So, we all remember the OceanGate disaster. According to experts, it was a wake-up call, a disaster waiting to happen, for the tech and exploration world. It showed us how ambition can drive innovation, which is a good thing, but also how it can lead to disastrous oversights when people are trapped in some sort of confirmation bias and aren’t careful enough.
Now, here’s the thing – I’m seeing some eerily similar patterns in the eVTOL (that’s electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) industry. And let me tell you, as an insider, it’s got me worried.
What’s the Deal with eVTOL?
So, eVTOL Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) or the “previously” used term Unmanned Air Mobility (UAM) is basically the fancy term for flying drone taxis. It’s supposed to be this revolutionary thing that’ll change how we move around cities. Imagine hopping into a flying car instead of sitting in traffic for hours. Sounds cool, right?
But here’s where it gets dicey. Many of these eVTOL companies are run by people who, frankly, don’t know jack about aviation. They’re tech bros who think flying a plane is just like playing with a bigger drone. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
The Leadership Problem
Remember when Boeing put an accountant in charge, and things went south? Well, we’re seeing something similar here. These eVTOL companies have CEOs who couldn’t tell the difference between an aileron and a rudder. They’re pushing their teams to meet crazy deadlines and safety? It’s an afterthought. It’s a troubling situation that exponentially worsens as the FAA approaches the sector – obviously because these aircraft need Airworthiness certifications before entering into service – with insufficient knowledge. You see, the truth here is that former FAA employees, now very well into retirement, found the goose with the golden eggs, lobbying for the eVTOL companies in Washington, DC.
Hiring Practices That’ll Make You Facepalm
Get this – some of these startups are hiring fresh grads on visas (H1B) to design aircrafts because they had an internship of 4-months in a recreational drone manufacturing local company. When you bring this to the head of the department, a glorious, innocent smile is all you can get, along with some good old business BS. “It is a good engineer with a lot of experience.” Now, I’m all for giving newcomers a chance, but when it comes to building something that flies people around, maybe we want someone who’s, I don’t know, actually worked on a plane before? Someone who at least designed something that operated in the real world and not just in a playground? Another thing that we need to take care of is that most of the information about sensors and navigation components is controlled for a reason. How do you appoint an export-controlled manager to deal with this kind of material? Is there anything going on?
The “Move Fast and Break Things” Mentality (Spoiler: It Doesn’t Work with Aircraft that needs FAA certifications)
These companies are in such a rush to be first that they’re cutting corners left and right. It’s like they forgot that in aviation, “breaking things” means people die. They’re treating safety checks like they’re optional. I can’t believe I have to say this, but flying a drone is NOT the same as flying a plane full of people. The number of companies that don’t get this is scary. It’s like thinking you can perform brain surgery because you’re good at Operation (the board game, not the medical procedure).
So, What Now?
Look, I’m not saying the eVTOL industry is doomed. But if they don’t get their act together, we might look at another OceanGate-level disaster. Here’s what needs to happen:
- Hire people who actually know about aviation. Crazy idea, I know.
- Get leaders who understand that planes aren’t just big smartphones with wings (that might also work for Boeing, but anyway…)
- Because you worked previously with a friend of yours, it doesn’t make him automatically a good aviation manager. Think about the implications.
- Stop rushing. Seriously, take the time to test things properly.
- Learn the difference between toys and aircraft that carry human beings.
- It’s ok if you want to hire people with the same cultural criteria as yours (South Koreans, Indians.. etc.), but say so.
The Bottom Line
eVTOL aircrafts could be amazing. It could change our cities and how we travel. But only if these companies start taking safety seriously. Otherwise, we’re just waiting for the next big headline – and trust me, it won’t be a good one.
So, to all you eVTOL companies out there: please, for the love of all things that fly, get your act together. The future of urban air mobility depends on it. Lives depend on it.