Davin News Server

Question:
Joby Aircraft is building an eVTOL. They state that the range of the aircraft is 100 miles with a 50 mile reserve.

According to FAA flight rules, how far can they fly to a destination that does not have a charging station, and to one that does?


Answer:
ACCORDING TO FAA REGULATIONS, the range a Joby eVTOL can fly depends on the type of flight operations and whether the destination 
has a charging station. The standard "100 miles with a 50-mile reserve" provides a total range, but FAA rules dictate how that 
reserve must be used.

The FAA issued a final rule in late 2024 that created a new category of aircraft called "powered-lift" for eVTOLs. This rule 
applies existing regulations to these new aircraft based on their flight characteristics.

For a Destination with a Charging Station

This scenario is similar to flying to a destination with a known airport and available fuel. Under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the 
pilot can plan to fly the full distance and use the reserve only for unexpected delays. The flight to the destination is a planned 
use of energy, and the reserve is extra.

Under VFR: The FAA requires a reserve of at least 20 minutes of flight time for rotorcraft after reaching the destination. For a 
Joby eVTOL traveling at its cruise speed of 200 mph, this translates to a reserve of approximately 67 miles.

Your specified reserve: Since Joby's stated 50-mile reserve is less than the FAA's 20-minute VFR requirement for a rotorcraft, the 
pilot would have to operate with a different reserve.

Maximum flight distance: The pilot could fly the entire 100-mile range to the destination. The 50-mile reserve would be part of the 
total available energy, but the flight plan would need to ensure a 20-minute reserve remains upon arrival.

For a Destination Without a Charging Station

This situation is equivalent to not having a "fuel" source at your destination, which means you must plan a return trip or an 
alternate landing spot. The 50-mile reserve is not enough for a round trip.

Required Reserve: To make a round trip, you would need enough energy to fly to the destination, and then enough to fly back to the 
departure point with the legally required reserve remaining.

Maximum flight distance: A Joby eVTOL would only be able to fly approximately 25 miles out from its origin. This distance is 
calculated by taking half of its 100-mile range and ensuring the 50-mile reserve is available for the return trip to the charging 
station. This would be a 50-mile trip total (25 miles out, 25 miles back) with 50 miles of reserve remaining.

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Question:
According to FAA rules, will that aircraft be able fly to destinations without a charging station, that are 100 miles away?

Answer:
No, under current FAA rules, the aircraft would not be able to fly 100 miles to a destination that does not have a charging 
station. The reason lies in the required energy reserve and the lack of an alternate charging location.

FAA regulations require that an aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) must have an energy reserve of at least 20 
minutes of flight time after reaching its intended destination. A destination without a charging station effectively means it is an 
"alternate" airport without a charging facility. In that case, the pilot would be required to plan for enough energy to get to an 
alternate destination with a charging station and then have the required reserve.

A flight of 100 miles would consume the entire range of the aircraft, leaving only the 50-mile reserve. The FAA's rules effectively 
prevent a pilot from planning a flight that would require the use of the entire reserve just to reach the destination, as this 
leaves no buffer for unexpected events or a return trip. In essence, the aircraft's usable range to a destination without a 
charging station is limited to the distance that allows for a safe return to the departure point with the required reserve intact. 
A 100-mile flight would be impossible under these conditions, as it would require the full 100-mile range and then a return trip 
using the 50-mile reserve, leaving no reserve for safety.

The FAA has published a final rule for the qualifications and training that instructors and pilots must have to fly aircraft in the 
powered-lift category. FAA's New Rules for eVTOLs Explained Everything You Need to Know This video explains the new regulations for 
eVTOLs, including pilot certification and operational requirements.

=====

14 CFR § 91.151

This rule states:

    "(b) No person may begin a flight in a rotorcraft under VFR conditions unless... there is enough fuel to fly to the first point 
of intended landing and... to fly after that for at least 20 minutes."

Although the rule uses the term "fuel," the FAA has applied this requirement to the energy source of any powered aircraft, 
including batteries. The flight is planned using a specific route and destination, but the pilot must always have a reserve to deal 
with unforeseen circumstances.

How It Applies to Your Scenario

The problem with the 100-mile flight to a destination without a charging station is that the entire flight would consume the 
aircraft's full range. The 50-mile reserve is not meant to be used for the planned flight. Instead, the pilot must have a reserve 
of at least 20 minutes of flight time (which at 200 mph is 67 miles) after reaching their destination. Since a 100-mile flight 
consumes the entire 100-mile range and there's no charging station, the pilot would have no energy left to fly to an alternate 
location or to handle any unexpected delays.

For the flight to be legal, the pilot must plan a round trip to a destination that does not require the use of the 50-mile reserve. 
This would make the maximum one-way distance approximately 25 miles to ensure the aircraft can return with the required reserve.

<100 miles

[snicker]