FAA Releases Powered-Lift Certification Guidance

Advisory circular provides a blueprint for authorizing the first new class of civil aircraft in decades.

Jack Daleo

Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

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Jack Daleo

Developers of powered-lift aircraft, such as Joby Aviation’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi, receive new guidance for certifying their designs. [Courtesy: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has published new, long-awaited guidance for the certification of powered-lift aircraft, establishing the first new civil aircraft category since the 1940s.
This advisory circular (AC) provides a clear, performance-based framework for manufacturers of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft like eVTOLs to achieve type, production, and airworthiness certification.
The guidance streamlines the process, replacing previous ambiguities, and introduces key changes such as design flexibility, updated propeller certification requirements, and the use of flight profiles in safety standards.
This development is a significant step toward accelerating the commercial operation of advanced aircraft, offering greater predictability for the emerging eVTOL industry.

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The FAA this month quietly published long-awaited guidance for the certification of powered-lift aircraft—the first new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.

Powered-lift models have characteristics of both airplanes and rotorcraft, which places the regulator in a bind when it comes to defining their airworthiness. But a new advisory circular (AC), dated July 18, gives powered-lift developers the blueprint to earn type, production, and airworthiness certification for their designs. So far, none have been greenlit for commercial use.