A slow change 

The FAA, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, has released an updated plan to change airspace and procedures to accommodate future air cabs and other advanced air mobility operations. According to the plan, advanced air mobility operations will begin at a low rate, with air cabs flying in the same manner as helicopters today. They will use existing routes and infrastructure, such as heliports and early vertiports. Pilots will communicate with air traffic controllers as needed.

Increased traffic and multiple two-way flows 

As the number of operations increases, air cabs are expected to use corridors between major airports and vertiports located in city centers. The complexity of the corridors may increase over time, from one-way paths to routes serving multiple streams of aircraft flying in both directions. Over time, these corridors could connect an increasing number of routes between airports. The FAA expects aircraft technology to evolve as well. Aircraft automation and real-time data sharing between aircraft will likely play an increasingly important role in these corridors.

A Common Frame of Reference 

The operational plan is a key step - along with aircraft and pilot certification - in FAA's efforts to safely introduce and support this new era of aviation. It is intended to provide a common frame of reference for the FAA, NASA, and industry to help guide their research and decision making. The FAA developed this plan in collaboration with NASA and industry stakeholders.