Italy’s National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has published the first regulation at national level which regulates flight operations with vertical takeoff and landing capable aircraft (VCAs) and introduces the requirements for the construction and operation of vertiports.
According to ENAC this is the VCA Regulation “National requirements for operations, airspace and infrastructure for aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VCA) capability”, one of the first regulations at world level and the first national regulation at European level that integrates the community framework on new innovative mobility.
“The new Regulation, published and entered into force yesterday, 12 June 2024, introduces the requirements for the navigation of VCAs with pilot on board in national airspace, for the establishment of flight corridors reserved for them, in particular over urban areas, and for the construction and operation of vertiports,” says an organisation press release. “The initiative is part of the AAM National Strategic Plan (2021-2030) adopted by ENAC” in 2021 for the development of advanced air mobility which envisages, among the various applications, the provision of airtaxi services with innovative aerial vehicles with take-off and vertical landing, mostly electrically powered.
“In consideration of the introduction of the third dimension of mobility in urban contexts, ENAC has taken a gradual approach, with particular attention to the safety of operations, and a multidisciplinary approach to facilitate the national adoption of innovative scenarios whose aim is to encourage the ecological transition and, at the same time, respond to the needs of the territories and intermodal mobility with reduced costs compared to traditional helicopters.
“The above is in line with the European Commission’s Drone 2.0 strategy which envisages that innovative air mobility services, such as airtaxis, become an integral part of Europeans’ daily lives by 2030.
“The Regulation constitutes a further step in the path that sees the country system and ENAC among the pioneers of innovation in advanced, sustainable and intermodal air mobility.”
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