Feb. 27, 2023
NBAA welcomed a letter, signed by more than two dozen congressional lawmakers, urging the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to act swiftly to support the introduction of advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles into the National Airspace System (NAS).
“We are at a pivotal time in aviation,” read the Feb. 23 letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg from Congressional AAM Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-23-CA) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-19-CA) and signed by 26 additional members of Congress.
“In just a few short years, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and other forms of emerging aviation technologies will be operating in our [NAS], changing the way in which goods and people move within rural and urban areas,” the letter continued.
AAM represents a nearly $1 trillion industry with the potential for more than 400,000 new jobs around the globe, and the letter emphasized the U.S. faces steep competition in the AAM segment from Asia and Europe.
To address that challenge, lawmakers urged DOT to move forward on creating an interagency AAM working group, as stipulated in the recently passed Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act.
The letter also called on DOT to expedite publication of the FAA’s upcoming Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) governing AAM operator training requirements and to develop similar guidance for type-certification of AAM vehicles and utilization of existing infrastructure to support AAM operations.
NBAA strongly supports the development of a safe and robust operational infrastructure for AAM, including through NBAA’s Emerging Technologies Committee comprised of experts with backgrounds in technology, aviation regulation, operations, business, law and more
Additionally, the NBAA AAM Roundtable provides a forum for original equipment manufacturers of AAM aircraft and other systems to engage in high-level planning discussions on the integration of AAM technologies. Read more about the NBAA AAM Roundtable.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.