Flying Taxis May Soon Land at Livermore Airport
CA – New partnerships at Livermore Municipal Airport hope to bring to the area a new era of aviation, known as advanced air mobility (AAM), which could circumvent Bay Area traffic and quiet the skies over the Tri-Valley. AAM refers to the group of aircraft commonly known as air taxis, small aircraft that typically use electric motors and sport vertical takeoff and landing capabilities to fly passengers short distances.
Livermore fixed-based operator Five Rivers Aviation has entered into agreements with several electric-aircraft companies to establish AAM operations at the airport. “One company wants to do R&D (research and development); another wants to have it as a shuttle spot – like a park-and-ride kind of spot – and another wants to do flight training on their next-generation aircraft,” said Pete Sandhu, owner of Five Rivers Aviation. Sandhu declined to share just yet which aircraft companies are involved.
The plans also include the construction of solar-powered charging stations for both battery-electric and fuel-cell-electric aircraft at the airport. However, these are also early in the process. “At this time, the City of Livermore has not received an application from Five Rivers Aviation to provide fuel for electric and fuel-cell aircraft,” stated an email to The Independent from Livermore’s city manager’s office.
The airport’s proximity to a planned Valley Link rail station and a water treatment facility makes it an ideal location as a transportation hub and a hydrogen generation facility, said Sandhu. He envisions a Jetsons-esque “Uber of the sky” service, where individuals can order a car to drive them to the airport, take an air taxi to zip over traffic, and then meet another vehicle at their destination airport to complete the journey. “This is something that would be affordable enough for riders to take on a regular basis,” continued Sandhu, pointing to the cost savings of solar-generated electricity over fossil fuels and lower-maintenance electric motors over their piston counterparts. He said that while the prices haven’t been published yet, the cost will be competitive with a regular Uber ride.
The AAM sector “has the potential to achieve the Biden-Harris Administration’s vision of transportation that is more efficient, more sustainable, and more equitable, while creating thousands of great jobs,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website.
Five Rivers also began discussions with the city to install solar panels at the airport with the intent to power the air taxis wholly on solar power. Electric aircraft operating out of Livermore Municipal would emit no greenhouse gasses if implemented.
“We’re looking at saturating every nook and cranny of the airport with solar panels,” said Sandhu. Sandhu, although unable to provide a firm timeline for the solar project, pointed to past Livermore permitting processes taking 12 to 18 months. He hoped, however, that excitement around the project might expedite those figures. “Livermore has always been a center for innovation and alternative energy, with the fusion, and we look forward to leveraging that creative environment for making the next generation of aviation – pioneering the next level,” said Sandhu.