Many of the technologies we enjoy today were science fiction just 50 years ago; handheld communicators, interactive TVs, robot cleaners. Flying personal cars have been fiction for just as long, we have many experimental flying cars today. Why do we not yet have them in our lives?. The presentation will explore the safety driven barriers currently facing the Air Taxi and Electric Vertical Take Off (EVTOL) industry that must be overcome by technology development. Battery energy density, lightweight materials, electric engines, automated controls are just some of the technologies that require further improvements from our industry and our future engineers. The presentation will also answer the question – Does FAA regulation stifle innovation?
Aaron Koopman, Director of Certification & Systems Engineering | Collinear Group
A graduate of the University of Washington Aeronautics Department, Aaron Koopman has spent his 38 year career with Aerospace companies, working on a number of innovative technologies and historic Aerospace firsts including the original 777 ETOPS authorization, the world’s largest airplane ink printer, and a single stage 10:1 CO2 compressor. Besides working with large established Aerospace companies Aaron managed over $100M in government and private equity investment for a unique supersonic compressor technology startup to sequester carbon dioxide gas from coal plants. He currently consults with Aerospace companies working on Advanced Air Mobility, Military regulatory compliance, Commercial Air Transport, Satellite manufacturing and Innovative aerospace startups. Aaron’s many years of experience with complex programs where innovative processes and machines have been developed for heavily regulated industries will be brought to bear on the topic of eVTOL technical challenges imposed by safety and certification regulations.