The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is ready for powered lift, which will be the first completely new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s. Powered lift operations include air taxis, cargo delivery and a variety of operations within urban and rural areas.
The agency has issued a final rule for the qualifications and training that instructors and pilots must have to fly aircraft in this “powered-lift” category, which have characteristics of both airplanes and helicopters. The rule also addresses their operational requirements, including minimum safe altitudes and required visibility. The rule is the final piece in the puzzle for safely introducing these aircraft in the near term. The opportunities for the use of powered lift operations are far reaching, from transporting passengers in urban areas and short-haul operations such as air ambulance services and cargo operations to potentially serving smaller communities over time.
“The FAA will continue to prioritize the safety of our system as we work to seamlessly integrate innovative technology and operations. This final rule provides the necessary framework to allow powered lift aircraft to safely operate in our airspace,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “Powered lift aircraft are the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years and this historic rule will pave the way for accommodating wide-scale Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations in the future.”
The FAA previously determined it could certify powered-lift using existing regulations and updated other regulations so air taxis could be used commercially. Last year the agency released a blueprint for how Urban Air Mobility vehicles will operate, which is a key element in maturing the overall AAM concept.
Michael Robbins, President and CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Systems International (AUVSI) said, “This performance-based rule is a critical step forward in enabling the eVTOL-segment of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry to launch and scale. We applaud the FAA for issuing the regulation in compliance with Congressionally mandated timelines and making changes from the draft rule to the final rule that ensure the U.S. will maintain global leadership in this critical segment of advanced aviation. This is a tremendous milestone, and there is much to celebrate with this rule.”
Robbins continued, “Looking ahead, it is imperative that FAA and the AAM industry work in lockstep to apply lessons learned from operations unlocked under the SFAR to inform long-term rulemaking that enables the integration of safe and routine AAM operations in the airspace. We can’t yet consider this ‘mission accomplished’ for U.S. leadership in advanced aviation – much work remains to be done. AUVSI stands ready to work closely with the FAA to ensure the fullest benefits of eVTOL and other AAM aircraft can be realized — including decreased emissions and noise pollution and increased access to multi-modal transport hubs and connectivity for rural communities.”
A new pilot-training and qualifications rule was needed because existing regulations did not address this new category of aircraft, which can take off and land vertically like a helicopter and fly like an airplane during cruise flight. The rule provides a comprehensive framework for certifying the initial cadre of powered-lift instructors and pilots.
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen said, “Advanced air mobility promises to change the very definition of on-demand aviation worldwide. Given the speed at which the technology is developing, it is critical that all stakeholders have clear, official guidance for AAM operations. We commend the FAA for providing that guidance with the publication of this new rule.”
The rule:
- Makes changes to numerous existing regulations and establishes a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) with new requirements to facilitate instructor and pilot certification and training.
- Applies helicopter operating requirements to some phases of flight and adopts a performance-based approach to certain operating rules.
- Allows pilots to train in powered-lift with a single set of flight controls; legacy rules require two flight controls – one for the student and one for the instructor.
“The regulation published will ensure the U.S. continues to play a global leadership role in the development and adoption of clean flight,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, an AUVSI member company. “Delivering the guidance ahead of schedule is testament to the dedication, coordination and hard work of the rulemaking team,” he added.
Billy Nolen, Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer at Archer Aviation, an AUVSI member company said, “We appreciate the FAA’s continued partnership and proactive approach to advancing the eVTOL industry with today’s release of the final powered-lift SFAR. This comes ahead of schedule and incorporates key feedback from across the industry. This is yet another foundational element toward our goal of the U.S. leading the way in commercializing UAM. We’ll continue to formulate our operational plans to align to this final rule.”
