The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final rule for the qualifications and training that instructors and pilots must have to fly aircraft in its "powered-lift" category, covering civilian vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The rule applies to pilots of "air taxis, cargo delivery and a variety of operations within urban and rural areas", the FAA states on 22 October, and addresses their operational requirements, including minimum safe altitudes and required visibility. It amends several existing regulations and establishes a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) with new requirements to facilitate instructor and pilot certification and training for powered lift aircraft, largely applying helicopter operating requirements to some phases of flight and adopting a performance-based approach to certain operating rules. The rule, it adds, "provides a comprehensive framework for certifying the initial cadre of powered-lift instructors and pilots" and is required "because existing regulations did not address this new category of aircraft, which can take off and land vertically like a helicopter and fly like an airplane during cruise flight". Furthermore, it allows pilots to train in powered-lift with a single set of flight controls. Legacy rules require two flight controls – one for the student and one for the instructor, according to the FAA. "The rule is the final piece in the puzzle for safely introducing these aircraft in the near term. The opportunities for the use of powered lift operations are far reaching, from transporting passengers in urban areas and short-haul operations such as air ambulance services and cargo operations to potentially serving smaller communities over time," the regulator says. The FAA previously determined it could certify powered-lift aircraft under existing regulations and updated other regulations so air taxis could be used commercially. Last year, the agency released a blueprint for how Urban Air Mobility vehicles will operate, which it says is "a key element in maturing the overall [Advanced Air Mobility] concept".

American Airlines subsidiary PSA Airlines will add 14 more MHI RJ CRJ900s to its fleet starting this month.  The aircraft will be delivered and inducted in phases, PSA states, with the jets to be reconfigured to a 76-seat dual-class configuration. The CRJs are being purchased by American and will be leased to the subsidiary. "PSA is on a well-planned growth trajectory that involves more team members flying more aircraft and customers as we continue to expand and enhance our operation," says PSA Airlines' president and chief executive Dion Flannery. "This year, we fully restored staffing, resurrected all our parked aircraft and inducted the last of the seven aircraft as part of a previous agreement. Now, we're prepared for the next phase of growth with the addition of these 14 NextGen CRJ900s." Fleets data shows that PSA already has 80 CRJ900s in service, as well as 56 CRJ700s, plus five more in storage.

Vietnam Airlines and Garuda Indonesia have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at increasing their cooperation through expanded codeshares and joint marketing campaigns. Under the deal, both airlines will also explore coordinating services such as aircraft leasing, ground services, technical maintenance and cargo operations, the Vietnamese carrier says. "This partnership not only strengthens the position of both national carriers but also facilitates the provision of high-quality services for our passengers traveling between Vietnam and Indonesia," says Vietnam Airlines' president and chief executive Le Hong Ha. Garuda chief executive Irfan Setiaputra says that the partnership will strengthen connectivity across the Southeast Asian region. "By leveraging our combined networks, this partnership will allow passengers more seamless access to key destinations across Indonesia, Vietnam, and beyond, fostering greater tourism, trade, and cultural exchange. This partnership will not only enhance connectivity but also reinforce both airlines' positions in the global aviation market," he adds. Schedules data shows that Garuda places its code on Vietnam Airlines' services from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore, as well as its nonstop services from Ho Chi Minh to Jakarta. Vietnam Airlines, meanwhile, places its code on Garuda-operated services from Singapore to Surabaya, Jakarta and Denpasar, and on selected domestic services.