Nov. 7, 2019
NBAA is among the founding members of a new organization – the Community Air Mobility Initiative (CAMI) – dedicated to providing communities and policy makers with the information and tools that will be vital to the successful integration of urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft into daily transportation options.
“NBAA is a strong proponent of UAM and eVTOL, as there’s a clear connection to this technology for business aviation – whether it’s transporting employees within or between cities, or connecting transportation centers with local businesses,” said Mike Nichols, CAM, CAE, NBAA senior vice president of strategy and innovation. “We have a great infrastructure in place with our regional representatives and regional business aviation groups to advocate in support of UAM and we look forward to working with CAMI to achieve this.”
CAMI’s mission is to support the responsible integration of urban air mobility into communities through education, communication and advocacy. CAMI connects communities and industry by providing resources and education to the public and decision makers at the state and local level.
“New technologies and new aircraft promise to make flight accessible and practical on a daily basis for more people than ever before,” said CAMI, co-Executive Director Anna Dietrich. “With that promise comes the responsibility to integrate those aircraft into our communities safely, responsibly and equitably. We created CAMI as the industry’s commitment to our neighbors and the decision makers who support them to work to ensure that happens.”
NBAA’s support for UAM was evident at the recent Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), which featured, for the first time, an exhibit area for UAM aircraft, many education sessions about this emerging technology and the release of a report, co-authored by NBAA and NEXA Advisors, detailing the financial and business case for UAM. Read more about the report.
In addition to NBAA, founding CAMI members include:
- Bell
- Black and Veatch
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
- Joby Aviation
- Jump Aero
- Karem Aircraft
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
- Raytheon
- SAE International
- Unmanned Safety Institute
- Vertical Flight Society
For urban air mobility to succeed, it must be safe, quiet and a desired component of communities. A successful UAM industry requires the integration of aviation into existing urban and regional transportation systems that are currently fraught with their own challenges, including traffic congestion, urban sprawl, environmental impacts and noise.
“Local, elected officials are concerned about gridlock on roadways and emissions from cars. UAM offers creative, innovative solutions to these issues by taking to the skies,” noted Nichols. “We look forward to working with other industry leaders in solving the challenges related to UAM and working to gain acceptance for this promising technology.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.