Category Filtering: 'faa'
The US Air Force report to Congress details the overview, approach, milestones, and future plans for the AFWERX Agility Prime program. This new approach is accelerating and adopting dual-use technologies in the Department of the Air Force, specifically for the transformative vertical lift and electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) industry.
On Monday, May 9 (the eve of the VFS Forum 78), The Air Current (TAC) broke the story that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had decided that winged electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that met the FAA’s definition of “powered-lift”— a term used nearly exclusively for pilot qualification rules — could not be certified or operate as “airplanes”
Leading developers of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have raised financing to support the development, flight testing, certification, manufacturing and commercial entry into service of their innovative aircraft.
On May 9, Ryse Aero Technologies unveiled the Ryse Recon, a one-passenger multicopter eVTOL aircraft.
AIR revealed a full-scale prototype of its AIR ONE eVTOL at the Kentucky Derby on May 7. The Israel-based eVTOL developer unveiled the AIR ONE in October (see “Electric VTOL News,” Vertiflite, Jan/Feb 2022).
As a follow-on to its hybrid-electric Cessna 337 Electric EEL, Ampaire announced on April 22 that it has begun ground testing the propulsion system on its hybrid-electric Cessna 206B Grand Caravan.
Billy Nolen appointed Acting FAA Administrator, and other leadership changes
On Feb. 28, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released their draft engineering brief for vertiports and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations to industry for comment.
Joby Aviation announced on March 24 that it had resumed aircraft flight testing after its first prototype was destroyed in an accident on Feb. 16 (see “Pushing the Envelope: Joby Aviation in 2022,” Vertiflite, March/April 2022).
Since our beginnings in 1943 as the American Helicopter Society, the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) has had an expansive view of how to advance vertical flight. We didn’t just focus on the unique aspects of helicopters (e.g., rotors) but all of the technologies, methodologies and disciplines that supported the development of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Important systems like engines, lightweight structures and controls are applicable to all aircraft, but most critical to powered lift.
