EASA

It’s a clear day in Zermatt, a remote Swiss town anchored in a sharp valley under the gaze of the Matterhorn. We’ve taken off from Air Zermatt, home to some of the best high-altitude rescue pilots in the world. I’d flown in helicopters before but never piloted one. And this location was hardly a beginner course.“Are you ready to take the reins?” the controller asks.“Um, I think . . .?” I said nervously.“In three, two, one . . .” And with that, the full power of the craft shifts to my command. The controls are exquisitely…

German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) plane startup Lilium has obtained authorization from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that will allow it far greater flexibility and range in developing its future battery-powered air taxi toward certification. Munich-based Lilium announced it had received the EASA’s Design Organization Approval for its continuing eVTOL activities, which it hopes to cap with certification of its air taxi and private electric jet aircraft in…