How to Become an eVTOL Pilot (2026): FAA Powered-Lift Rules, Hour Minimums, Pay and Who’s Hiring

What the FAA calls an eVTOL

Air taxis that take off like a helicopter and cruise on a wing are certificated as powered-lift. The FAA’s final rule, published Nov 21, 2024 and effective Jan 21, 2025, made permanent changes to Parts 61, 135 and 142 and added a 10-year Special Federal Aviation Regulation, SFAR No. 120 (FAA powered-lift final rule (Federal Register, Nov 21, 2024)). It requires pilots to hold a type rating for each powered-lift they fly. The SFAR lives in 14 CFR Part 194 and expires on January 21, 2035 (§194.107, 14 CFR Part 194, SFAR No. 120 (eCFR)).

Two very different “eVTOLs”: ultralight vs air taxi

This week Florida Polytechnic University’s police department unveiled a Jetson ONE nicknamed Astro and said it is “in the final stages” of FAA approval to use it in operations (Florida Poly (Oct 20, 2026)). Jetson calls the ONE “a PART103 recreational platform” and says the university needed Part 91 approval to use it on duty (Jetson (Oct 20, 2026)).

That distinction matters for pilots. Part 103 ultralights need no airman or medical certificate (§103.7), but they must be single-occupant, weigh under 254 lb empty, carry no more than 5 gallons of fuel, fly no faster than 55 knots at full power, and be used “for recreation or sport purposes only.” They also can’t fly over congested areas or (outside twilight allowances) between sunset and sunrise (§§103.1, 103.11, 103.15, 14 CFR Part 103 (eCFR)). A paid eVTOL job means a certificated powered-lift and the ratings below.

Getting a powered-lift rating: the SFAR 120 shortcuts

The standard Part 61 commercial powered-lift certificate needs at least 250 hours as a pilot, including 100 hours in powered aircraft (50 in a powered-lift) and 100 hours PIC that includes 50 hours in a powered-lift and 50 hours cross-country (10 in a powered-lift) (§61.129(e), 14 CFR 61.129 (eCFR)). Helicopter and airplane time count toward the total and powered-aircraft hours.

Most of SFAR 120’s alternate experience rules apply only if you already hold a commercial certificate with either an airplane rating plus instrument-airplane, or a helicopter rating plus instrument-helicopter (§194.215(a), 14 CFR Part 194, SFAR No. 120 (eCFR)). If you do:

• 35 hours of powered-lift PIC replaces the 50-hour requirement (§194.216(a)), and up to 15 of those 35 can be PIC duties in a Level C or higher full flight simulator (§194.216(b)).
• In an approved Part 135, 141 or 142 program, you can log up to 25 hours of PIC toward the 35 as sole manipulator in a powered-lift you aren’t yet rated in, with an authorized instructor on board (§194.223(c)).
• Powered-lift cross-country only needs a landing more than 25 nm from departure (§194.201), and alternate cross-country flights can replace the 100-nm day and night trips (§194.233).
• Your first type rating can be issued “VFR only,” but commercial pilots must remove that limit within 2 calendar months or the rating becomes invalid until they do (§194.211(b)).
• A Part 135 operator can train its own employed pilots for the powered-lift category, instrument and type ratings in one approved curriculum and check them in-house (§194.243).

Flying passengers for hire: Part 135 minimums

To act as PIC under Part 135 VFR you need a commercial certificate, a powered-lift type rating not limited to VFR, an instrument-powered-lift rating (or a powered-lift ATP) and at least 500 hours as a pilot, including 100 cross-country and 25 night (§135.243(b), 14 CFR 135.243 (eCFR)). IFR PIC needs 1,200 hours, including 500 cross-country, 100 night and 75 instrument (50 in actual flight) (§135.243(c)). An ATP is required for a powered-lift with 10 or more passenger seats, a turbojet powered-lift, or commuter operations (§135.243(a)(3)). SFAR 120 also requires 20 hours of operating experience in each make and basic model before serving as Part 135 PIC (§194.247(c), 14 CFR Part 194, SFAR No. 120 (eCFR)).

Who’s hiring and what it pays

Joby publishes base-pay ranges on its open pilot postings (Joby Aviation careers, checked Oct 22, 2026):

Posting (location)	Published minimums	Target base pay
Flight Research Test Pilot (Concord, CA)	Commercial + instrument airplane; 750 h PIC and 100 h turbine; STEM degree; 3+ years as a test pilot	$97,000–$167,000
Operational Test Pilot, Advanced Development (Concord, CA)	ASEL commercial with instrument rating; fixed-wing PIC experience; first- or second-class medical; security clearance eligible	$139,700–$170,000
S4 Pilot Instructor Manager (Marina, CA)	Commercial + instrument airplane; 1,000 h PIC; 2+ years instructor pilot and 2+ years test pilot; 5+ years managing people	$158,100–$258,600
Chief Pilot, Autonomy Commercial Operations (Concord, CA)	1,200 h per §135.243(c); 3+ years aviation leadership	$213,100–$245,000

Joby says compensation is base pay plus restricted stock units. These are mostly test, instructor and leadership roles; Joby has not posted line air-taxi pilot pay yet. Joby test pilot Peter Wilson told Aerospace Global News that S4 training will start from a commercial license in a helicopter, airplane or powered-lift, plus an instrument rating, followed by an S4 type rating. Archer says it holds an FAA Part 141 certificate for its own pilot training academy (Archer (Part 141 academy)). Compare these with helicopter pilot salary postings, or run numbers in the pilot pay calculator.

Where eVTOLs are flying now

On Mar 9, 2026 the FAA picked eight projects across 26 states for its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), including Texas, Florida, North Carolina and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (FAA (Mar 9, 2026)). Joby flew eIPP routes around Dallas–Fort Worth from Sep 10 to 14, 2026, including a landing at DFW’s corporate aviation FBO, and leased a 45,000-square-foot facility at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. Joby describes itself as in the “fifth and final stage” of FAA type certification (Joby (Sep 10, 2026)). Archer flew piloted Midnight flights around the San Francisco Bay from Oakland and plans Los Angeles next (Archer (Oct 19, 2026)).

If you fly helicopters today

A commercial helicopter certificate with an instrument-helicopter rating is one of the two qualifications SFAR 120’s alternates are built around (§194.215(a)), and Joby’s test pilot says helicopter commercial licenses are accepted for S4 training (Aerospace Global News). Your total time also counts toward Part 135’s 500 and 1,200-hour gates. If you’re weighing the airlines instead, see helicopter to airline pilot and hours to ATP.