Uber Elevate Summit 2017
The 2017 Elevate Summit was an information-packed three days with 72 industry-leading experts speaking on topics from the Elevate mission, detail about Uber's role in the ecosystem, opportunities and areas of collaboration within the community, and laying out a vision for the path towards initial urban eVTOL operations.
Jeff will articulate Uber’s vision for the future of Urban Air Mobility and Uber’s planned role in the eVTOL ecosystem including newly formed collaborations with cities, vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, and infrastructure development partners.
Ross Perot, Jr. serves as Chairman of The Perot Group, which manages the various Perot family interests that include real estate, oil and gas and financial investments. In addition, Mr. Perot is Chairman of Hillwood, one of the top ten private real estate developers in the United States which is recognized for its high-profile projects and public-private ventures. A native of Dallas, Mr. Perot earned his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and, after graduating, he completed the first helicopter flight around the world in 1982. His helicopter, The Spirit of Texas, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He also spent 8 years in the United States Air Force, earning certification as an F-4 pilot.
Paulo Cesar Silva has been the CEO of Embraer S.A. since July 2016, leading a global organization headquartered in Brazil, with businesses in commercial and executive aviation as well as in defense and security. Mr. Silva joined Embraer in 1997 as Vice President for customer financing. In 2010, he was appointed President & CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, position he held until June of this year. Under his tenure, the company has expanded its footprint in commercial aviation, consolidating its leadership in the segment with up to 130 seats. For more than two decades, he worked in financial institutions in Brazil, Europe, and the United States. Mr. Silva holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Mackenzie University (São Paulo, Brazil) and a Finance MBA from the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland.
John S. Langford is the Chairman and CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, which he founded in 1989. Langford is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He received his Bachelors degree in Aeronautics (1979), Masters in Aeronautics & Astronautics (1984), Masters in Defense Policy (1983) and Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Public Policy (1987) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Prior to Aurora, Langford worked for the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, Virginia.
Michael Thacker was named Executive Vice President for Technology and Innovation in February 2017 and is a member of Bell Helicopter’s Executive Leadership Team. In his current role, Michael is responsible for leading Bell Helicopter’s core engineering team and providing strategic direction for designing, developing and integrating technologies for use in Bell Helicopter’s current and next generation products.
Mr. Ivo Boscarol is the founder, CEO and co-owner of Pipistrel Group companies. As the first private aircraft producer in the Balkans area he set the aviation standards for Microlight class on the global scale in the early eighties. His company claimed many awards such as European Business Award for the most innovative company in EU in 2010, two consecutive victories at the NASA; while Pipistrel aircraft won the World Champion title and still hold 11 world records. Pipistrel has been the producer of world’s most energy-efficient light aircraft and one of the pioneers of electric propulsion for more than 15 years. In 2007 Ivo and his team made the world's first fully electric 2-seat aircraft, the Taurus Electro. In 2011 the Taurus G4, world's first electric 4-seat aircraft, won the NASA Challenge for the third time. In 2014 Pipistrel released the first serially produced electric trainer in the world, the Alpha Electro; the first 4-seat hybrid propulsion aircraft and the first 4-seat aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells in 2016.
Trish Gilbert has served as the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's seventh executive vice president since she was elected in September 2009. In March 2012, Gilbert was re-elected by acclamation to a second three-year term. In March 2015, Gilbert was re-elected, again by acclamation, to serve a third, three-year term. Gilbert is the first in NATCA's history to serve three terms as executive vice president.
Mayor Mike Rawlings has spent most of his career in the private sector, but public service has long been important to him - serving as the Chair of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (VisitDallas), the city's Homeless Czar and president of the Park Board. He was elected as the 61st Mayor of Dallas in 2011 and was re-elected for a second term in 2015. During his time in office, he has focused on spurring economic development in southern Dallas, improving public education, combatting poverty, revitalizing Fair Park, developing the Trinity River corridor, elevating the city's international profile and turning our city into a top destination for artists.
Uber is collaborating with experts who are aggressively breaking down the barriers to on-demand, urban aviation. Moderated by author Richard Whittle, hear from leaders in Community Acceptance, Infrastructure, Airspace, Noise, Operations, Battery & Charging, and Certification & Policy. Panel followed by audience Q&A.
View Slides - Rob Wiesenthal, Pat Romano , Greg Bowles , Rex J. Alexander , David Josephson , Parimal Kopardekar
Matt Mead, Wyoming's 32nd Governor, took office in January 2011 and is serving his second term. He was born and raised in Jackson. After earning a law degree from the University of Wyoming, he served as a prosecutor, practiced in a private firm and served as U.S. Attorney. He maintains a farm and ranch business with his wife Carol in southeast Wyoming.
Mark Beyer is the Chief Engineer for new product development at Mooney International Corporation. Mark joined Mooney in February 2017 to be a part of Mooney’s resurgence in general aviation. Mark previously served as Engineering Manager of Flight Sciences at The Spaceship Company supporting development of the SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo space system. Mark has supported many development and certification projects including the Vison Jet at Cirrus, the BD2 Airship for the Air Force, the Cessna Caravan, Citation Jet, Citation X, and other aircraft development programs.
Dr. Jaiwon Shin is the NASA Associate Administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. In this position, he manages the agency's aeronautics research portfolio and guides its strategic direction. This portfolio includes research in the fundamental aeronautics of flight, aviation safety and the nation's airspace system.
Uber is excited about a number of eVTOL companies working towards vehicle concepts which satisfies its mission requirements. Moderated by Uber's director of aviation engineering Mark Moore, hear from leaders from Bell Helicopter, Aurora Flight Systems, Airbus, Pipistrel, Lilium, and several more TBA. Panel followed by audience Q&A.
View Slides - Mark Moore , Antonio Campello , Diana Siegel , Tine Tomažič, Jay Carter , Daniel Wiegand , Arne Stoschek
Steven Udvar-Hazy is responsible for the evaluation, selection and purchasing of modern jet aircraft for Aviation Capital Group, one of the largest aircraft lessors. He also oversees the company’s commercial relationships with airline customers in Europe, Asia, Australasia and North America. Steven plays an active role with the major airframe and engine manufacturers in new product design, including involvement in numerous advisory boards and working groups focused on next generation aircraft and engines. In 2016, Steven was recognized as one of the top 40 individuals under 40 years of age in the commercial aviation industry by Airline Economics. Steven holds BA and MBA degrees from Stanford University and is a certified commercial pilot with a type-rating on the Boeing 737.
A number of prominent investors have formed compelling investment theses around eVTOL and are putting money into the ecosystem. Moderated by Uber’s vice president of corporate development Cameron Poetzscher, hear from VCs at Starburst Accelerator and Fund, Atomico, Eclipse VC, Lux Capital, and Linse Capital. Panel followed by audience Q&A.
Akshay BD is a founding member of the Uber India team. He formerly led Uber's public policy team in India and now heads up all policy efforts for Uber Elevate.
Sponsored by Linse Capital
Provide analysis of energy storage and charging needs to achieve urban aircraft feasibility across eVTOL concept approaches. Review battery trends for electric aircraft, including general forecasts and promising technology directions.
View Slides - Rob McDonald, Brian German
The development of rapid battery chargers and next generation batteries provides a pathway to eVTOL energy needs over the next 5 years. Specific company efforts highlighting their unique approaches are discussed in comparison to eVTOL energy needs.
View Slides - Dave Baxter , Nick Sherstyuk, Qichao Hu, David Eaglesham, Steve Visco
Review helicopter community acoustic acceptance and requirements for significantly quieter eVTOLs. Basics of virtual noise (sound-triggered aversion to aircraft) and FAA/DoT/National Parks methods to predict impact of aircraft on public acceptance. Examples of existing and developmental eVTOLs in soundscape background.
View Slides - David Josephson , John Leverton , Juliet Page
Tools for driving eVTOL development and operation for minimum neighborhood acoustic impact. Real-time visualization of noise footprint, and physics-based prediction of actual sound character of new aircraft, at ground level. New physiology-based metrics for loudness. Noise budget based on actual background sounds to optimize operations for minimal noise added to community background. Examples of results with new low noise motor and propeller designs.
View Slides - Juliet Page, David Josephson , Steve Rizzi , Josef Schlittenlacher , Olaf Otto
Current Heliport infrastructure and FAA guidelines provide a starting point for the evolution of future Vertiports and Vertistops and their standards. Requirements and example infrastructure designs across specific city integration locations are showcased to maximize safety and capacity throughput. Future standards development efforts are outlined to accommodate eVTOL characteristic differences.
Uber is uniquely positioned to accurately forecast trip demand, perform VTOL network optimization, and determine system dynamics for VTOL and a network of vertiports. See how this comes to life in a new tool we’re building, responding to the unknowns of vehicle specification and infrastructure need.
View Slides - John Badalementi , Jon Petersen , David Cuneo
Achieving a robust market environment requires establishing diverse market opportunities for aircraft developers. Similar aircraft requirement sets are in development for cargo delivery across commercial and military missions.
View Slides - Jon Rimanelli , Gene Kim , Tian Yu , Jeremy Gottshall
Independent perspectives are shared concerning the technology and certification gaps that currently exist for the eVTOL market. Research and development needs are prioritized to address the market needs.
View Slides - Bruce Holmes , Wes Ryan , Sean Clarke , John Hansman
Urban eVTOL aircraft will push towards achieving better than auto-like safety through single pilot operations that gradually transition to fully autonomous flight. Autonomy needs are decomposed with a Q&A sharing perspectives of the anticipated capability evolution.
View Slides - Ken Goodrich , Sanjiv Singh , Sebastian Scherer , Greg Bowles , Danette Allen
Development of procedures to fly eVTOL to and around busy airports, in stages beginning with current helicopter visual flight rules. Collaboration with airport operators, FAA Tower managers and controllers to assure safe separation from existing air traffic within existing FAA requirements and procedures. Define current limits, and research program to facilitate much higher traffic levels with assured navigation performance and monitoring, including new methods for Perspectives from FAA and NATCA.
View Slides - Parimal Kopardekar , Ken Durham, Eric Mueller , Geme Gelgelu
Jeff Holden is Uber's Chief Product Officer (since early 2014), where he focuses on future disruption threats and relevant paradigm shifts. Jeff founded the Advanced Technology Group that developed Uber’s self-driving technology and is currently building Uber Elevate, Uber’s AI Lab, and other future-forward initiatives. Prior to Uber, he was the Senior Vice President of Product Management at Groupon (2011-2014), and before Groupon, Jeff was the co-founder and CEO of Pelago (2006-2011). Previous to this, Jeff was at Amazon.com (1997-2006). For the latter half of his tenure there, he was SVP of Consumer Applications, Worldwide. One of his proudest accomplishments during this period was leading the development of Amazon Prime.
Location
Union Station
Government employees: Please note Uber is a registered lobbyist employer at the federal, state, and local levels. We will work with you and your agency's ethics department to ensure full compliance with all applicable ethics rules. Please simply reply to this email at elevate@uber.com with any questions or concerns, or if you are prohibited from accepting hospitality at this event.