Bluenest by Globalvia, Guanacaste Airport (VINCI Airports) and Reserva Conchal have joined forces for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in Costa Rica.
AAM represents a new safe, efficient and sustainable transport solution, both for passengers and goods, thanks to the use of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), which has been presented in Latin America with a demonstration flight, at an event in Guanacaste.
EHang’s EH216 unmanned eVTOL, certified for passenger transportation, took off from the heliport located in Reserva Conchal, flying over the golf course, the coastal area, the sea, and a large resort area, until it landed at the same point on the heliport.
This milestone makes Costa Rica the pioneer country in Latin America in terms of AAM. It is the first step of a more ambitious and common objective: promoting sustainability and innovation in Costa Rica, guaranteeing a better quality of life and well-being for its citizens through the potential and advantages that eVTOLs can bring to mobility.
The three companies have aligned to present this new air mobility solution and the benefits it brings to society and the environment, which include:
- Zero emissions of CO2 and other particles, reducing pollution as it is an eco-sustainable transportation system.
- Low noise and turbulence levels.
- Connectivity and socio-economic development in rural and mountainous areas, islands, or coastal areas and reduction in traffic density without the need to deploy expensive land infrastructure.
- Versatility: regional and urban transportation, air taxi, airport transportation, emergency services, and tourist routes, among other uses.
Fernando Vallejo Lázaro, Director of Innovation, IT, and Sustainability at Globalvia, said; “Sustainability and innovation are the two fundamental pillars that govern Globalvia’s strategy and, precisely, sustainable advanced air mobility brings together both qualities. We are convinced that Costa Rica is the perfect place to develop this mobility of the future that has taken off and landed in this country today. Making this milestone a reality, thanks to the collaboration with our partners, reflects our firm commitment to the project and this region.”
José Ignacio Rodríguez, Manager of Bluenest by Globalvia, stated; “We are satisfied and proud to have contributed to a milestone in advanced and sustainable air mobility in the Latin American region, with the first flight of an unmanned electric aircraft for passengers. Our first validations of vertiports outside of Spain, with the invaluable support of the DGAC, Westin, and Guanacaste Airport, are a great step for Bluenest and for the region in our common desire to offer safer, more efficient, quieter, and sustainable mobility to visitors and residents. We see in the Guanacaste region and the partners of this event the perfect combination to make the mobility of the future a reality very soon.”
César Jaramillo, General Manager of Guanacaste Airport, pointed out; “This project meets both the sustainability and development objectives of the Guanacaste region and the VINCI Airports roadmap to decarbonize aviation and promote innovation in each platform. The support provided by VINCI Airports demonstrates the value of being part of the largest international network of private airports for the future development of the Guanacaste airport.”
Fabián Fernández, Manager of the Reserva Conchal hospitality division of FIFCO, commented; “In line with our innovative spirit, our vision of sustainability, and specifically as part of our Climate Action strategy, we join this mobility milestone in Costa Rica and Latin America. This first flight in our facilities allows us to dream of a more sustainable future that responds to the needs of our national and foreign clients, who increasingly demand green and clean options in their stays, minimizing their ecological footprint when vacationing.”
