The FAA has backed a hybrid-electric demonstration flight in Utah involving Ampaire’s EEL aircraft and the Utah Department of Transportation under its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. The test linked Salt Lake City International Airport and Cedar City Regional Airport, using existing airport infrastructure to gather operational data on advanced air mobility operations in the National Airspace System.
The flight forms part of the agency’s effort to inform future rules and procedures for emerging aircraft types, while also examining how hybrid-electric regional services could operate on real routes. FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau took part in the program, which the agency views as a step toward practical integration rather than a purely conceptual exercise.
Utah is among eight projects selected across 26 states for the programme, which was launched in March 2026. More test flights are planned later in the year. Ampaire has positioned the corridor as representative of missions flown by cargo feeders, passenger operators and community air-service providers, making it a useful case study for regional aviation and future low-emission operations.