[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 179 (Monday, September 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75629-75630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20915]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability, Notice of Industry Day Meeting, and 
Request for Comment on the Draft Engineering Brief 105A for Vertiport 
Design

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of availability, notice of industry day meeting, and 
request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA's Office of Airports is announcing the availability of 
and requesting comments on the update to Engineering Brief (EB) 105 for 
Vertiport Design (referred to as EB 105A). This draft EB provides 
updated interim safety standards for aviation facilities that electric 
Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft use for take-off and 
landing. These types of aviation facilities are commonly referred to as 
`vertiports'. Draft EB 105A will be posted Friday, September 20, 2024, 
on the FAA website at: https://www.faa.gov/airports/engineering/engineering_briefs/drafts/. A comment matrix will also be available for 
members of the public to use to submit written comments. The FAA will 
hold a virtual industry day meeting on the draft EB 105A on Monday, 
September 30, 2024. Registration is required to attend. See the DATES 
and ADDRESSES sections for more information.

DATES: 
    Comments on draft EB 105A: Please submit comments no later than 
Friday, October 18, 2024.
    Virtual industry day: The virtual industry day will be held on 
Monday, September 30, 2024, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., EDT. See the 
ADDRESSES section for information about registering.

ADDRESSES: 
    Comments on Draft EB 105A: Please submit comments or questions 
regarding the draft EB 105A by email to the Federal Aviation 
Administration at [email protected].
    Registration for industry day: Pre-registration is necessary to 
receive the link for the virtual industry day meeting. Please visit 
https://www.faa.gov/airports/engineering/engineering_briefs/drafts/ for 
registration information or to request special accommodations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Bassey, Office of Airports, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, 
DC 20591, phone: (202) 267-7605, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA developed draft EB 105A to update 
the interim safety standards for the design and operation of aviation 
facilities that electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft 
use for take-off and landing. These take-off and landing facilities for 
eVTOL aircraft are commonly referred to as `vertiports'.
    EB 105A is a revision to the original EB 105 issued on September 
21, 2022. Principal changes include adjustments to the sizing of the 
vertiport geometry, information about aircraft parking, and the 
creation of a protection area to address aircraft downwash and outwash. 
The agency has and continues to conduct operational testing with a 
number of Original Equipment Manufacturers developing eVTOL aircraft. 
The updates identified in EB 105A were informed through operational 
testing findings.
    The FAA will hold a virtual industry day meeting on the draft EB 
105A on September 30, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. EDT. During this meeting, the 
FAA will provide an overview of the EB update, discuss some critical 
aspects of the draft currently under consideration, and provide an 
opportunity for attendees to

[[Page 75630]]

ask questions about it. Interested parties who wish to participate in 
the industry day meeting will need to register and can access 
information on how to register on the web page where the draft EB is 
posted.
    The FAA is seeking public comments on the draft EB 105A for 
Vertiport Design to help inform the development of the final EB update. 
The draft EB will be available starting Friday, September 20, 2024, on 
the FAA website at: https://www.faa.gov/airports/engineering/engineering_briefs/drafts/.
    Members of the public should use the comment matrix provided with 
the draft EB to submit comments. Completed comment matrices should be 
submitted to the email address listed in the ADDRESSES section. The FAA 
will not accept comments during the industry day meeting.
    The FAA would like to publish a final EB 105A for Vertiport Design 
later this year, following the adjudication of comments received during 
this public comment period. The FAA intends to publish a new Advisory 
Circular (AC) on Vertiport Design in 2025 to provide additional 
guidance in this area. Once the FAA issues a new AC, the agency will 
cancel EB 105A.

    Dated: September 10, 2024.
Keri L. Lyons,
Manager, Office of Airports Emerging Entrants Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-20915 Filed 9-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P