Systems, methods, and aircraft for managing center of gravity (CG) while transporting large cargo are described. Management of CG is achieved in many ways. In some instances, the aircraft itself is designed to assist in managing CG by providing fuel tanks that minimize the impact of fuel on the net CG of the aircraft. The fuel tanks utilize only a small amount of available volume in the wings for fuel. Disclosures related to properly managing CG while loading wind turbines onto cargo aircraft are also provided. The CG management techniques provided for herein allow for the transportation of wind turbine blades via aircraft, running counter to the typical rail or truck transportation of the same. One such management technique includes accounting for how a rotation of the blades when loading impacts the CG of the blades, and thus taking this into account when placing the blades in the aircraft.

Systems, methods, and aircraft for managing center of gravity (CG) while transporting large cargo are described. Management of CG is achieved in many ways. In some instances, the aircraft itself is designed to assist in managing CG by providing fuel tanks that minimize the impact of fuel on the net CG of the aircraft. The fuel tanks utilize only a small amount of available volume in the wings for fuel. Disclosures related to properly managing CG while loading wind turbines onto cargo aircraft are also provided. The CG management techniques provided for herein allow for the transportation of wind turbine blades via aircraft, running counter to the typical rail or truck transportation of the same. One such management technique includes accounting for how a rotation of the blades when loading impacts the CG of the blades, and thus taking this into account when placing the blades in the aircraft.

A request for transport services that identifies a rider, an origin, and a destination is received from a client device. Eligibility of the request to be serviced by a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is determined based on the origin and the destination. The client device is sent an itinerary for servicing the transport request including a leg serviced by the VTOL aircraft. Confirmation is received that the rider has boarded the VTOL aircraft and determination made as to whether the VTOL aircraft should wait for additional riders. Instruction are sent to the VTOL aircraft to take-off if one or more conditions are met.

A request for transport services that identifies a rider, an origin, and a destination is received from a client device. Eligibility of the request to be serviced by a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is determined based on the origin and the destination. The client device is sent an itinerary for servicing the transport request including a leg serviced by the VTOL aircraft. Confirmation is received that the rider has boarded the VTOL aircraft and determination made as to whether the VTOL aircraft should wait for additional riders. Instruction are sent to the VTOL aircraft to take-off if one or more conditions are met.

Systems and methods for loading a cargo aircraft are described. The system includes at least one rail disposed in an interior cargo bay of a cargo aircraft that extends at an angle relative to an interior bottom contact surface of a forward portion of the interior cargo bay, through a kinked portion and an aft portion of the interior cargo bay. Payload-receiving fixtures are described that can be used in conjunction with the rail system, allowing for large cargo, such as wind turbine blades, to be transported by aircraft. Methods of loading a cargo aircraft can include advancing the large payload into the interior cargo bay of the aircraft such that at least one of the payload-receiving fixtures rises relative to a plane defined by the interior bottom contact surface of the forward portion of the interior cargo bay. Various systems, methods, components, and related tooling are also provided.

Systems and methods for loading a cargo aircraft are described. The system includes at least one rail disposed in an interior cargo bay of a cargo aircraft that extends at an angle relative to an interior bottom contact surface of a forward portion of the interior cargo bay, through a kinked portion and an aft portion of the interior cargo bay. Payload-receiving fixtures are described that can be used in conjunction with the rail system, allowing for large cargo, such as wind turbine blades, to be transported by aircraft. Methods of loading a cargo aircraft can include advancing the large payload into the interior cargo bay of the aircraft such that at least one of the payload-receiving fixtures rises relative to a plane defined by the interior bottom contact surface of the forward portion of the interior cargo bay. Various systems, methods, components, and related tooling are also provided.

Systems, methods, and aircraft for managing center of gravity (CG) while transporting large cargo are described. Management of CG is achieved in many ways. In some instances, the aircraft itself is designed to assist in managing CG by providing fuel tanks that minimize the impact of fuel on the net CG of the aircraft. The fuel tanks utilize only a small amount of available volume in the wings for fuel. Disclosures related to properly managing CG while loading wind turbines onto cargo aircraft are also provided. The CG management techniques provided for herein allow for the transportation of wind turbine blades via aircraft, running counter to the typical rail or truck transportation of the same. One such management technique includes accounting for how a rotation of the blades when loading impacts the CG of the blades, and thus taking this into account when placing the blades in the aircraft.

A request for transport services that identifies a rider, an origin, and a destination is received from a client device. Eligibility of the request to be serviced by a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is determined based on the origin and the destination. The client device is sent an itinerary for servicing the transport request including a leg serviced by the VTOL aircraft. Confirmation is received that the rider has boarded the VTOL aircraft and determination made as to whether the VTOL aircraft should wait for additional riders. Instruction are sent to the VTOL aircraft to take-off if one or more conditions are met.

A request for transport services that identifies a rider, an origin, and a destination is received from a client device. Eligibility of the request to be serviced by a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is determined based on the origin and the destination. The client device is sent an itinerary for servicing the transport request including a leg serviced by the VTOL aircraft. Confirmation is received that the rider has boarded the VTOL aircraft and determination made as to whether the VTOL aircraft should wait for additional riders. Instruction are sent to the VTOL aircraft to take-off if one or more conditions are met.

Systems, methods, and aircraft for managing center of gravity (CG) while transporting large cargo are described. Management of CG is achieved in many ways. In some instances, the aircraft itself is designed to assist in managing CG by providing fuel tanks that minimize the impact of fuel on the net CG of the aircraft. The fuel tanks utilize only a small amount of available volume in the wings for fuel. Disclosures related to properly managing CG while loading wind turbines onto cargo aircraft are also provided. The CG management techniques provided for herein allow for the transportation of wind turbine blades via aircraft, running counter to the typical rail or truck transportation of the same. One such management technique includes accounting for how a rotation of the blades when loading impacts the CG of the blades, and thus taking this into account when placing the blades in the aircraft.