Sept. 20, 2024
As the pioneering advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies under development in recent years draw ever closer to certification, industry and government leaders gathered for the third annual Honeywell Advanced Air Mobility Summit to consider U.S leadership in the sector, and detail the steps needed to fully leverage the promising new on-demand form of flight.
Joining the conversation were NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen and NBAA Senior Vice President, Government Affairs Kristie Greco Johnson.
Bolen moderated a panel of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) AAM Interagency Working Group representatives, which was established by Congress to bring together stakeholders to responsibly plan for the introduction of AAM.
Joining Bolen were Annie Petsonk and Peter Irvine, both from the DOT.
“Great cultures and great civilizations have always had great transportation systems,” said Bolen. “We have an opportunity to enhance air mobility and make it more accessible, more sustainable and more affordable.”
Petsonk noted that participation across federal agencies in the working group has been encouraging, with as many as 22 agencies taking part in discussions.
There is also interest from community leaders around the country who recognize what this mode of transportation could mean for their economies and citizens, she said.
“Aviation connectivity is so important,” Petsonk added. Whenever the working group has witnessed AAM operations firsthand, a consensus agreement emerges that the technology “can deliver the kind of benefits that communities across the United States can respond to,” she added.
Bolen noted there will be a new administration and a new Congress in January, and asked the panelists if they thought that would create challenges.
Irvine said the current administration has been supportive of the group’s efforts, and investing in AAM has largely had bipartisan support. “Our job is to try and see the future from a policy and program perspective,” he said.
“The benefits seem so fantastic,” Bolen concluded. “There are enormous benefits for all Americans and all of humanity.”
Trade Association Perspectives on AAM
With the FAA’s Special Federal Aviation Regulation, “Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations; Miscellaneous Amendments Related to Rotorcraft and Airplanes,” expected to be released in the coming weeks, representatives from leading aviation trade associations weighed in on what this new technology would mean to their segments of the industry.
“We are looking for a practical pathway for integration [of AAM],” said NBAA’s Greco Johnson. “This technology will fit seamlessly into the National Airspace System and the regulatory system. We’re hopeful that the SFAR will be that practical pathway.”
She noted that if the FAA delivers an SFAR in the coming weeks, it will mark a “major accomplishment” for the agency. “There’s been a lot on their plate right now, and it [the SFAR] would be on time, which is a big deal,” Greco Johnson said.
Greco Johnson noted that NBAA has an Advanced Air Mobility Roundtable, whose members include leading OEMs in this space, and it has worked on legislative and regulatory issues surrounding AAM.
Jarrod Thompson, from Airlines for America, said, “There’s a lot of promise” with this technology, and some airlines already have partnerships with AAM OEMs, but challenges remain on safely integrating these aircraft into the system, and modernizing the system to allow for integration.
Di Reimold, from the Aerospace Industries Association, talked about how the technology offers a chance to drive messaging about its benefits to the environment.
Greco Johnson agreed, noting that business aviation has a commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and the CLIMBING. FAST. advocacy initiative has been effective in delivering to policymakers and opinion leaders a clear message about AAM’s low- or zero-carbon footprint.
Greco Johnson also noted the importance of keeping the U.S. in the forefront of AAM production, certification and integration. “AAM isn’t a future concept – it is actually happening now in our airspace,” she said, and the desire to remain globally competitive can be a driver for policymakers.
“Yes, we can out-innovate China [on AAM],” added Lisa Ellman, from the Commercial Drone Alliance, but this needs to be done in collaboration with the federal government and rulemaking is critical to moving forward.
“We’ve got a technology that will more seamlessly enter the National Airspace System than we imagined when it was first being developed,” Greco Johnson added. “We know how to iterate and create new technologies and new opportunities.”
NBAA’s Kristi Greco Johnson on a panel at the 2024 Honeywell Advanced Air Mobility Summit
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.