eVTOLs have captured a lot of attention across aviation, but what happens next will depend on more than excitement. It will depend on whether this new category can earn trust, integrate into the system, and create real value for the people and communities it hopes to serve. On this week’s AVIATE podcast, I spoke with Katie Hill of Joby Aviation about what it really takes to move emerging technology from bold idea to credible part of the aviation industry. That conversation matters in a sector the FAA says supports $1.8 trillion in economic activity, 9.4 million jobs, and 4.0% of U.S. GDP.
The big picture
The conversation around eVTOLs often starts with the aircraft itself. But the bigger story is the system around it.
This includes regulation, certification, infrastructure, workforce readiness, airspace integration, and public trust. New technology only matters if the industry can absorb it in a way that is safe, practical, and scalable.
What our guest said
Katie was clear that innovation and regulation should work together, with safety as the anchor.
She also emphasized the value of performance-based regulation, especially as new aircraft bring new questions around controls, pilot training, and certification.
Between the lines
What stayed with me most was Katie’s emphasis on accessibility.
She spoke about this next chapter of flight as something that should reach beyond a narrow market and become meaningful to more people.
That resonated deeply with me because one of the things I saw again and again through our non-profit, Dreams Soar, was how many young people had never even stepped onto an airplane. Experiences like that stay with you. They shape how you think about aviation, and who it is really serving.
For me, the future of flight has never been just about innovation. It has always been about access.
By the numbers
The FAA projects U.S. domestic passenger traffic will grow 2.4% annually over the next 20 years.
At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 18,200 annual pilot openings and 13,100 annual openings for mechanics and avionics technicians over the next decade.
That makes one thing clear: aviation’s future is not just a technology story. It is also a workforce and systems story.
The bottom line
What stayed with me after this conversation is that the future of aviation is never built by excitement alone. It is built by people willing to do the hard work of earning trust, working within complexity, and making sure innovation truly serves others. That is what Katie brought to this conversation, and that is why I believe this moment in aviation is about much more than new technology. It is about how thoughtfully we choose to build what comes next.
This podcast conversation is now available on all podcast platforms. Listen now.
About AVIATE
AVIATE is hosted by me, Shaesta Waiz, the 8th woman in history to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft. Along that journey, I met people everywhere who wanted to talk about the same themes that inspired this show.
AVIATE stands for Acknowledging those in our industry, Vocalizing our experiences, Inclusion, Acting on our passions, Travel, and Evolving.
Now in its eighth season and exclusively sponsored by Atlantic Aviation, AVIATE is heard in over 100 countries.
Until next time,
Shaesta