For the first time since helicopters joined the party in the 1940s, the FAA has created an entirely new civil aircraft category—powered-lift.
What’s a powered-lift aircraft? Well, picture a helicopter and an airplane having a baby… then that baby goes to engineering school, gets a battery-powered makeover, and starts offering rooftop rides. These include eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) and other flying-taxi-type vehicles that hover, tilt, and cruise—sometimes all at once.
To bring order to this airborne chaos, the FAA dropped a new Advisory Circular (AC) 21.17-4, in July 2025, laying out how manufacturers can certify these flying marvels under 14 CFR 21.17(b)—a special class that borrows rules from airplanes and helicopters, but adds flexibility for this hybrid bird.
This all adds to the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR), issued in October, 2024, to handle the pilot training side. Because flying one of these things is like piloting a blender with wings.
Right now, the rules cover vehicles under 12,500 lbs carrying up to six people. So no, your dream of flying a sky-bus to Costco will have to wait.
This is still a huge deal. It clears the fog for companies like Joby and Archer, and opens the airspace to a new generation of air taxi designs.
So, next time you hear a buzz overhead, don’t panic. It might just be your future Uber ride to work.
Crock’s Thoughts 