In order to proactively support aviation stakeholders in the effective implementation of the regulatory framework for innovative air mobility (IAM) with manned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)-capable aircraft (VCA), more popularly known as air taxis, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has opened a public consultation on Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) 2024-01.

EASA launches the Consultation process

The Agency launched a consultation process on the most recent NPA covering Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) during the first week of February. The NPA 2024-01 [https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/notices-of-proposed-amendment/npa-2024-01] brings forward updated and new acceptable means of compliance as well as guidance materials (AMC and GM) on how to demonstrate compliance with the operational standards that apply to manned aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing (VCA). These cutting-edge operational and mobility concepts were included in the proposed regulatory framework that was established by Opinion No. 03/2023 [https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/opinions/opinion-no-032023] .

The NPA’s impact on a diverse stakeholder community

The NPA seeks to promote innovation and growth in the IAM sector, strengthen the market’s evolution for manned VCAs, and increase the adoption of these technologies among Europeans.

The NPA is aimed at a wide variety of stakeholders, such as:

• competent authorities, for whom it lays down the ground rules for compliance and implementation of VCA requirements;
• manufacturers, detailing how they can safely support the deployment of VCA operations;
• operators, indicating the ways in which they can seamlessly integrate into the Single European Sky (SES) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) setting.

Examples of how to enable VCA operations in urban contexts or VCA Emergency Medical Services (VEMS) operations—where a doctor can use a VCA to arrive at the accident scene on time—are demonstrated by the suggested AMC and GM. The NPA also offers guidelines for the abilities and competencies needed in order to become a VCA pilot.

Innovative Air Mobility enters in a new phase

In addition to the previously noted articles aimed at a particular stakeholder group, the suggested changes also seek to foster innovation and progress in innovative air mobility (IAM). This will be achieved by establishing a regulatory framework that is efficient, appropriate, and carefully crafted to facilitate IAM development without unnecessarily impeding the manned vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VCA) market.

The commenting for the NPA 2024-01 will be open until 6th of May and is available via the EASA Comment-Response Tool (CRT) [https://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/].