“Beyond her tenure at Airbus, Anne-Pascale advised aerospace industry leaders including laureates of the Paris General Counsel, the Groupe ADP, the owner and manager of Parisian international airports as well as RATP Alliance, the world’s fourth largest transport operator. Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade Air Mobility said: “I have known Sabrina since she spearheaded Airbus’s investment in Blade and her creativity and exceptional drive, as well as her knowledge of the transition path from helicopters to Electric Vertical Aircraft in urban air mobility, make her uniquely suited to fulfill this important role. Guedon was most recently Vice-President of International Business Development, reporting to Airbus’ Group Executive Committee, with 20 years of international experience as a former investment banker, and for the last 12 years with Airbus, where she invested and oversaw deployment of corporate funds in more than 30 countries.

The deal includes $400 million in gross proceeds and $125 million in private investment in public equity (PIPE).Blade Air Mobility has created Blade Europe, to be headquartered in Paris, France, and appointed Sabrina Barbera as Executive Director, with Anne-Pascale Guedon as Executive Vice President of Business Development.īarbera has nearly 20 years of experience in aerospace and aviation and is currently Vice-President of Airbus Helicopters, overseeing its Simulation and Training department for over 8,000 pilots and technicians each year, having consummated 45 acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic alliances for the company including Airbus Helicopters’ investment in Blade in 2018. In December 2020 Blade said it would merge with SPAC Experience Investment Corp. Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt has stated publicly that the company intends to be vertically integrated between its vehicle development and air taxi operations.īlade is one of a suite of air mobility companies, including Joby, that have announced its intention to go public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company. Not all electric vertical take-off and landing companies will likely take the partnership route. The companies say they are committed to an “open-network” approach to Urban Air Mobility, with Wisk providing aircraft to multiple customer platforms and likewise Blade using many different electric aircraft developers for its ride services. Federal Aviation Administration, it will be able to immediately ramp up via Blade’s network. Once Wisk achieves certification from the U.S. Wisk, born out of a joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing, will be able to benefit from Blade’s experience as an air mobility service provider. The partnership will help “accelerate Blade’s transition from conventional rotorcraft to safe, quiet, emission-free Electric Vertical Aircraft,” Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade, said in a statement. However, the craft they offer are conventional rotorcraft, such as helicopters and seaplanes. Blade does not own aircraft itself, but instead brokers private air travel service through a digital platform. Wisk will be compensated based on flight time, along anticipated minimum flight-hour guarantees, the companies said in a news release Wednesday. Under the terms of the agreement, Wisk will own and operate up to 30 aircraft on Blade’s network of dedicated air terminals along short-distance routes. Once the design, manufacturing and certification of electric aircraft is complete, urban air mobility companies face a cascade of logistical issues, including building an app that can connect customers to rides and finding dedicated take-off and landing areas.Ī new partnership between autonomous air taxi developer Wisk Aero and air mobility ride platform Blade Urban Air Mobility aims to provide a solution.

Blade urban air mobility