GAMA Has Questions for the FAA About eVTOL Certification

Now that the FAA is changing the path for electric air taxi certification, manufacturers, industry veterans, and a former FAA official weigh in.

Thom Patterson

Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 09:18 AM ET

Verified

Joby Aviation says certification of its tilt-rotor electric air taxi, currently under development, will not be affected by the FAA changes. [Courtesy: Joby Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has shifted the certification process for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from FAR Part 21.17(a) to a "special class" process under FAR 21.17(b), defining them as "powered lift" and requiring unique pilot standards.
This change, made with little industry input, has created uncertainty and potential delays for eVTOL manufacturers, raising concerns about project timelines, increased workload, and the impact on international bilateral certification.
While the FAA believes this new approach is necessary for long-term safety and pilot training given the evolving technology, the industry is working to understand and adapt to the new requirements to ensure a clear path forward for certification and operation.

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It’s been six weeks since the FAA acknowledged it was changing a previously agreed on path to certificating electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Now comes the hard part for developers of these new battery-enabled hovering passenger and cargo air taxis: Figuring out specifically what the changes mean and how to move forward.

The nascent eVTOL industry is backed by high-profile companies—including Boeing, Toyota, United Airlines, and Uber. Industry leaders, such as Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and Beta Technologies, have been progressing toward FAA certification after test flying full-sized prototypes for years, some of them planning to enter service as soon as 2024.