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," an implementation plan designed to enable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations, including eVTOL air taxis, at scale by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The plan outlines a "crawl-walk-run" approach for near-term operations through 2028, focusing on certifying AAM aircraft under a "special class" category and establishing new pilot certification and training regimens.
Initial AAM operations will be piloted, restricted to predetermined low-altitude routes, and primarily utilize existing heliports and airports, with non-FAA stakeholders responsible for developing necessary AAM infrastructure at these sites.
"Innovate28" also addresses crucial areas such as environmental impact assessment (noise, air quality), community engagement to alleviate concerns, and security considerations for the emerging AAM ecosystem.

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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.