EVTOL success depends on pilot training

If the industry forecasts for electric eVTOLS had been fulfilled then by now we would be catching air taxis in major cities all around the world, stepping from a commercial jet at Changi airport and being whisked away to downtown Singapore in a matter of minutes. However, while progress has been made and the entrepreneurs are churning out confident press releases, there are still many hurdles to overcome. The good news is that regulators, like the FAA and EASA, are getting ahead of the game and it is becoming clearer how pilot regulations will operate. Most of the attention has focused on eVTOL technology and achieving aircraft certification but the success of the industry will also depend on developing qualified pilots and robust training systems. The ultimate dream may be for autonomous flight but for now the regulators have made it clear the first generation of eVTOLs will be operated by trained and certified pilots. Consequently pilot training is emerging as one of the defining challenges for advanced air mobility (AAM), with leading organisations, such as Joby Aviation, Etihad Aviation Training and simulator giant CAE announcing new products and programmes. (PHOTO: Joby) Regulating pilots In 2024 the Federal Aviation Administration published a new rule establishing pilot certification and operation requirements for eVTOL and other powered-lift aircraft planned for use as air-taxis. The rules sets out requirements for training pilots and instructors in single-pilot operation, including the use of flight simulators for training and clarify operating rules for powered-lift operations. In a statement FAA Administrator Mike Whittaker said: “Powered lift aircraft are the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years and this historic rule will pave the way for accommodating wide-scale Advanced Air Mobility operations in the future.” The FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are aligning rules so that early eVTOL pilots will be licenced commercial aircraft or helicopter pilots and be trained for a specific type rating. Neither will issue eVTOL licences to ab initio trainees  and AAM pilots will be drawn from the ranks of already certified commercial pilots who have then gained the specific rating. The FAA also noted that the extensive use of automation in eVTOLs increases the importance of systems management, energy monitoring and automation oversight. The agency wants the type rating training to go beyond manual flying skills to include software assisted flight management and abnormal system recovery. Simulation is expected to be central to FAA approved training because it would be unsafe or impractical for pilots to recreate some emergency and operational procedures in an actual aircraft. EASA is pursuing a similarly conservative strategy with a Special Condition for VTOL framework that integrates into existing European aviation regulations while accounting for the unique characteristics of eVTOLs. EASA said it will introduce new airworthiness certification requirements and procedures for manned and unmanned VTOL, addressing the physical integrity and the digital security risks that could impact their safe operation. Recent EASA guidance for AAM also addresses integration into controlled airspace, vertiport operations and interaction with air traffic management systems. Pilots will be expected to hold conventional licences and have completed aircraft-specific training and checking based on approved operational and training procedures developed alongside aircraft certification. (PHOTO: CAE) Simulation Global leader in simulation, CAE, is also readying itself for AAM and has partnered with five leading OEMs in the development of various AAM products and services, including pilot training, engineering and certification support. The company has developed the CAE 700MXR Flight Simulator tailored for the AAM market that blends physical reality and the virtual world to develop new visualisations and environments. It emulates flight characteristics and operational programs through the use of hand tracking and the tactile feel of the aircraft’s main instrument panel. Joby Aviation is at the forefront of eVTOL commercial passenger services and in 2025 it announced the arrival of two CAE flight simulators. In accepting the simulators Joby president of operations Bonny Simi said: “These simulators are central to the FAA certification process and are being delivered on time to support pilot training ahead of Joby’s first commercial flights. Developing flight simulators that are fully qualified by the FAA takes years of work and access to aircraft data and it is required for Part 135 operations of eVTOL aircraft in the United States.” Mixed-reality simulators will be vital in training eVTOL pilots to safely operate in dense urban environments, particularly in the crucial take-off and landing phases on vertiports located  atop high rise buildings. Pilots also face new challenges involving obstacle clearance, noise sensitive routings and close coordination with air traffic management services in urban settings. Etihad and Archer Etihad is a brand more closely linked with long-haul commercial flying that eVTOLs but its training division is positioning itself as a leading provider of AAM pilot training. It believes that eVTOLs are set to revolutionise urban mobility, air cargo, emergency response and many other missions and that its experience in airline pilot training will help prepare the industry for the transition to electric aviation. In 2024, Etihad Aviation Training entered into a strategic partnership with Archer Aviation to recruit and train prospective pilots in Abu Dhabi for Midnight eVTOL flights across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Archer intends to deliver a Midnight aircraft simulator to be housed and staffed by Etihad Aviation Training (EAT) in Abu Dhabi for research and development of eVTOL pilot training competences. EAT will engage with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority and other local authorities to establish appropriate pilot training requirements in the UAE in support of safe and efficient operations of Archer’s aircraft. EAT is aiming to establish Abu Dhabi as the regional hub for AAM pilot training and support the safe introduction of commercial eVTOL services throughout the Emirates. This initiative is also an example of how established flight training operators are partnering with eVTOL aircraft OEMs to build the ecosystem needed for widespread adoption of AAM. In May 2026, Archer said it expected to Midnight operations will commence this year and it will serve as the Official Air Taxi Provider of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In April, Archer reached a key milestone on its path to FAA Type Certification of the Midnight aircraft and is operating multiple piloted test flights on an almost daily basis. Archer also reported it ended the first quarter of 2026 with US$1.8 billion in liquidity and limited debt exposure as well as meeting its EBITDA guidance. CEO Adam Goldstein told shareholders: “We made tremendous progress towards beginning operations in the US later this year, with record FAA certification progress and our most expansive flight testing to date. But what is clear to me is that Archer is far more than an air taxi company [with] our defense and AI software efforts advancing quickly.” The FAA and EASA have released clear guidance that air taxis and other passenger eVTOLs will be operated by certified pilots that have been trained on the aircraft and achieved the appropriate type ratings. The training curriculum will need to be established by the manufacturers and the most progressive OEMs are already teaming up with reputable flight training organisations to build those programs. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]