VertiPorts by Atlantic has hosted a demonstration flight of an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from Joby Aviation at Manhattan’s East 34th Street Heliport, highlighting how advanced air mobility services could operate within New York City.

Conducted on May 1 at one of Manhattan’s busiest heliports, the demonstration showed how next-generation electric aircraft can integrate into existing urban aviation infrastructure while offering a quieter and lower-emissions alternative to conventional rotorcraft operations. The event also provided a preview of how future air taxi services could connect destinations including JFK Airport and Manhattan.

Kevin Cox, CEO of VertiPorts by Atlantic, says: “For decades, the East 34th Street Heliport has served as a critical transportation link for New York City. But today represents something more: transformation. Advanced air mobility is no longer theoretical, and today it landed in Midtown Manhattan. Thank you to our partners at Joby, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York City Economic Development Corporation for making this milestone possible.”

The demonstration included takeoff and landing operations, passenger handling, aircraft ground support and charging activities, illustrating how existing heliport facilities could support future eVTOL services with limited infrastructure changes.

Cox adds: “Our focus is simple: to develop and operate the infrastructure that will enable this next era of air mobility. As we build on the strength of Atlantic Aviation’s nearly century-long aviation legacy and expansive network, we are applying it to something entirely new: developing vertiports that are safe, scalable and community-focused. Simply put, VertiPorts by Atlantic is where innovation lands.”

The New York flights followed the city’s selection in March as one of the approved projects under the federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which was established to accelerate the rollout of commercial advanced air mobility operations across the US.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, says: “New York has always been a city that defines the future by demanding better. We first flew here in 2023, and now we’re showing what the next chapter looks like: a quiet, zero operating emissions air taxi service designed to better serve New Yorkers. This week, flying between JFK and Manhattan, we showed what the White House-backed eIPP initiative makes possible and offered New York a look at what’s coming.”

The companies worked alongside the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York City Economic Development Corporation to stage the event, which they say demonstrated the role public-private partnerships could play in supporting advanced air mobility networks and reducing travel times across major urban centres.