Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations; Miscellaneous Amendments Related to Rotorcraft and Airplanes

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Washington DC has promulgated a final rule published in the Federal Register on Thursday, November 21, 2024, 89 FR 92296, entitled Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations; Miscellaneous Amendments Related to Rotorcraft and Airplanes.

To safely integrate powered-lift in the national airspace system (NAS), the FAA in this landmark final rule is making permanent changes to parts 61, 135, and 142. These changes are intended to   ease the training and certification requirements of powered-lift pilots and instructors. The FAA is also issuing a temporary Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) for a period of ten years that supplements existing rules, creates temporary alternatives for airman certification, removes operational barriers, finalizes other amendments which are necessary to integrate powered-lift into the National Airspace System (NAS) and mitigates safety risks for powered-lift.  (Powered-lift is defined in 14 CFR § 1.1 as a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of vertical takeoff, vertical landing, and low speed flight that depends principally on engine-driven lift  devices or engine thrust for lift during these flight regimes and on nonrotating airfoil(s)  for lift during horizontal flight.)

In this final action, the FAA stated that it did not establish any new requirements for the type certification of powered-lift, nor did it revise existing type certification requirements. The FAA noted that existing aircraft certification requirements are sufficient to type certificate powered-lift as a special class under § 21.17(b). However, the FAA did adopt new requirements for pilots to allow them to hold type ratings for each powered-lift they fly. The FAA also adopted new qualification requirements for powered-lift pilots serving in part 135 operations.

To address the perceived gaps in the airman certification process, the FAA final action provides alternatives to certain requirements in part 61 through the establishment of a new part 194, Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 120—Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Training; Operations Requirements. This new section will facilitate the training and certification of the initial cadre of powered-lift instructors and pilots. In addition to this alternate framework, the FAA adopted several pathways to certificate powered-lift pilots utilizing aircraft with a single flight control and single pilot station. The FAA is facilitating this process through three options: (1) recognition of a single flight control that is accessible by both the student and flight instructor and allows for the instructor to immediately intervene if necessary; (2) expanded use of simulators to allow an applicant to train in a simulator and gain necessary experience solo in the aircraft; and (3) deviation authority for consideration of future advancements in technology that is not currently validated at this time. These changes significantly expanded the ability to use flight simulator technology as part of pilot training and qualification programs. The SFAR also incorporates several very workable options for training pilots in powered-lift using a single set of controls.

The full text of the final rule can be found here:

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