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Short abstract:

This research explores the potential pitfalls and tensions behind the vision of sustainable aeromobilities through an ethnographic study of airport personnel and passengers in Santiago de Chile, raising the question: While the technology promises transformation, are we ready for its impact?

Long abstract:

The aerospace industry has envisioned a future of everyday aeromobilities powered by sustainable energy for the next 30 years. This vision rests on two pillars: the development of clean energy sources and Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems that will allow safe operation of a greater number of aircraft. However, this vision raises a crucial question: Is a future where aeromobilities reconfigures our way of life and the world we inhabit truly desirable?

To address this question, this paper presents an ethnographic study conducted at the Santiago de Chile International Airport. It focuses on the experiences and perspectives of the different actors involved in aeromobilities: pilots, crews, air traffic controllers, and passengers.

The study aims to understand how the industry's expectations align with the realities and needs of those who experience the system daily. It explores the tensions between efficiency and safety, flexibility and regulation, and environmental sustainability and user needs.

The research offers a critical perspective on the imaginary of post-decarbonization aeromobilities, considering the views of those who make it possible. It seeks to generate dialogue between the industry, system stakeholders, and society at large to build a more just, sustainable, and humane future for aeromobilities.