U.S. President Joe Biden has signed the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act into law. This legislation establishes an interagency working group to engage the federal government more effectively in furthering the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector.Â
“With the signing of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act into law, we bear witness to a significant day for the growth of advanced air mobility, which will facilitate additional transportation options, create jobs, stimulate economic activity and competitiveness, advance environmental sustainability, foster further advancement in aerospace technology and support emergency preparedness,” said Pete Bunce, President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). “We are hopeful that the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, which had overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support, will spur federal government departments and agencies to work collaboratively and aggressively towards the development of a national strategy for the integration of advanced air mobility vehicles into the national airspace system. We are grateful for the hard work of Senators Jerry Moran and Kyrsten Sinema, and Representatives Sharice Davids and Garret Graves in championing this bipartisan bill through Congress. It is reassuring to see Congress take strong and forward-looking interest in the emergence of advanced air mobility.”
The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act (S. 516), introduced by Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), with a House companion bill introduced by Representatives Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Garret Graves (R-La.), authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to establish an interagency working group composed of leaders from key government agencies to plan for and coordinate efforts for the advancement of the AAM industry. The working group will be tasked to review and make recommendations for the federal role in the AAM sector, beyond the initial critical stage of aircraft certification and operations, with a focus on economic and workforce opportunities, potential physical and digital security risks and mitigations, and infrastructure development. In developing these recommendations, the working group will consider the views of various stakeholders including aviation operators and manufacturers; airports; labor groups; state, local and tribal officials; consumer groups; and first responders. The newly signed law stipulates that the working group be established no later than 120 days after its enactment into law.
“The establishment of this government working group is an important step towards the future of electric and hybrid powered aviation. It builds upon the momentum that came out this summer’s White House Advanced Air Mobility Summit, which can hopefully be carried over into this working group’s efforts as well as FAA’s work to efficiently pave the way for the certification of these vehicles. The utilization of the working group will be a critical enabler for the type of government coordination necessary to strengthen the future of aviation,” Bunce added.
