Uber Air

[tail wheel]

Mach E Avelli and Lookleft

JSX has an FAA issued AOC #: 4DPA097O and is not a rogue operator in a regulatory sense.

If they tried to operate without an AOC I'm sure the immediate FAA reaction would be to deny access to airports and air services, especially if their insurance was voided by conducting illegal non regulated air services.

JSX are pioneering a new modus operandi which may actually work in this era of airlines "service" having hit rock bottom and airlines are still digging - particularly here in Australia.

The interesting point will come when automated drone air taxis and privately owned passenger drones commence operating - as they inevitably will. CASA may or may not know it has lost control of drones (being used privately and commercially) in the same way State Governments have now lost control of electric bikes and scooters. Interestingly last week I was driving home at 55 KPH in a 60 KPH zone when two young school students on one electric scooter, no helmets, overtook me. There was a Police car behind me (the reason I was driving at 55 KPH) and he completely ignored the students doubling on a scooter at 60 KPH or higher speed.

Queensland road rules limit e-bikes to single motor of 200 watts and 25 KPH maximum, whilst I have seen e-bikes and e-scooters openly advertised with single or twin motors well in excess of 1 kilowatt, capable of speeds well in excess of suburban road speed limits. How about THIS e-scooter, advertised in Australia by an Australian dealer, 8.4 kW (11.26 HP - 42 times the maximum power permitted for an e-bike in Queensland) and capable of speeds to 90 KPH? 150 kilometer range and cheaper than a reasonable used car?

The intriguing question - what will the regulator do when private drones are operated repetitiously above 400 feet AGL and unlicensed people carrying drones, which do not require airport facilities, commence operating? I suspect the regulators in most developed countries may be overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers as the cost of these air vehicles comes down due to competition and vastly increased manufacturing numbers?