At the annual Rotorcraft and VTOL Safety Symposium in Amsterdam, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) signaled progress toward harmonizing eVTOL certification standards. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to supporting the growth of this innovative sector while streamlining regulations.
Held on the first day of European Rotors on Nov. 4, EASA’s Rotorcraft and VTOL Safety Symposium provided industry leaders an opportunity to discuss regulatory developments. EASA’s certification director, Rachel Daeschler, emphasized two guiding principles for the agency’s regulatory evolution: simplification and harmonization.
She said simplification can to be achieved by having more crosstalk with existing certification specifications, which will reduce unnecessary duplication. Meanwhile, she said harmonization with other regulators can be reached if both sides embrace more flexibility and mutual acceptance of standards.
David Solar, EASA’s head of general aviation and VTOL, proposed using rotorcraft as a pilot case for these simplified regulatory approaches. His counterpart at the FAA, Dan Elgas, the agency’s director of policy and standards for aircraft certification, confirmed that the agencies are moving forward with simplified validation for low-risk products. This ensures that low-risk products certified within EASA’s Certification Specification (CS)-23 and CS-27 are recognized by the FAA under Part 23 or Part 27, and vice versa.
Advancements in eVTOL regulations
The collaboration between EASA and FAA has already yielded significant milestones. Elgas noted the FAA’s publication of a Draft Advisory Circular for the type certification of powered-lift aircraft in June 2024, and stated the final version is expected to be released in January 2025 after extending the public comment period requested by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Additionally, the first revision of CS-23/27/29 (Part 23/27/29) Safety Emphasis Items (SEI) in six years has streamlined their number and scope, aligning with the agencies’ simplification goals.
Oswaldo Lopez Blas, EASA’s eVTOL section manager, discussed new guidance aimed at enhancing design validation and certification readiness. One key initiative is the release of the Easy Access Rules for small category VTOL-capable aircraft (VCA), which compiles applicable regulations into one document. This includes Special Condition (SC)-VTOL issue 2, Means of Compliance (MoC)-1, MoC-2 and MoC-3.
One notable update is the increase of the maximum takeoff mass from 3,175 kilograms (7,000 pounds) to 5,700 kg (12,566 lb.), with the maximum number of passengers remaining at nine. This was done to allow more flexibility for the energy storage and power unit mass fraction.
During the symposium, Hamdy Sallam, rotorcraft and VTOL flight test pilot at EASA, emphasized the importance of definitions as they are the key to common understanding of performance-based regulation. As such, EASA and the FAA have harmonized many definitions, including those surrounding flight envelopes.
EASA and the FAA have also achieved some degree of agreement for standards surrounding electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS), limited overwater operations, increasing maximum takeoff mass, and the decision to remove maximum operating speed (VMO and MMO) from the regulations for eVTOL certification.
Despite progress between the agencies, speakers acknowledged ongoing hurdles in achieving full harmonization. Differences in exposure to data, rulemaking process and pace, and the interplay between design, operations, and infrastructure remain significant barriers. Nevertheless, strides have been made in harmonizing flight envelope definitions, while performance-related requirements and operations in icing condition are planned as future activities.
A win-win for global aviation
From the volume and depth of materials presented during the symposium, it’s evident that both EASA and the FAA have given eVTOL regulation harmonization a lot of attention, providing reassurance to industry, future passengers, and investors that the legal framework to build and operate these aircraft will be available.
Any harmonization achieved is considered a win-win in reducing workload at the design and certification phases, while easing the commercialization of these products across global markets.
Looking ahead, EASA plans to publish MoC-4 by Q4 2024, and the Alternative Means of Compliance/Guidance Material (AMC/GM) for manned VTOL operations by Q1 2025. SC-VTOL issue 3 and MoC-5 are expected later in 2025, promising further alignment with FAA standards.