FAA Releases Draft Engineering Brief on Vertiport Design; Written Comments Invited

The FAA’s Office of Airports released draft Engineering Brief (EB) 105A, Vertiport Design, on Friday, September 20, 2024. Principal changes include adjustments to geometry sizing, addition of aircraft parking, and creation of a downwash and outwash protection area. Industry is invited to submit written comments to vertiports@faa.gov through Friday, October 18, 2024.

To supplement industry review, FAA’s Office of Airports will host a Virtual Industry Day on Monday, September 30, 2024, from 11:00am EDT to 4:00pm EDT. During this meeting, the FAA will provide an overview of the EB 105A update, discuss critical aspects of the draft currently under consideration, and provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about the update.

Preregistration is necessary to receive the link for the virtual industry day meeting.

The FAA is at the forefront of establishing an operational Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystem. The release of draft EB 105A is part of the FAA’s continued efforts to ‘Make it Safe’ – ensuring this new generation of air taxis maintains the high level of safety that defines modern aviation. To learn more about AAM, visit Advanced Air Mobility | Air Taxis on the FAA website.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.