Washington, D.C. (Commonwealth Union)_ The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States announced new regulations that would clear the way for commercial flying taxi operations by the middle of the next decade. Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) have been suggested as potential future flying taxis for urban air transportation. Global interest in low-altitude urban air mobility aircraft is at an all-time high as multiple eVTOL businesses have gone public.
The FAA has submitted a proposal to amend its air carrier definition in order to incorporate “powered-lift” activities into regulations that cover other commercial operations, such as airlines, charters, and air tours. According to the agency, this powered-lift definition regulation establishes the foundation for operators to use powered-lift aircraft. The FAA is individually creating a powered-lift operations regulation for pilot certification and flight criteria for eVTOLs. The agency is planning to release the proposal in summer next year.
According to Billy Nolen, FAA acting administrator, the agency does not anticipate the first eVTOL to commence commercial operations until late 2024 or early 2025. He stated that it will not be launched until all safety requirements are met. Airlines and others are planning to advance transportation services with battery-powered aircrafts that can airlift passengers and land them vertically at airports or for short excursions between cities, letting them avoid traffic. This month, the FAA announced the airworthiness requirements that air taxi company Joby Aviation must achieve for certification of its Model JAS4-1 eVTOL aircraft. After getting FAA clearance, Joby aims to launch commercial passenger air taxi services in 2025.
According to Delta Air Lines, it invested US$60 million in Joby as part of a deal that seeks to provide air taxi service to and from New York and Los Angeles airports within a few years. According to Nolen, air taxis will be in high demand during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The world may see a few of them in the coming years, but not on the same magnitude as in 2028. He noted that the FAA plans to provide a plan for implementation in May 2023 that would help it achieve the ambitious goals of the industry.
