The Federal Aviation Administration has temporarily suspended enforcement of its new air-taxi operations and pilot-training rule to allow the provisions to be reviewed by the Trump administration.
The agency will “exercise its enforcement discretion and not enforce provisions of the rule” – titled “Integration of Powered-Lift” – until 20 March, the FAA said in a regulatory notice released on 10 March. The rule had taken effect on 21 January.
“This notice announces that the FAA will not take enforcement action against regulated entities for failing to comply with the final rule,” the FAA adds.
The move responds to a 20 January memorandum from President Donald Trump directing agencies not to issue new rules unless those rules are approved by a department head or another person designated by Trump.
Additionally, it directs agencies to “consider postponing for 60 days” other rules, including those already in effect, pending a review.
Trump has said he is seeking to downsize the US government, including by curbing regulations his administration views as unnecessary or overreaching.
Developers of electric air taxis have hailed the new Powered-Lift rule as clearing a major regulatory hurdle standing the way of bringing their in-development electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to market.
The rule sets qualification standards for eVTOL pilots and establishes some operating requirements, including those related to safe altitudes and flying in limited visibility.
Because the rule came out before Trump signed his memo, it is not “explicitly subject” to the review requirement, the FAA says.
Still, the agency decided to postpone enforcement, “to allow the officials appointed or designated by the President to review the final rule to ensure that it is consistent with the law and administration policies”, the FAA says.
A pause until 20 March would seemingly have minimal impact on the electric air taxi developers. But the industry could be affected if the FAA extends the pause or if issues come up during the review.
The Vertical Flight Society, a trade group representing electric air taxi makers, declines to comment.
