Public Opinion Concerning the Siting of Vertiports

<p>This study sought a better understanding of public opinion about the siting of vertiports to support Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). An online survey was used to collect the necessary data. The survey was divided into seven sections: personal impacts, community impacts, acceptable proximity, benefits and concerns, flight operations, open-ended comments, and demographics. The findings for personal impacts suggested a slightly positive outlook. Community impacts were assessed, and data also indicated a marginally positive outlook. The survey revealed that a tolerable average distance between the home of the respondent and a vertiport was between one to two miles. Opinions about the benefits of a vertiport were found to include saving time, access to transit, reduced congestion, flexibility, and economic impact. Respondent concerns focused on safety, noise, air pollution, light pollution, and visual distractions/disturbances. The majority of respondents indicated that 35-40 daily flights would be acceptable. The survey also revealed that respondents were mostly comfortable with the proximity of eVTOLs to their homes but preferred that eVTOLs were flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet or higher. The demographics of respondents were also outlined. The results of this study provide planners and stakeholders with critical information necessary to consider public concerns and community impacts when selecting sites for vertiports.</p>