Vertical Flight Society Confronts FAA's Unwelcome U-turn on eVTOL Type Certification
Despite efforts by the FAA and some in the industry to play down the significance of recent policy changes governing approval for new aircraft, the VFS says, the FAA has mishandled the process.
The FAA provoked rapidly rising blood-pressure levels among eVTOL aircraft developers with its awkwardly communicated change in approach to certifying the new vehicles. The apparent policy reversal hinged on a determination that winged eVTOL designs meeting the U.S. air safety regulator’s definition of “powered lift” could not be certified or operate as conventional “airplanes.”
This implied that the aircraft concerned would need to be regulated under the FAA’s Section 21.17 (b) rules, rather than the 21.17 (a) requirements. The latter rules provide the foundation for several of the G-1 “certification basis” issue papers already assigned to several eVTOL developers, following years of diligent preparation.
