The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has made a crucial step in establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for Innovative Air Mobility (IAM), by introducing specific acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) to the requirements for the operation of manned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)-capable aircraft (VCA).
This new regulatory material aims to enable the safe implementation of manned VCA operations and foster the acceptance and adoption of these innovative technologies by European citizens. Its objectives include ensuring safe VCA operations in air traffic management (ATM) environment, supporting innovation, providing guidance to competent authorities, manufacturers, and operators, and facilitating the early adoption of IAM technologies. The new AMC & GM are therefore crucial for VCA operators, VCA manufacturers, competent authorities, flight crews, and the public, facilitating the safe and efficient integration of VCA into the European aviation system.
The new AMC and GM address key operational aspects across various aviation regulatory domains:
- Air Operations (Air OPS): Amendments to the AMC and GM to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 and Annex II (Part-ARO), Annex III (Part-ORO), and Annex V (Part-SPA) thereto have been introduced, along with a new Annex IX (Part-IAM) specifically for VCA operations. The guidance emphasises preflight preparation, availability of landing sites (vertiports, diversion locations), and fuel/energy management.
- Flight Crew Licensing (FCL): AMC has been developed for Article 4f of Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, providing guidance on VCA type rating training courses. This includes adaptations for innovative aircraft designs and a broader approach to theoretical knowledge by referring to various aircraft categories.
- Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA): The term “fuel/energy” has been introduced to accommodate various energy sources used for aircraft propulsion, including electrical energy stored in batteries. Additionally, few GM have been adapted to ensure safe accommodation of VCA operations in ATM environment.
The AMC and GM to Regulation (EU) 2024/1111 on IAM are published with EASA Executive Director (ED) Decisions 2025/010/R, 2025/011/R, and 2025/012/R, and were developed under Rulemaking Task (RMT).0230, Subtask C#3.
