Vertx Partners is bringing Advanced Air Mobility to rural areas like West Virginia – here is how it’ll improve West Virginian transportation.
The Case for Advanced Air Mobility
When thinking of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), many conjure images of bustling smart cities and high-tech eVTOLs taxiing wealthy citizens high above crowded streets, flitting between towering skyscrapers. However, there’s a growing realization that AAM can also be a game-changer in rural settings, particularly in a state like West Virginia, where traditional transportation infrastructure faces significant challenges.
As the Vertx Partners team helped establish the West Virginia Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Advisory Council, we believe it’s time to focus the conversation on Rural Advanced Air Mobility and how it can positively impact a state like West Virginia.
Depending on how one defines ‘rural,’ anywhere from 64% to 93% of West Virginians live in a rural area, compared to around 20% of total Americans. Additionally, West Virginia’s road system consists of more than 35,000 miles of roads and over 7,000 bridges. The WV Department of Transportation estimates that 10% of WV roads and over 1,500 bridges need repairing this year alone. The ability of eVTOLs to safely and quickly service secluded areas cut off by failing infrastructure could be the answer for thousands of West Virginians.
How else will Rural Advanced Air Mobility impact West Virginia’s transportation network?
Aviation Infrastructure: The Foundation of Future AAM
West Virginia already boasts a network of seven primary airports and around 30 smaller, non-commercial airports. These existing airports will become increasingly important and serve as stop-overs for those transiting around and through the region. These existing facilities could also form the bedrock upon which to build AAM infrastructure through vertiports and air traffic control towers.
Consider a recent report released by the Utah Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division. This report assesses the preparedness of Utah’s infrastructure for future AAM capabilities, identifying key factors that enable Utah to take advantage of its current infrastructure. For example, the Aeronautics Division is already working to electrify and build vertiports into existing airports.
It’s easy to imagine similar efforts taking place in West Virginia. These efforts would foster a network of personal AAM transportation between the state’s three dozen or so airports. Battery capacity currently limits electric vertical takeoff-and-landing vehicles (eVTOLs), so quick transit within the state between these points would be an ideal task for AAM aircraft.
Rural Advanced Air Mobility in WV
Since travel times and infrastructural decay plague much of the state, AAM offers an alternative to residents wishing to traverse the region’s mountainous terrain safely and efficiently.
Additionally, AAM offers a way to sight-see much of the state’s natural beauty while traveling. Reducing the load on existing roads and the demand for new roads means much of this beauty is preserved.
West Virginia: An Emerald in the Crown of the East Coast
West Virginia is already located just off the heart of the East Coast – that means it’s about an eight-hour drive from major metropolitan areas representing nearly half of the entire U.S. population. Now imagine if safe, quiet, cost-effective, and energy-efficient eVTOL travel reduced that travel time even more.
Residents of the state and cities like Washington, D.C.; Pittsburgh, PA; Lexington, KY; and Columbus, OH, among others, could enjoy ready access to and from via vertiports.
This would make West Virginia connected within itself via AAM and a vital link to much of the East Coast and Midwest, both as a getaway destination and home for residents and visitors wishing to travel in and out of the state.
The Future of Personal Transportation – for Urban and Rural Residents
Advanced Air Mobility is not just about travel for urban areas – it will also change how rural residents experience travel. But nor is AAM itself isn’t just about travel – it’s also about connecting people, communities, and regions that were once isolated.
West Virginia is a state known for its rugged beauty, so AAM has the potential to make personal transportation faster, more efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly. As Vertx looks to the future, the state’s embrace of AAM could serve as an exemplary model for its residents and other transportation networks across the nation.
If you’re interested in joining Vertx Partners’ growing AAM network, contact us today to stay updated on the latest news and innovations in Appalachia.