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 domain. It showed us how ambition can drive innovation, which is a good thing I guess, but also how it can lead to disastrous oversights when people are trapped in some sort of confirmation bias.

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 term for flying drone taxis. It’s supposed to be this revolutionary thing that’ll change how we move around megacities. Imagine hopping into a flying car instead of sitting in traffic for hours.

But here’s where it gets dicey. Many of these eVTOL companies are run by people who, frankly, don’t know jack shit about aviation. They’re tech bros who think flying a plane is just like playing with a bigger drone. Well, it’s not.

The Leadership Problem

Remember when Boeing put an accountant in charge, and things went south? Well, we’re seeing something worse here. These eVTOL companies have CEOs who couldn’t tell the difference between an aileron and a rudder. They’re pushing 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 – Many 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. If you bring this to the head of the department, an 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 over other people houses and backyards, 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, and the former FAA employees who are getting a fat check for their services cannot handle it. It’s like they forgot that in aviation, “breaking things” means people die. They’re treating safety checks like they’re optional (See the post’s title.) I can’t believe I have to say this, but flying a drone is NOT the same as flying a plane full of people. 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?

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:

1. Hire people who actually know about aviation.
2. Get leaders who understand that eVTOL aircrafts aren’t just big smartphones with wings.
3. Because you worked previously with friends of yours, that doesn’t automatically make them good aviation managers. Think about the implications.
4. Stop rushing, and plan strategically how to move quickly. Seriously, take the time to test things properly.
5. Learn the difference between toys and aircraft that carry people.
6. It’s fine if you want to hire people with the same cultural criteria as yours (South Koreans, Indians.. etc.), but make sure that are properly educated to hold a position. I don’t know; I think the PhD holder who spent eight months developing a “new” TCAS that issues alerts five seconds before impact at an aircraft cruising at 180+ mph, and his manager who approved this, create a bit of uncertainty, maybe.

The Bottom Line

eVTOL aircrafts could reshape our skies. 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, 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.