More executives depart Hyundai’s air taxi startup Supernal

A significant leadership shake-up is unfolding at Hyundai’s electric air taxi startup Supernal, just weeks after the company paused work on its flagship vehicle program and saw both its CEO and CTO step down, TechCrunch has learned.

Supernal confirmed on Friday that Chief Strategy Officer Jaeyong Song and Chief Safety Officer Tracy Lamb have left the company. Lina Yang, who served as chief of staff to former CEO Jaiwon Shin (and was previously “Head of Intelligent Systems” until April 2025), is also no longer with the startup.

“As we transition to new leadership, we have taken the opportunity to strategically review our program’s progress and next steps to ensure alignment with our long-term goals,” Supernal said in a statement.

Despite the changes, Supernal emphasised that its parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, remains firmly committed to its AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) business.

Song’s exit stands out given his deep background with Hyundai’s advanced air mobility efforts. He spent three years as vice president of Hyundai’s AAM group before taking on the CSO role at Supernal in 2023. He has been with the Hyundai-Kia group since 2014. Lamb, a former commercial pilot and aerospace safety executive, declined to comment. Song did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The turbulence comes after a challenging year for Supernal. The company closed its planned Washington, D.C. headquarters at the end of 2024, even as it achieved its first successful test flight in March 2025. Just months later, it laid off dozens of employees, and by early September, it had paused development of its air taxi program while initiating executive-level restructuring.

These developments arrive at a pivotal time for the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry. Some companies in the sector are attracting fresh investment and partnerships as the U.S. regulatory environment turns more favourable, while others are downsizing or shutting down altogether.