NBAA lauds Senate encouragement of AAM development

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomed legislation introduced by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) to assist and promote the safe and secure development of advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies in the United States.

The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act authorizes the secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish an interagency working group to review and make recommendations for the federal role in the support and maturing of AAM systems for widespread use across the country in such roles as air taxi service.

Among other tasks, the working group would examine potential physical and digital security risks and possible mitigations and make recommendations for the development of a safe, robust and efficient AAM support infrastructure. “AAM represents a key area of sustainable transportation and economic growth for the United States and globally,” reads the bill. “It is critical that government agencies collaborate and focus on taking this vital industry to the next level.”

Noting that AMM is one of the fastest-growing emerging segments in aviation, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen called the bill a significant step toward the successful integration of AAM operations into the National Airspace System and needed planning for infrastructure investments.

“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 general aviation and our highly skilled workforce, which is why we support this important legislation,” Bolen added.

The working group would be comprised of representatives from federal agencies including, but not limited to, DOT, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Departments of Defense, Energy, Commerce and Homeland Security. Industry representatives would include AAM manufacturers, operators, maintenance and training providers, and airports and fixed-based operators (FBOs).

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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 11,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.