Regulations and Government
FAA Greenlights eVTOL Regs as NBAA-BACE Opens
FAA chief Michael Whitaker: “It’s here today. It is now a final rule”
FAA pilots flying Beta’s Alia 250 aircraft
FAA pilots flying BETA Technology’s Alia 250 aircraft.

The FAA’s release of its special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) for “Integration of Powered Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations” coincided with the opening session at NBAA-BACE 2024 on Tuesday, with NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen and FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker first breaking the news of its arrival to a standing-room audience. “It’s here today,” Whitaker told the crowd gathered at the opening session. “It is now a final rule.” 

Much anticipated, the SFAR forms the foundation for the introduction of eVTOL aircraft in the U.S., establishing the necessary operational and training requirements for "powered-lift" aircraft. In announcing the SFAR, the FAA called powered lift the first new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.