Ampaire has officially begun flight operations in Utah as a partner in the uFLY program, according to an August 6 statement. The company is participating as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner in the state's initiative, which is one of eight projects selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).
The kickoff operations involve the EEL hybrid-electric aircraft flying regional routes that connect Salt Lake City and Cedar City. These flights are intended to demonstrate how hybrid-electric aviation can operate across varied terrain and meaningful distances using existing airport infrastructure without requiring new developments.
On Aug. 6, the official uFLY kickoff included a flight from Salt Lake City to Cedar City covering approximately 240 miles in 1 hour and 45 minutes. This follows an Aug. 3 flight where the EEL traveled from Long Beach to Salt Lake City, a 648-mile route completed in 4 hours and 18 minutes on a single battery charge. Across the three-leg mission, the EEL is expected to cover approximately 1,340 miles over 10 flight hours.
The EEL is a hybrid-electric Cessna 337 Skymaster testbed that uses electric propulsion for the nose propeller and combustion propulsion for the aft propeller. Ampaire plans to use the EEL for early operational learning before introducing the Eco Caravan, a planned commercial hybrid-electric aircraft upgrade for the Cessna Grand Caravan. The Eco Caravan's AMP-H570 propulsion system is designed to self-charge in flight to integrate into existing operations without ground charging dependence.
Matt Maas, Aeronautics Director for the Utah Department of Transportation, stated that the uFLY program aims to build a foundation for advanced air mobility in Utah by strengthening urban-rural connectivity and supporting economic opportunity.
The uFLY program will evaluate route performance, infrastructure needs, operational readiness, and practical use cases for advanced aircraft within a multi-state environment. The Salt Lake City—Cedar City corridor represents mission types typically flown by passenger carriers, community air-service providers, and cargo feeder operators.
