EHang announced at the weekend, it has successfully gained the Production Certificate (PC) for its EH216‑S passenger-carrying Autonomous electric aircraft, reports a press release. Issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), it is the world’s first PC granted within the eVTOL industry.
The granting ceremony was held at the International Conference Centre of Huangpu District, Guangzhou. Illustrious guests included Yinsong Xian, District Mayor of Huangpu District, Guangzhou; Wei Wang, Deputy Mayor of Yunfu City, Guangdong Province; and Huazhi Hu, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EHang.
The PC is a vital certificate for by securing it, EHang can now go ahead with mass production of its EH216‑S. This encompasses raw materials, supplier management, production organisation, production quality control, aircraft pre-delivery test, after-sales repair and maintenance. The PC establishes “clear guidelines and documentation for every step in the production procedure, ensuring comprehensive traceability and safety control to guarantee that each aircraft and its components rolling off the production line are in strict compliance with the approved type design and safety requirements,” explains the release.
It continues, “During the PC certification process, the review team of the Central-South Regional Administration of the CAAC conducted a comprehensive document review and on-site verification based upon the Regulations on Certification of Civil Aviation Products and Parts (CCAR-21-R4), and the Production Approval and Supervision Procedures (AP-21-AA-2023–31). This includes a strict and thorough assessment of EHang’s production capabilities and quality management system, including a total of 19 elements, such as organisational management, design documents control, personnel capabilities and qualifications, supplier management, production process control, inspection and testing.”
(Credit: EHang)
Heyong Lin, Director of the Airworthiness Division of the Central-South Regional Administration (CSRA) of the CAAC, commented, “In the past six months, EHang’s EH216‑S has secured three groundbreaking achievements in airworthiness certification. The world’s first TC, PC and standard AC for the passenger-carrying UAV. The CSRA of the CAAC is dedicated to offering steadfast support to EHang, bolstering the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.”
Dan Xu, Deputy District Mayor of Huangpu District, Guangzhou, added, “We believe the collaborative efforts of pioneering low-altitude enterprises like EHang and governments, will infuse the industry with momentum and confidence, propelling this economy towards a prosperous future.”
Huazhi Hu, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EHang, concluded, “The issuance of the PC is pivotal for the EH216‑S as it opens the door to mass production and a crucial step for our advancement towards commercial operations. We are now poised to expand production and delivery to meet increasing market demands.”
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