Effect of Navigation and Trajectories on eVTOL Flight Energy and Performance

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aims to integrate electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis into urban airspace. In a complex environment like Chicago, home to O’Hare International (ORD) and Midway International (MDW) airports, careful corridor design is required to ensure safe, efficient operations. This paper examines Chicago’s airspace structure and proposes operationally feasible Urban Air Mobility (UAM) corridors for a tiltrotor eVTOL, considering FAA visual flight rules (VFR), Class B and C procedures, and new AAM guidance. We identify suitable altitudes for VFR flight, map potential climb, cruise, and descent areas, address sensitive zones with noise constraints (e.g. downtown and parks), and assess how corridor distance and climb profiles affect the tiltrotor eVTOL energy use