Justice, Chandler (Utah State University), Goodrick, Kyle (University of Utah), Harper, Mario (Utah State University)

Considering Feasibility of Electric Aircraft at a Regional Scale

Scheduled for presentation during the Regular Session "S02b-Optimization for Shared, Electric, and Sustainable Mobility Systems" (WE-EA-T2), Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 14:50−14:50, Southport 2

2025 IEEE 28th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), November 18-21, 2025, Gold Coast, Australia

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on October 19, 2025

Abstract

As interest in electric aircraft accelerates across industry and government, understanding where and how these systems can be feasibly deployed is essential for guiding infrastructure investment and regulatory planning. This paper presents a regional-scale feasibility analysis of electric aircraft adoption, using data from FAA aircraft registrations, ADS-B flight logs, and airport power availability metrics in the state of Utah. We evaluate the suitability of electric aircraft for various use cases, including recreational, instructional, air taxi, and small cargo operations. Our findings indicate that instructional aviation is the most immediately viable application, with current electric aircraft capable of fulfilling the majority of relevant flight routes using infrastructure at a single airport. We further identify regional airports with favorable energy and capacity profiles to support near-term deployment. By combining real-world operational data with infrastructure analysis, this study provides a practical framework for identifying high-leverage opportunities in early-stage electric aviation.