Flying air taxis near US takeoff as FAA rule issuance

Federal regulators gave electric air taxis a big push Wednesday, issuing a final rule for how the aircraft operate and how pilots will be trained to fly them.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker said the rule recognizes air taxis as an entirely new type of aircraft that will soon join planes and helicopters in the sky.

These aircraft take off and land vertically, like helicopters, but fly like fixed-wing planes. Many companies are working to bring them to market, but have been hampered by a lack of clarity about the regulations governing their use.

Whitaker said the FAA is emphasizing safety as it works to include the new aircraft in the nation’s airspace. He said “powered lift aircraft” are the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years since the advent of helicopters, and the rule will allow for their widespread operation.

Proponents of air taxis consider them a cleaner alternative to passenger planes that burn jet fuel. So far, however, current technology limits their size and likely means they will be used more frequently in urban areas. Companies intend to transport people and cargo.

One of the companies in the new field, California-based Joby Aviation, praised the FAA regulation. CEO JoeBen Bevirt said the rules “will ensure the U.S. continues to play a global leadership role in the development and adoption of clean flying.”

Airlines see air taxis as a way to get passengers to airports. Delta Air Lines said that in 2022 it would invest US$60 million in Joby, and this month Toyota announced an investment of US$500 million. United Airlines is backing another California-based company, Archer Aviation, with an order for 200 aircraft that Archer said could be worth $1 billion, with an option for another $500 million.