U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) on Oct. 25 applauded a recent decision by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a final rule for powered-lift aircraft, which will be the first completely new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.
“The possibilities of powered lift operations are transformative, and this rule allows industry to provide these services by creating an operational system for advanced air mobility,” said Rep. Obernolte, a co-chair of the bipartisan Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Caucus.
The final rule, “The Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR),” issued by the FAA on Oct. 22, provides a comprehensive framework for certifying the initial cadre of powered-lift instructors and pilots, a major step forward for the growing AAM industry, according to the congressman.
“I commend the decision by the FAA to approve powered lift as a new category of civil aircraft, the first in over 80 years, and their continued efforts to promote innovation in America’s aviation industry,” Rep. Obernolte said. “This rule will allow these aircraft to provide services such as air taxi, cargo delivery, and an array of other operations within the United States.”
The rule makes changes to existing regulations, establishes an SFAR for instructor and pilot certification and training, applies helicopter operating requirements to some phases of flight, adopts a performance-based approach to certain operating rules, and allows powered-lift pilot training with a single set of flight controls instead of two, according to information provided by Rep. Obernolte’s staff.
“With the proper federal regulatory framework, Advanced Air Mobility has the potential to revolutionize how we move people and goods throughout our country,” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), also a co-chair of the AAM Caucus who called the final rule “a significant step forward in allowing powered-lift aircraft to be integrated into U.S. airspace.”