The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working with aviation regulators from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to develop a unified approach to advanced air mobility (AAM) certification. This collaboration aims to ensure the safe and efficient introduction of these aircraft across multiple countries.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in aviation as we work to integrate new technologies safely into the NAS,” said FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau. “Enabling the integration of new entrants is a priority and we’re committed to doing whatever we can to foster innovation while also staying true to our safety mission.”
The FAA and its international partners have created a Roadmap for Advanced Air Mobility Aircraft Type Certification. This roadmap seeks to align AAM airworthiness and certification standards by sharing data, research, and safety information among the participating countries. The authorities involved have signed a Declaration of Intent that commits them to adhere to these roadmap principles.
The roadmap's principles are expected to encourage collaboration, promote technological advancement, and streamline the certification process for new types of aircraft across these nations. These efforts will build on existing projects related to AAM type certification.
Traditionally, aircraft are certified in their country of design according to internationally accepted standards before being validated by other countries where they will operate. However, varying AAM certification standards worldwide present challenges. The roadmap addresses these differences by providing a framework aimed at harmonizing standards for easier validation and market entry of AAM aircraft.
This initiative is focused on safety while supporting industry ambitions for manufacturing aircraft that meet multiple countries' certification criteria. The participating nations plan to extend this cooperation globally in future efforts.
