U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Jay Obernolte (CA-23), co-chairs of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) caucus, and 26 Members of Congress wrote Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to encourage the integration of AAM in national airspace in order to continue U.S. aviation leadership and set standards for the world.  Advanced air mobility aircraft are expected to be FAA certified within the next few years and substantially upgrade and improve transportation, while creating hundreds of thousands high-skilled jobs.

The members urge the Department of Transportation to make progress on the type certifications of AAM aircraft, publishing the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) and any subsequent rulemakings on time, maximizing the use of existing infrastructure to accommodate initial operations, exporting the FAA’s approach globally, allocating necessary staff and resources to bring this industry to fruition, and the expeditious establishment of the AAM interagency working group.

“We are at a pivotal time in aviation.  In just a few short years, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and other forms of emerging aviation technologies will be operating in our National Airspace System (NAS), changing the way in which goods and people move within rural and urban areas,” the members wrote.  “Over the past decade, industry and the U.S. government have worked together to certify AAM aircraft and put in place the necessary regulatory environment to support their entrance into the [National Airspace System].”

The members continued, “However, that leadership is by no means guaranteed in the long run, and the U.S. is not alone pursuing this endeavor.  The world is currently in the middle of a global race for leadership in AAM, with industry and governments in Asia and Europe heavily investing to aggressively compete with the U.S. for the global AAM market.  It is imperative that we do not rest on past achievements or take our leadership position for granted.”

It is estimated that AAM will add nearly $1 trillion and 400,000 jobs to the economies around the world who invest in it.  Reps. Panetta and Obernolte launched the bipartisan Congressional Advanced Air Mobility Caucus in 2022 to educate members and the public about advanced air mobility technologies, associated societal benefits, and regulatory updates needed to promote this revolutionary technology.

Members joining Reps. Panetta and Obernolte include; Colin Z. Allred (TX-32), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Eric A. “Rick” Crawford (AR-01), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Sharice L. Davids (KS-03), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Neal P. Dunn, M.D. (FL-02), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Bill Foster (IL-11), C. Scott Franklin (FL-18), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Troy E. Nehls (TX-22), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Michael R. Turner (OH-10), David G. Valadao (CA-22), Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-02), Daniel Webster (FL-11), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).