The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has confirmed it will put in place the certification standards also used by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), known as Special Conditions (SC)-VTOL, as the basis for UK certification for new electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Special Conditions allow manufactures and the CAA to develop safety requirements as these new technologies come to market and provide the basis for approval.

‘Stringent levels of protection’

The safety levels established under SC-VTOL provide “stringent levels of protection for the UK consumer, both in the air and on the ground”, the CAA said.

In implementing these new standards, the UK authority said it would continue to proactively engage with other global national aviation bodies, such as the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Facilitating innovation

Rob Bishton, CAA’s group director for safety and airspace regulation, said: “The decision to adopt SC-VTOL as our certification basis will support UK manufacturers and enable them to easily access the global market for eVTOL aircraft.

“We will continue to work with the industry to help promote and facilitate innovation throughout aviation.”

The announcement was welcomed by Vertical Aerospace. Michael Cervenka, president of Vertical, said: “The UK confirming these high standards of safety for new electric aircraft is a pivotal and positive step towards building a world leading zero emissions aircraft manufacturer in Britain.

“It is vital that passengers and the public have the same trust in eVTOLs as in today’s passenger planes, as we try to make flying faster, smarter, and greener.”

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