Horizons Continue to Expand for Advanced Air Mobility

The introduction of electric, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft into U.S. national airspace has raised plenty of questions, not least of which is how they will be certified and operated. The FAA is finally beginning to answer them.

The publication of a final Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) was a highlight of this year’s EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Sport pilots will likely be familiar with the rule’s major changes—namely, the replacement of rigid weight and seating limits with performance-based criteria, and expanded privileges, such as flying at night.

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MOSAIC expands the light sport aircraft (LSA) category beyond ultralights and basic trainers to include popular general aviation (GA) craft, such as the Cessna 172 Skyhawk and Cirrus SR22.

But it also opens a pathway for LSA certification of VTOL designs—those capable of lifting off vertically like a helicopter but cruising on rigid wings like a plane—with up to two seats, as well as aircraft with electric, hydrogen, and other nontraditional propulsion.

“This is one of most significant rule packages for general aviation in the past 75 years,” Jack Pelton, CEO and board chairman of EAA, said at the airshow, which is planning a dedicated showcase of vertical lift technology in its next iteration.

While MOSAIC is a big deal, it’s far from the only recent development in the AAM space.

The FAA in July also published an advisory circular (AC) outlining a blueprint for type, production, and airworthiness certification of larger VTOL designs intended for commercial service. Think electric VTOL (eVTOL) air taxis, such as Joby Aviation’s S4, Archer Aviation’s Midnight, Beta Technologies’ Alia-250, and Wisk Aero’s Generation 6.

The AC lays out a direct means for these designs—which the FAA categorizes as “powered-lift”—to comply with Part 21 requirements for special class aircraft. Beta said the guidance is a “critical achievement.”

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“In addition to providing clear guidance, it is helping to create a more predictable path to certification for all eVTOL aircraft, while maintaining the high safety standards that are foundational to any certification project,” a company spokesperson said. “This is another important step forward in bringing the AAM industry to commercial operations.”

The AC comes less than one year after the release of a special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) setting requirements for initial powered-lift operations and pilot training. The White House in June, meanwhile, directed the creation of an eVTOL integration pilot program (eIPP) designed to study applications from passenger transport to medical logistics.

“This directive amplifies our mission to bring safe air taxi services to the U.S., encouraging the FAA to accelerate the regulatory and operational pathways that will help this innovative industry to thrive,” a Joby spokesperson said.

Developers of AAM aircraft so far have contended with what Ken Karklin, CEO of personal eVTOL manufacturer Pivotal, called “arbitrary and prescriptive” standards. But they now have far more clarity than they did even one year ago.

MOSAIC of New Aircraft

MOSAIC’s expanded sport pilot privileges—which take effect this month—do not apply to powered-lift models, for which the SFAR lays out pilot certification requirements. When LSA certification updates take effect in July 2026, though, two-seat VTOL models will be eligible.

The rule outright eliminates the previous 1,320-pound weight limit. Also gone are the requirements for single reciprocating engines and fixed-pitch propellers. These changes open the door for models with heavy electric batteries, hydrogen storage tanks, and other complex propulsion systems, as well as the tilt propellers commonly seen on VTOL designs.

MOSAIC further allows LSA aircraft to perform infrastructure inspection, aerial photography, crop spraying, and other aerial work that was previously off-limits. Those commercial opportunities are an enticing prospect for developers taking the risk on a unique design.

“This is a fundamental transformation that aligns much more closely with the way next-generation aircraft are designed and engineered today,” said Karklin. “By lessening design constraints, the rule fosters innovation, all while maintaining rigorous standards for safety and airworthiness.”

Pivotal is targeting the personal aviation segment with its outlandish Helix: a single-seat eVTOL “tilt aircraft,” meaning the entire airframe rotates during the transition from hover to cruise flight. The company’s BlackFly, a preproduction prototype with ultralight certification, is already in the hands of the U.S. Air Force and a few private owners. Both models are controlled using a simple joystick and fly-by-wire system—also permitted under MOSAIC.

Another developer, Israel-based Air, hailed the rule as a “turning point” for personal aviation and said it would be the first to certify an eVTOL under LSA. American manufacturers SkyFly and Doroni Aerospace also plan to pursue LSA authorization for their respective personal eVTOL designs.

“The FAA has now created a category that fits the exact kind of vehicle we’ve spent years designing,” Doroni CEO Doron Merdinger said in a statement on social media.

Though powered-lift models remain off the table for sport pilots, they can now get their hands on electric aircraft, such as Pipistrel’s Velis Electro. The Textron eAviation subsidiary has an LSA airworthiness exemption that allows U.S. flight schools to train on the Velis, which could be one of the first new models in the category.

MOSAIC lowers the barriers for new aircraft, but also new pilots. Jessica Cox, a licensed pilot and motivational speaker who was born without arms, said the options for pilots with disabilities are limited. Cox flies an Ercoupe 415-C, popular among people with disabilities because the rudder and ailerons are interconnected through the yoke.

The 415-C was the only LSA-eligible Ercoupe model under the old rules. Under MOSAIC, all of them qualify.

“I almost had to quit in 2007 because I couldn’t find a flight instructor teaching in a 415-C,” Cox said. “Now, the next pilot with a disability can use any model Ercoupe.”

Cox said she is in the process of building a foot-controlled Van’s RV-10, one of many experimental models that can be modified to fit MOSAIC. Van’s Aircraft CEO Mikael Via told EAA the company’s RV-15 is “designed from the beginning to be MOSAIC-compliant.”

“I expect this to be the most important accelerant to aviation innovation in my career, and it’s a huge moment for aviation in the U.S.” JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby, said in a statement on social media.

Joby’s five-seat eVTOL air taxi won’t qualify as LSA. But it is one of several firms that benefit hugely from other recent developments.

Paving Way for Powered-Lift

While Joby, Archer, Beta, Wisk, and other large eVTOL developers lauded MOSAIC, for them, the real prize is the powered-lift AC.

The certification blueprint does specify limits on weight (12,500 pounds) and capacity (six passengers). But according to Beta, it aligns with the 2024 SFAR’s performance-based operational guidelines, which apply helicopter and airplane rules depending on the situation.

Minimum speed stipulations, for example, are replaced by “flight profiles,” which encompass not only speed but the associated maneuvers, procedures, and operational conditions for a given scenario.

The AC also creates “essential” and “increased” performance levels, the latter requiring stricter design parameters. The draft guidance would have placed all passenger-carrying operations in the “increased” category, but the final version allows manufacturers to pick the option best suited to their mission. 

Beta said the change will open broader applications for its Alia.

For companies like Beta—which delayed its G-1 certification basis in anticipation of the AC—the blueprint eliminates the need for FAA special rulemaking, shortening the path to takeoff. Joby and Archer will be able to use their own certification bases, obtained last year, but can switch to the new criteria by updating their G-1s.

“The new guidance aligns with our approach to certification and will help streamline the certification process of powered-lift aircraft generally,” the Joby spokesperson said.

The AC’s publication is timely as Joby and Archer prepare to launch aerial ridesharing services in the next few years. The latter even hopes to ferry passengers at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Beta is developing its Alia eVTOL and fixed-propeller CX300 on a similar timeline. Wisk aims to introduce its autonomous air taxi by the end of the decade.

The manufacturers have plenty to be excited about. All four are likely candidates for the eIPP, which will comprise five projects over three years. The FAA, meanwhile, is working with regulators in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. to harmonize powered-lift standards. The five-way agreement could make the U.S. a leader in eVTOL exports.

One of the biggest remaining questions for AAM models is safety, which has been top of mind for the flying public since January’s fatal collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and commercial passenger jet.

Adding powered-lift models to the mix makes airport operations more complex. Though the SFAR provides some clarity, the FAA recognizes that there is more work to be done. Agency personnel and eVTOL developers are working with NASA researchers to tackle the integration question through a bevy of tests and simulations. For example, NASA’s in-time aviation safety management system (IASMS), which I highlighted in this column in July, is being developed for all types of aircraft.

As the FAA opens the floodgates for a new generation of novel designs, that continued work will be crucial.

This column first appeared in the October Issue 963 of the FLYING print edition.