FutureFlight
Flight Test Pilots and Engineers Share Knowledge Through New Council
Membership in the eVTOL Flight Test Council has quickly grown to 160 individuals from manufacturers, regulators, and suppliers.
CityAirbus
Airbus Helicopters is testing its CityAirbus eVTOL technology demonstrator at its facility in Manching, near Munich in southern Germany. (Photo: Airbus)

Membership in the new eVTOL Flight Test Council—jointly formed by the Vertical Flight Society and the Society of Flight Test Engineers—has grown quickly to 160. The group is working to establish best practices for safety and certification, as well as to promote efficiency and shared knowledge in the development of new aircraft, flight controls, and propulsion systems.

According to council chair Al Lawless, the group has been formed in response to the rapidly increasing volume of flight testing being conducted on new “large-scale” electric aircraft. In his view, many of the pioneers in advanced air mobility are startup companies that have limited connections within the aviation industry and are not connected with industry associations' efforts to share best practices.