FutureFlight

The FAA has issued its new and long-awaited heliport planning, design, and construction Advisory Circular 150/5390-2D that provides largely voluntary guidance to the rotorcraft community. This new AC supersedes previously issued guidance from 2012. The U.S. aviation regulator notes that “the standards and guidelines contained in this AC are practices the FAA recommends for establishing an acceptable level of safety, performance, and operation for heliports.”

A new 8K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provides significant details regarding the terms under which automotive group Stellantis will be providing eVTOL aircraft developer Archer Aviation with $150 million in fresh equity capital.

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.