FutureFlight

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published a revised draft of its Special Condition for VTOL aircraft and Means of Compliance (MOC) document, incorporating input from a consultation process that concluded on Aug. 12, 2022. The safety agency says that it aims to launch a further public consultation on the MOCs by early in the third quarter of 2023.

The Vertical Flight Society’s H2 Aero Team has published a white paper proposing a model for developing hydrogen fuel hubs at airports. The 40-page document outlines what the authors say is a repeatable concept that would first establish a fueling station for ground vehicles and later expand the facilities to support multiple modes of transportation including aircraft.

The FAA has confirmed the airworthiness criteria it intends to use in certifying Archer Aviation’s eVTOL air taxi. The U.S. air safety agnecy published its notice of proposed airworthiness criteria for the company's Midnight aircraft in the Federal Register on December 20 and is seeking public comments on the proposals by January 19, 2023. 

A December 13 letter from an alliance of 15 advanced air mobility (AAM) pioneers to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was polite but firm. It called on the Biden Administration to significantly up its game in prioritizing the quest for zero-emissions aircraft or risk not only failing to meet its stated net-zero objective for 2050 but also seeing the U.S. industry lose ground to rivals in Europe.

Urban Movement Labs (UML) has published a guide for communities looking to include eVTOL aircraft in their mix of public transportation options.

The European Commission (EC) has published its "Drone Strategy 2.0," which is expected to contribute to planning for a wide variety of advanced air mobility applications. The  General Aviation Manufacturers Association praised the move, saying that the document provides “a clear vision for the development of the drone sector,” including the goals of having drones and other air mobility vehicles, along with the requisite ecosystem, become an accepted part of European life by 2030.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) this week published draft guidelines on the construction of vertiports to be used by eVTOL aircraft for services such as air taxi flights in and around cities. The agency has invited comments from stakeholders on the guidance covering site selection, physical characteristics, and visual aids, with a closing date of March 31, 2023, for responses.

The FAA is proposing changes to its regulatory definitions covering air carriers to create scope for including new powered-lift aircraft such as eVTOL models in existing rules. On November 21, the U.S.

While proponents of urban air mobility (UAM) see electrically-powered air taxis and delivery drones as innovative solutions to problems many urbanites face, not much research has been done to address the negative impacts that a UAM ecosystem may present to communities, particularly when it comes to noise pollution. 

The FAA this week provided valuable insight into how it intends to certify new eVTOL aircraft when it published the airworthiness criteria it is using for Joby’s JAS4-1 five-seat model. The proposed rule published in the Federal Register on November 8 marks the first time the U.S. air safety regulator has shown the specifics of the type certification requirements for the new class of electric aircraft. The agency is seeking comments on its FAA-2021-0638 proposals by Dec. 8, 2022.