Orlando International, FAA Conduct AAM Simulations

Florida airport performs a three-day assessment of electric air taxi integration.

Jack Daleo

Monday, September 15, 2025 at 04:30 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Air traffic control specialists from Orlando International Airport take part in FAA simulations of eVTOL and other AAM aircraft. [Courtesy: Orlando International Airport]

Key Takeaways:

Orlando International Airport (KMCO) is proactively preparing for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) by conducting simulated electric air taxi (eVTOL) operations with the FAA, becoming the second airport after LAX to test theoretical routes and procedures.
KMCO has identified two potential AAM sites, with initial focus on an East Airfield location for an R&D hub and common-use vertiports, and has issued an Invitation to Negotiate for vertiport developers.
These efforts are part of a broader national trend among U.S. airports, strongly supported by FAA initiatives and regulatory development aimed at integrating AAM operations into the national airspace by 2028.

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Air traffic control (ATC) specialists with Orlando International Airport (KMCO) are working with the FAA to introduce electric air taxi and other advanced air mobility (AAM) operations.

The airport on Friday said it was the second, following Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), to conduct simulated electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center in New Jersey. During the three-day exercise, personnel used theoretical routes and procedures and human-in-the-loop modeling—combining humans and automation—to gauge the impact of routine eVTOL flights.