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

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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 unexpectedly changed the certification path for eVTOL aircraft, shifting from FAR Part 21.17(a) to a "special class" process under FAR 21.17(b) for powered-lift vehicles.
This unannounced change has caused concern among manufacturers regarding potential delays in production and service, increased workload, and complications with international bilateral certifications.
While the FAA assures that previous work will remain valid and does not expect delays, industry experts highlight the need for more clear guidance, transparency, and a defined path forward for these unique aircraft and their pilot training.

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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.