FAA Releases Its ‘Innovate28’ Plan for AAM Integration by 2028

Landmark document details early air taxi operations, certification, infrastructure, environmental concerns, and more.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 05:10 PM ET

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Archer Aviation’s Midnight, one of the eVTOL aircraft undergoing FAA certification. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA released "Innovate28," its initial implementation plan for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft like eVTOL air taxis, aiming to enable scaled operations by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The plan outlines a "crawl-walk-run" approach, detailing processes for certifying AAM aircraft under a special class, establishing new pilot certification and training, and integrating initial operations into existing airspace with pilots on predetermined routes.
Initial AAM operations will maximize the use of existing airports and heliports, with operators and manufacturers responsible for developing necessary infrastructure such as vertiports and charging stations.
Key considerations also include evaluating environmental impacts like noise, fostering community engagement, and establishing security protocols for the new air mobility services.

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Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft get most of their lift from rotors and propellers, but they just received a massive lift from the FAA.

After months of anticipation, the agency on Tuesday released its first implementation plan for advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft such as eVTOL air taxis. Dubbed “Innovate28,” the living document, which will be updated periodically, is designed to enable AAM operations at scale in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, when several air taxi firms are expected to take to the skies.