U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy was in Texas to celebrate the state’s first demonstration of its next-generation aircraft under USDOT’s Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program (eIPP)–making Texas the sixth location to launch under the Department’s initiative.
Under Secretary Duffy, USDOT has created one of the nation’s largest real-world environments for testing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), air taxis, and autonomous planes.
The first-of-its-kind testing initiative has the potential to create jobs, connect communities, and strengthen American leadership in aviation. Data from the pilot projects will be used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop new regulations that safely enable this futuristic technology at scale.
“Under President Trump, we are unlocking the future of flight and empowering innovators to build and test these exciting aircraft here in the U.S.,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Today marks another critical step in our work to reshape how people and products move faster and more efficiently.”
The demonstrations at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) were the first in Texas sponsored under eIPP, which partnered BETA, Joby, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to develop regional air taxi flights connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston.
On Saturday, Joby’s aircraft will fly a roundtrip flight from AFW to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to test flight operations between major airports. TxDOT and other eIPP participants are planning additional test flights through the rest of the year.
“Advanced Air Mobility vehicles are the future of aviation and these demonstrations in Texas are critical to getting us there,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “The FAA is leveraging data from test flights in Texas and across the country to ensure these new aircraft integrate safely into the airspace.”
“In Texas, we don’t wait for the future to arrive, we build it. The Lone Star State is pushing the boundaries by testing the next generation of aircraft through Project Nexus. I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for their leadership and decisive action,” said Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Ted Cruz (R-Texas). “These technologies will connect communities, expand access to jobs and services, and strengthen supply chains. What starts in Texas will help shape the future of aviation throughout the entire country.”
“We’re proud to lead the way in transportation innovation as we look to find new ways to connect the people of Texas,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “Project Nexus is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to gather real-world data, improve safety and build a framework for how electric aircraft could one day connect people, goods and communities across the state.”
“We began pursuing our vision at Joby in 2009. After thousands of hours of flight testing, and with the eIPP program supporting us, we’re now ready for our industry to take off,” said Joby Aviation Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “We’re grateful to the White House and Department of Transportation for bringing government, industry and communities together as we make electric vertical flight a reality. We’re proud to be demonstrating the future of flight here in Texas and bringing American innovation to communities across our nation.”
“eIPP is about putting these aircraft to work and learning from real operations,” said BETA Technologies Founder and CEO Kyle Clark. “In Texas, we are working with our partners to move cargo and medical supplies, support disaster response and offshore operations, and understand what it takes to make these missions work at scale. The best way to build this industry is to get out there and fly. Programs like this are how we prove the technology, build the infrastructure around it, and make sure the U.S. continues to lead in aviation.”
Additional Information:
In March, Secretary Duffy unveiled the eIPP program to begin testing advanced air mobility vehicles and their real-world applications. The eight selected projects span 26 states and partner with leading aircraft manufacturers, operators, and state partners, including:
- Urban air taxi services
- Regional passenger transportation (including short Takeoff and Landing aircraft)
- Cargo and logistics networks
- Emergency medical response operations
- Autonomous flight technologies
- Offshore and energy-sector transportation
The eIPP is a first-of-its-kind initiative outlined in President Trump’s Unleashing Drone Dominance Executive Order. It creates one of the nation’s largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft with the potential to create jobs, connect communities, and strengthen American leadership in aviation.
Together, these pilot projects will create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next generation aircraft in the world. In addition to offering the American people an exciting window into the future of aviation, data from the pilot projects will be used by the FAA to develop new regulations that safely enable this futuristic technology at scale.
Last year, Secretary Duffy and the FAA launched the nation’s first-ever advanced air mobility (AAM) strategy to unlock the future of flight. The Strategy and accompanying action plan outline 40 recommendations to safely and efficiently support AAM operations.
