Pilots can now get certified to fly new electric aircraft with tilting rotors

The US aviation regulator has created new rules for certifying pilots to fly "powered-lift" aircraft, which take off and land like helicopters but fly like planes. This means pilots can now get official qualifications for new electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, clearing a path for them to operate commercially.

For decades, aircraft either flew like planes or like helicopters, and pilot training reflected that. This new rule creates a third category for pilots, acknowledging that new aircraft designs combine features of both. It removes a major regulatory hurdle for companies developing electric aircraft that tilt their rotors to switch between vertical and horizontal flight, allowing them to move from testing to commercial operations.