The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has updated its aviation guidelines pertaining to future air taxi and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft operation.
Air taxis are accelerating in development as numerous vendors begin to test in real world scenarios two- and four-seat and even larger aircraft for transportation purposes across urban landscapes.
Much of this development is with the goal to have aircraft safely tested and operational in time for two future large events taking place in the next few years — the 2025 World Expo in Japan and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Because of this, the FAA has updated its guidelines as these companies continue to push toward these deadlines and further install infrastructure for future air travel.
Existing routes
Part of the FAA’s blueprint includes a low use rate of these air taxis in the same manner as helicopters are used today. Additionally, the air taxis will use existing routes and infrastructure such as heliports and early vertiports.
Pilots will communicate with air traffic controllers as needed and the aircraft will have to follow the same rules as other aircraft in operation in cities and other areas, the FAA said. They will likely only be one-way routes initially.
Increased use
As operations increase, the air taxis could fly in designated corridors. This includes destinations between major airports and vertiports located in city centers.
Over time, these corridors are expected to increase in complexity with air taxis flying in multiple streams in two-way traffic along the corridors and across cities.
