China’s Sohu News reports that following the CAAC’s award of an unmanned aircraft system type certificate (TC) to EHang, “the EH216-S will also undergo operational qualification review and be officially put into commercial operation after meeting relevant requirements.”
The country’s first eVTOL route is expected to be opened in Shenzhen this year, said the report.
“After going through the most difficult TC certification, EHang will next launch efforts to obtain a production license (referred to as PC) and a stand-alone airworthiness certificate (referred to as AC),” said the report. “The next step of obtaining PC means that the regulatory agency recognizes the quality and management system of the aircraft manufacturer. The aircraft can be put into mass production, but the produced aircraft cannot yet be put into commercial operation but also to obtain AC (sic). AC refers to the approval of the manufacturing conformity of each aircraft by the airworthiness authority. This certificate is an airworthiness certificate applied by the customer after the aircraft is produced and before it is officially delivered to the customer.
“Previously, after the domestic large aircraft C919 obtained TC certification, it only took 70 days from TC to PC, and only 20 days from PC to AC. Therefore, it is likely that large quantities of EH216-S will be put into the market much faster than expected,” according to a quote from aviation legal expert Lin Zhong.
For more information
https://news.sohu.com/a/729887753_121255906
