Davin News Server

On 2025-08-22 18:44, AlleyCat wrote:
> 
> Question:
> Joby Aircraft is building an eVTOL. They state that the range of the aircraft is 100 miles with a 50 mile reserve.

Where did you ask this question?

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

Where did you ask this question?

> 
> 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.

Where did you ask this question?w

> 
> 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."

Nothing about an "alternate" in there...

> 
> 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.

But the pilot doesn't HAVE to fly at 200 mph, doofus.

> 
> 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
You're really bad at arithmetic.