FAA Issues Final Rule to Propel Electric Air Taxis Into the Skies

Electric-powered air taxis mark the first introduction of a new aircraft category in nearly 80 years since helicopters were introduced.
FAA Issues Final Rule to Propel Electric Air Taxis Into the Skies
An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, flies above the Joby eVTOL aircraft, during a demonstration of eVTOLs in New York on Nov. 13, 2023. Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo
|Updated:
0:00

Federal regulators have taken a big step toward integrating electric-powered air taxis into the national airspace, issuing a final rule Tuesday outlining operational guidelines and pilot training requirements for the aircraft.

According to Mike Whitaker, head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the new rule acknowledges air taxis as a distinct category of aircraft, marking the first introduction of a new aircraft category in nearly 80 years since helicopters were introduced.