mode of transportation at the national level.

Today’s demonstration flight paid homage to Tony Jannus’ historic journey between St. Petersburg and Tampa in 1914, which was the world’s first commercial airline flight and served, at the time, as the next era of transporting people and goods across Tampa Bay. Now, more than a century later, thousands of spectators witnessed history in the making with two “flying cars” taking off from Albert Whitted Airport in St. Petersburg, flying in formation over Tampa Bay, and landing at Signature Aviation at Tampa International Airport, ushering in yet another new era of transportation. 

While today’s flight honored a pioneering moment in aviation history, it also marked a step forward in Florida's transportation future by showcasing how these aircraft can safely and efficiently connect communities throughout Florida. These flight demonstrations will be among the first to utilize Florida’s Aerial Highway Network, a first-of-its-kind system that takes highways to the sky through dedicated aerial corridors that connect major hubs throughout the state. Following along the Interstate 4 (I-4) corridor, the most heavily traveled corridor in Florida, the Future of Flight Series will offer real-world demonstrations on how AAM can bypass roadway congestion and completely revolutionize the travel experience for Florida’s residents and visitors in this part of the state.

For more information about FDOT’s AAM initiatives, visit suntraxfl.com.