Supernal and Clay Lacy Aviation have announced a partnership at 2024 NBAA-BACE to prepare Clay Lacy’s FBO locations for electric vertical and take-off landing (eVTOL) operations.
This marks Supernal’s first official FBO partnership, which will benefit future operators of the company’s eVTOL vehicles.
As part of the five-year partnership, Supernal and Clay Lacy will develop end-to-end operational plans for integrating AAM into existing airport infrastructure, with a focus on developing standards and procedures for ground handling, MRO and battery management.
Supernal will also support Clay Lacy’s work to integrate sufficient power and charging infrastructure for electric aviation. Initially, the partnership will focus on two of Clay Lacy’s FBO locations: SNA (Orange County) and VNY (Van Nuys), which aligns with Supernal’s Southern California launch plans. In subsequent phases, the companies will apply their best practices and learnings to prepare Clay Lacy’s broader FBO network for AAM.
“Supernal is pleased to join Clay Lacy’s efforts to adapt existing airport infrastructure to support Advanced Air Mobility operations, which will begin later this decade,” said Diana Cooper, chief partnerships and policy officer, Supernal.
“Clay Lacy’s state-of-the-art facilities, award-winning customer service and commitment to sustainability make them an ideal partner for Supernal. Availability of infrastructure will be critical to scaling the AAM industry, and this partnership is the latest step in ensuring the ecosystem is thoughtfully designed for future commercial eVTOL operators.”
Supernal plans to deliver its first eVTOL vehicles to operators in 2028. The company’s vehicle will cruise at 120 miles-per-hour with an initial range of 60 miles to meet the growing demand for efficient, multimodal transportation options in urban environments, such as Southern California.
“Clay Lacy Aviation has a 57-year history of firsts in the aviation industry, and we are committed to support the launch of sustainable, innovative solutions such as these from Supernal,” said Scott Cutshall, president of real estate and sustainability, Clay Lacy. “Supernal and Clay Lacy share strong commitments to sustainable aviation, safe and efficient operations and a superior passenger experience that benefits the communities we serve.”
