By Chris Stonor
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published “the world’s first guidance for the design of vertiports”, the ground infrastructure needed for the safe operation of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) services such as air taxis in locations across Europe, including in urban areas, reports a press release.
The release states, “The Prototype Technical Design Specifications for Vertiports offers guidance to urban planners and local decision-makers as well as industry to enable the safe design of vertiports that will serve these new types of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which are already at an advanced stage of development.”
Many vertiports will be constructed within or close to cities and the guidance offers new and innovative solutions specifically for these congested urban environments.
Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA, commented, “With the world’s first guidance for safe vertiport operations, EASA’s ambition is to provide our stakeholders with the ‘gold standard’ when it comes to safe vertiport design and operational frameworks. By harmonising such standards we will support European industry, who are already starting to embark on exciting projects in Europe and around the world to make new urban air mobility a reality.”
One standout innovation is the concept of a funnel-shaped area above the vertiport, designated as an “obstacle free volume”. This concept “is tailored to the operational capabilities of the new VTOL aircraft, which can perform landing and take-off with a significant vertical segment.”
Depending on the urban environment and performance of certain VTOL-capable aircraft, “omnidirectional trajectories to vertiports will be also possible.” The release continues, “Such approaches can more easily take account of environmental and noise restrictions and are more suitable for an urban environment than conventional heliport operations, which are constrained in the approaches that can be safely applied.”
(Click to Enlarge)
This guidance has been developed under the helm of EASA, working in cooperation with the world’s leading vertiport companies and VTOL manufacturer along with the support of experts from European Member States.
The next step is a full-scale rulemaking task (RMT.230) during which EASA will develop the full spectrum of regulatory requirements to ensure safe vertiport operations. The release concludes, “These will include not only detailed design specifications, but also requirements for authorities to oversee vertiport operations as well as organisational and operational requirements for vertiport operators.”
For more information
Vertiports in the Urban Environment
(Images: EASA)
