Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

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Eve is stepping up its efforts to test the basis on which eVTOL aircraft could operate air taxi services in crowded cities, with a planned urban air mobility (UAM) simulation in Chicago. In an August 23 announcement, the eVTOL aircraft developer said the exercise will involve helicopters operated as part of the rideshare network of its prospective customer <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-06-24/eve-provide-60000-evtol-flight-hours-private-flight-group-blade">Blade Air Mobility</a>.
Last year, Eve conducted a similar exercise in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, with local helicopter charter operator <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-05-26/helisul-probed-human-realities-urban-air-mobility-services">Helisul Aviation</a> providing aircraft for a structured 30-day trial to map out prospective routes and operating procedures with passengers on board. This work, which was also supported by flight booking service Flapper, resulted in the publication of a <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-brief/2022-05-10/eves-concept-operations-rio-de-janeiro-offers-urban-air-mobility-blueprint">concept of operations</a> for eVTOL flights in and around the city that has been presented to Brazilian air safety regulator ANAC. 
Like <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-06-24/eve-provide-60000-evtol-flight-hours-private-flight-group-blade">Blade</a>, Helisul also plans to add Eve's eVTOL vehicle to its fleet from 2026, and <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-07-22/eve-guarantees-evtol-flight-hours-flapper-charter-platform-latin-america">Flapper</a> also intends to offer flights to its on-demand customers. Blade has also committed to adding the rival Beta Technologies' Alia eVTOL vehicle to its fleet.
Starting on September 14, Blade will arrange services around the Chicago area each morning and afternoon, with flights available to passengers via its app from the downtown Vertiport Chicago to "helistops" the northern suburb of Schaumburg and the southern suburb of Tinley Park. Eve, which will start ground testing on September 12, will&nbsp;study operations, ground services, passenger journeys, and eVTOL operator needs, allowing for more accessible and faster connections to the city center.&nbsp;
Eve will perform the ground tests at <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2021-08-10/vertiport-offers-warm-welcome-chicago-evtol-aircraft-operators">Vertiport Chicago </a>simulating services, infrastructure, and equipment requirements for the eVTOL aircraft. The public company, which is majority owned by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, says that&nbsp;the study will help it to understand the infrastructure and ecosystem needed to enable the launch and expected long-term growth of UAM in a major North American city.
“Simulating the eVTOL operation in Chicago allows us to study how people will experience this service and understand the entire ecosystem requirements for our product and services, while showcasing the benefit of urban air mobility in one of North America's most prominent and populated cities,” said Eve co-CEO André Stein. “We are wrapping up preparations to execute these simulations seamlessly and look forward to helping prepare Chicago for a local zero-emission UAM solution that is quiet, efficient, and sustainable.”
The consortium of partners Eve assembled for the simulation also include regional&nbsp;airlines Republic Airways and Skywest, Halo Aviation, Vertiport Chicago, the villages of Tinley Park and Schaumburg, Spanish infrastructure and renewable energy conglomerate Acciona, and Brazilian UAM logistics specialist Speedbird Aero. 
"For Eve, it is essential to understand and address through these projects involving partners and the community the key challenges associated with the main pillars of the UAM ecosystem,” said Eve vice president of services and fleet operations Luiz Mauad. “Our proposal brings together all stakeholders and counts on different views and feedback to structure and deliver the best solutions." 
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Gregory Polek

A helicopter simulation exercise based at Chicago Vertiport will help inform Eve's plans to support customers launching eVTOL air taxi services in major cities. (Image: Eve)

Eve to Conduct UAM Simulation Out of Chicago Vertiport Using Helicopters

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