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Hold onto your aviators, folks! The FAA has just waved its magic wand—oh wait, it’s a new set of rules for our future flying cars, or as they like to call them, electric “air taxis.” Yes, you heard that right! Those whimsical dreams we had while watching “The Jetsons” are now being ground into reality… or at least the FAA hopes so. They’ve dropped 880 pages of regulations that practically scream, “We’re serious about airborne transport. No, seriously, we are!”
In what might be the largest leap toward a sci-fi saga turned mundane regulation, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker announced, “This introduces an entirely new category of aircraft,” as he stood next to a gleaming model of a five-seat helicopter-plane hybrid in a Las Vegas convention hall. Because, you know, what’s more exciting than regulations being discussed amidst the neon lights of Sin City?
“For the last 80 years, we’ve had two types—rotor and fixed wing,” declared Whitaker with all the zeal of a college professor announcing a new semester. “We now have a third type.” And here we thought “chicken or fish” at the in-flight meal was the hardest decision to make!
Enter the electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOL for short. Just what that acronym means to your average person is up for debate, but the FAA has officially claimed it as its newfound love. Imagine an airplane that performs helicopter tricks while still getting you to work on time—unless, of course, you’re stuck in traffic at, say, 10,000 feet.
Whitaker promised that this rule would create “an operating environment.” How enticing! I can already picture the serene chaos of flying taxis zipping over your head while you ponder your morning Starbucks as you watch a mid-air game of bumper cars.
The FAA’s readiness to embrace this bizarre new world of aviation is exemplified best by Joby Aviation, whose fancy flying contraption claims it’ll zip along at 200 miles per hour with a noise level peaceful enough for a romantic dinner. Let’s hope those passengers strapped in don’t complain about the delightful chaos that ensues as they dodge the angry drivers of the gridlocked freeway below.
As Joby’s JoeBen Bevirt puts it, “The regulation published today will ensure the U.S. continues to play a global leadership role in the development and adoption of clean flight.”
So, let’s raise our glasses to the future of transportation! Your commute might soon involve a vertical takeoff, a bit of turbulence, and a hefty dose of existential dread as you wonder if you’ve just taken a ride in your own personal Jetsons episode. Cheers to clean flight and the ongoing absurdity of our airborne dreams!
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