EASA Issues ‘World’s First’ Design Specs on eVTOL Vertiports
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issues the “world’s first” design guidance for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as the FAA lags behind.
EASA’s new prototype technical design specifications are specific to emerging electric, urban air mobility, and advanced air mobility aircraft. [Courtesy EASA]
Key Takeaways:
EASA has published the "world's first" official technical design specifications for vertiports, providing crucial guidance for the ground infrastructure of air taxis and other eVTOL aircraft.
This pioneering guidance addresses a key challenge for the nascent eVTOL industry, which requires safe and effective vertiports to scale, factoring in issues like location, noise, security, and charging.
The 179-page document offers detailed design specifications for vertiports, particularly for urban environments, introducing concepts such as "obstacle-free volume" (OFV) zones to ensure safe operations.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued what it calls the “world’s first” official guidance for building vertiports for air taxis and other electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
It’s the first publication of its kind, coming three weeks after the FAA published a draft engineering brief on the topic asking for industry input.
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Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
