FAA Publishes Airworthiness Standards For Joby

The FAA has published airworthiness criteria for the Joby eVTOL aircraft, making it likely to be the first to be certified. The agency put the proposed “Special Class Airworthiness Criteria” rule in the Federal Register and opened it up for a 30-day comment period. The document runs about 12 pages and covers dozens of standards and requirements, and since this is the agency’s first crack at this it is looking forward to getting the input. “The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the airworthiness criteria, explain the reason for a recommended change, and include supporting data,” the agency said.

Because the Joby, and dozens like it that are also in development, combine features of a variety of different types of aircraft, the agency decided to certify it under “special class aircraft.” That means it is borrowing requirements for the certification of Part 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33 and 35 to set the standards for the Joby. “This notice announces the applicable regulations and other airworthiness criteria developed, under § 21.17(b), for type certification of the Joby Model JAS4-1 powered-lift,” the proposed rule says.