New Working Group Will Assess Needs of AAM Infrastructure, Lay Groundwork for Accelerating eVTOL Future

NBAA pleased to hear about the passage of the Senate's new Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act.

The organization said that the act "facilitates the creation of policies, procedures and programs to support the integration of this emerging aviation sector into the country’s transportation infrastructure." The bill joins a companion piece passed by the US House of Representatives in November of 2021 that instructed the Department of Transportation to begin laying the groundwork necessary for the wholesale transformation of the aviation system that will likely arise from the proliferation of lightweight, short-range, electric VTOL aircraft. The AAM interagency working group is a big step in addressing the changes necessary to safeguard the safety of the traveling public before the aircraft enter service, a golden opportunity to design the system before too much equipment is permanently installed. The NBAA said the group will "coordinate efforts related to the safety, operations, infrastructure, physical security, cybersecurity and federal investment necessary to bolster the AAM ecosystem in the US."

The NBAA's hand can be felt in the legislative outcome. The Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act, also their handiwork, was introduced in order to direct the DOT to "create a pilot program to offer planning and construction grants to support the development of the necessary infrastructure to support AAM operations, including public use vertiports." They are lobbying for co-sponsors and supporters throughout the system, and so far passage looks promising. 

“AAM is expanding the very definition of on-demand air mobility and presenting the United States with the opportunity to enhance the country’s leadership in all aspects of aviation,” said NBAA head Ed Bolen. “We welcome this legislation, and we thank the bill’s sponsors, Senators Jerry Moran (Republican from Kansas) and Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, Arizona) for championing this exciting new technology.”

FMI: www.nbaa.org