The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will work closely with the FAA on eVTOL type certifications, the agencies said today at the Global Urban & Advanced Air Summit (GUAAS) in Farnborough, UK. today. They plan to build on existing bilateral air safety agreements between the two countries to create a clearer path for eVTOL manufacturers to get approvals validated on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to CAA policy director Tim Johnson, several eVTOL aircraft developers have expressed interest in seeking certification through the UK. Jay Merkle, executive director of the FAA’s UAS integration office, added that the U.S. agency is committed to adapting to new market entrants from the advanced air mobility sector.
Asked about the main obstacles to the launch of eVTOL commercial operations, Merkle pointed to what he said are major changes in the powerplant and flight controls for the new aircraft. He advised eVTOL developers to be realistic about the time they will need to certify aircraft and get them into service.
Johnson said that the CAA intends to take a pragmatic approach to certifying new aircraft. “We are not going to adopt technical differences just for the sake of it,” he noted.