Browsing by Author "Nave, Tiago Anseriz da"
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- Application of eVTOL Aircraft in Advanced Air Mobility: Vertiport in Humberto Delgado AirportPublication . Nave, Tiago Anseriz da; Silva, Jorge Miguel dos ReisTechnological developments allowed air mobility to enter the urban environment, expanding urban mobility to a new dimension and originating Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The present work explores the potential of a vertiport, AAM's ground infrastructure, associated with Humberto Delgado Airport, allowing its connection to the new Luís de Camões Airport. There are still many obstacles in the path to implementing a route taken by a recent category of aircraft, eVTOLs, in an industry that does not accept safety compromises. Various aeronautical authorities have released documentation to guide the development of vertiports. Yet, their transitional nature alongside the uncertainty around accordingly expanding air traffic control (ATC) and other operational uncertainties leads to significant doubt of the longevity of the models used so far. Aiming to reduce the impact of the many uncertainties, a vertiport implementation was sought while pondering proper specifications and public exposure to the negative side of AAM, pointing out identified sources of uncertainty and explaining the decision process for each step. Reaching a recommended layout for the case of study, a simulation model was then elaborated to estimate its performance, identify bottlenecks and confirm assumptions made during the layout design phase. The reached conclusions reflect a lack of validation of the claims surrounding AAM, translated on rigorous EASA guidance material for vertiport design, restricting the options for a vertiport associated with Humberto Delgado Airport. Considering data from August 2024, the developed vertiport, under various limitations such as visual flight rule (VFR) conditions and considering Volocopter’s VoloCity as the eVTOL, proved capable of serving 0.398% of the airport's daily processed passengers. The proposed vertiport’s performance can be seen as adequate for the expected demand on this initial stage, with few passengers seeking a direct connection between the airports and not taking another means of transport. On the other hand, expansion options are lacking, compromising the capacity of ground infrastructure in case of the concept's success. Additionally, as soon as infrastructure projects seeking an expansion of ground transport capabilities are completed, while still many years in the future, AAM may face serious competition from the more conventional transport means.