Rome, 25 September 2025 — In a bold move toward shaping the future of air mobility, UrbanV and Aeroporti di Roma hosted the Airport AAM Masterclass from 23‑25 September 2025 at the Fiumicino Airport Innovation Hub (Terminal 1). The event brought together leading airports, academia, regulatory bodies and industry practitioners to tackle the growing challenges and opportunities presented by Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).


What is the Airport AAM Masterclass?

The Masterclass is a hands‑on “experience exchange” focused specifically on the arrival of advanced air mobility technologies—especially electric Vertical Take‑Off and Landing aircraft (eVTOLs) – into airport operations. Its purpose is to provide practical, real‑world knowledge and actionable solutions across infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, air navigation, energy systems, and more.

Some of the highlights:

  • A 2.5‑day program with interactive workshops, breakout sessions, and practical site visits.
  • CPD‑accreditation. For participants, that means the event offered recognized professional development value.
  • Engagement with top airports (both operations and planning), as well as leading academic research institutions.

Why It Matters Now

Advanced Air Mobility is no longer a concept of the distant future. According to the Masterclass materials, the AAM market is projected to reach USD 5 trillion by 2040, with some 30,000 eVTOLs in operation by 2045.

These forecasts underscore a growing imperative for airports to get ahead of the curve. Whether retrofitting existing facilities, designing new infrastructure, navigating evolving regulatory landscapes, or ensuring energy and navigation systems are fit for these new aircraft—there is much work to be done. The Masterclass is positioned as one of the few independently‑run events that provides hands‑on guidance rather than just theory.

Key Themes & Learnings

While the full program spanned many topics, several themes stood out:

  1. Infrastructure Readiness
    Airports need to plan for the physical changes required—eVTOL landing pads, integration with current taxiways/runways, passenger flow, safety zones, etc.
  2. Regulatory Framework & Air Navigation
    How will airspace be managed? What corridors are needed? How do regulatory authorities certify new aircraft, and what role do local/national/international rules play?
  3. Energy Systems & Sustainability
    Power supplies, charging infrastructure, impact on electrical grids, and making sure these systems are sustainably designed.
  4. Funding & Business Models
    Identifying viable ways to finance the transition—through public/private investment, policy incentives, partnerships, etc. The Masterclass offered guidance on how to get funding.
  5. Hands‑On Application
    Real world case studies, workshops, breakout sessions, practical site tours (including AOCC – Airport Operations Control Center) to see what is already working.

Who Attended & Collaboration

Participants included a broad mix: airport operators (Aeroporti di Roma among them), international airport authorities (Munich Airport, Groupe ADP, Korean Airports), industry partners, and academic experts (from institutions such as Georgia Tech, Cranfield, Berkeley).

This diversity is crucial: arriving at workable solutions for AAM involves technical, regulatory, operational, environmental, and financial dimensions.

Companies, Airports, and Educational Insitutes

Looking Forward

As the AAM sector accelerates, the lessons from the Masterclass are likely to become benchmarks. Airports that engage now stand to gain from being early adopters—not only in infrastructure but in stakeholder engagement, regulatory alignment, safety protocols, and sustainability.

For Aeroporti di Roma and UrbanV, staging such a Masterclass at Fiumicino serves multiple strategic goals: positioning Rome as a hub for AAM innovation; attracting investment and talent; and helping shape regulatory and operational best practices in Europe and beyond.


Conclusion

The Airport AAM Masterclass underscored that the future of air travel is not just vertical—it’s about integration. From aircraft to airspace, from energy to regulations, the transformation will be systemwide. Events like this, which combine hands‑on learning, cross‑sector collaboration, and real‑world case studies, will be pivotal in ensuring that the next generation of air mobility rises safely, sustainably, and effectively.

More Info:

Airport AAM Masterclass official website: click here

Aeroporti di Roma official website: click here

UrbanV official website: click here

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