Overair, a prominent player in advanced air mobility (AAM) and a leading developer of all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has forged a groundbreaking partnership with the City of Arlington. This collaboration marks the first-ever direct alliance between a Texas city and an eVTOL Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The joint efforts of Overair and Arlington are geared towards the development and launch of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) operations, commencing at Arlington Municipal Airport (ICAO: KGKY, FAA LID: GKY) and extending across the DFW region.
The anticipated eVTOL operations aim to provide a direct link to Arlington's lively Entertainment District, housing attractions such as Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, and professional sports franchises including the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, Arlington Renegades, and the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. Additionally, the district features numerous restaurants, shopping centers, museums, and live entertainment venues.
This announcement closely follows a recently disclosed agreement between Overair and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport to introduce eVTOL operations to the DFW Metroplex. The strategic collaboration between the City of Arlington and Overair is set to expand the company’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations throughout North Texas by delivering comprehensive eVTOL ecosystem solutions – encompassing vertiports, advanced charging infrastructure, and the implementation of electric aerial rideshare.
As part of the agreement, Overair is poised to establish a base of operations in North Central Texas, contributing to job creation in the region.
Valerie Manning, Chief Commercial Officer at Overair, expressed, “Today’s announcement is a major step toward positioning Arlington as one of the first cities in the world to integrate fully electric AAM capabilities into its transportation ecosystem. Electric advanced air mobility is an example of transportation evolving with the needs of a growing society. We are incredibly excited to be part of driving this transportation evolution in North Central Texas and to expanding our presence in this region, known for its talent and technology."
Under the terms of the agreement, a joint, cross-functional working group will be established by Overair and the City of Arlington to oversee and address project challenges. This collaboration aims to ensure the timely completion of milestones, including an initial feasibility study conducted by Overair to assess the demand for AAM services within the Arlington area and evaluate scenarios for flight operations in and out of vertiport locations.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross remarked, “This partnership with Overair not only advances the City of Arlington as a leader in implementing innovative transportation solutions, it also provides high-tech and engineering jobs to our residents and the community at large; ultimately creating a new mobility ecosystem that will provide socio-economic progress for decades to come. We are excited to work with Overair to shape the future of transportation for our city and the DFW region."
With the development of the Butterfly aircraft currently on schedule to meet the goals and timelines of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Innovate28 initiative, Overair seeks to solve many of the logistical challenges associated with moving people and goods (commuter, charter, medical transport, cargo). Butterfly’s unique proprietary propulsion system and oversized rotors allow the aircraft to fly safely, quietly, and efficiently in a wide variety of weather conditions.