United States, Japan agree to partner on advanced air mobility

The FAA and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) agreed to partner on advanced air mobility certification and operations, the US regulator said Tuesday. The two countries in Tokyo were set to sign a declaration of cooperation to support future aircraft development and operation and formalizing ongoing discussions on certifying and validating new aircraft, production, airworthiness, operations, and personnel licensing. The announcement comes as companies around the world are racing to develop and eventually win regulatory approval to deploy air taxis known electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). “The FAA and the JCAB have enjoyed a long and strong working relationship, and that will extend into this new era of aviation,” said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen. “Close collaboration with our international partners is critical to successfully and safely integrating these new technologies.” The announcement follows the FAA’s announced partnerships with the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the National Aviation Authorities Network to harmonize certification and integration plans. The low-altitude eVTOL urban air mobility aircraft has drawn a huge amount of interest around the world as numerous eVTOL companies have gone public.<br/>