Billy Nolen to Join Archer Aviation

Reuters has reported that FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen will join eVTOL aircraft manufacturer Archer Aviation when he leaves the agency this summer.

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Air Taxis, Advanced Air Mobility

The move could mean faster progress for Archer Aviation on certification for their Midnight Air Taxi.  The FAA published airworthiness criteria for the aircraft at the end of 2022.  At the recent AUVSI Xponential conference, Nolen spoke to the drone industry audience, brushing over the delay on a ruling for flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for commercial drone operation.  Nolen focused his talk more on the newly published “Airspace Blueprint for Air Taxis” and the goal of demonstrating advanced air mobility and air taxis for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.