On 14 November 2024, XTI Aerospace, the parent company of advanced aircraft design firm XTI Aircraft Company, conducted a general familiarisation presentation for its TriFan 600 aircraft with the FAA. The presentation represents a key milestone toward FAA type certification for the TriFan 600 and involved more than 60 FAA representatives, including members from the Central Certification Office and subject matter experts from across the US.

The general familiarisation meeting served to provide the FAA with an overview of the TriFan 600's advanced design, systems, performance parameters, vertical lift capabilities and safety features, emphasising its innovative ducted fan propulsion technology.

The TriFan 600 is touted as a new generation of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, optimally combining helicopter-like takeoffs and landings with the efficiency of fixed-wing aeroplanes. This new category of aircraft, the vertical lift crossover aeroplane (VLCA), represents a transformative solution for advanced air mobility, regional transport, emergency medical services and corporate travel.

"Completion of the general familiarisation presentation is a significant step forward for the TriFan 600 and our vision for transforming air travel," says Scott Pomeroy, CEO of XTI. "We're honoured to collaborate closely with the FAA as we work to advance the TriFan 600 toward our type certification goal."

Don Purdy, SVP of business and programme development, adds, "The Gen Fam meeting provided us with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to the FAA how the TriFan 600 will address the critical commodity of 'time.' We believe that the TriFan will offer our customers the ability to enjoy efficient point-to-point travel, enhance business speed and be a transformative solution for a variety of applications, including advanced air mobility, regional transportation and emergency medical services."