March 8, 2021
In a recent letter, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen thanked FAA Administrator Steve Dickson for his participation in NBAA’s town hall meeting; and for his announcement of FAA’s creation of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Integration Executive Council.
In his letter, Bolen said NBAA is, “Working closely with leading AAM companies on the safe integration of these operations into the NAS, and we look forward to directly engaging with the newly formed executive council.
“AAM operations present exciting opportunities for our aviation system’s future provided that we can come together around a diverse set of issues,” Bolen added. “For example, airport access, air traffic and community relations matters cross business lines at FAA. NBAA has a long history of successfully navigating related issues at GA airports, and involving industry with the executive council’s work will help us effectively prepare for safe AAM operations.”
Bolen also pointed out that the AAM market could reach $115 billion annually by 2035 and create 300,000 jobs, according to some estimates.
“On-demand AAM provides a path for the U.S. to maintain its position as the world leader in civil aviation, and there are significant opportunities for GA and our talented workforce to fly people and products where they need to be when they need to be there,” Bolen said. “Also, the electric propulsion technology that AAM companies are pioneering will lead to a more sustainable aviation industry.”
Advancing AAM operations and integration requires the FAA and industry to work across various disciplines/lines of business. On issues from heliport standards to airspace access, NBAA believes the new council will bring more visibility to the game-changing potential of this technology to advance workforce, mobility and sustainability goals.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.