Panetta, Obernolte, and 26 Members Call for U.S. Aviation Leadership, Integration of Advanced Air Mobility into National Airspace

Santa Cruz, CA – 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).

Read the full letter here and below.

Dear Secretary Buttigieg:

We write to encourage the Department of Transportation (DOT) to act decisively to ensure continued U.S. leadership in aviation through the integration of Advanced Air Mobility, or "AAM," into the national airspace. This aviation technology promises to substantially upgrade and improve transportation but cannot succeed without cooperation from all levels of government. It is critical that you work to facilitate the integration of AAM into our transportation system and help the United States set standards for the world.

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. This new era of flight, known as AAM, is estimated to add nearly $1 trillion and 400,000 jobs to the economies around the world who invest in it.

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 NAS. Billions of dollars have been invested by industry, and today hundreds of companies are hard at work designing aircraft that are all-electric, much quieter than today's aircraft, and can offer more transportation options to all Americans.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established a robust and comprehensive type certification path for these aircraft, and is currently working to develop the pilot training and operating rules for eVTOLs through a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). Other agencies of the U.S. government are also helping bring this technology to fruition. The Department of Defense (DOD) launched the Agility Prime program to help bolster the commercial market through supporting DOD use cases. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has promoted the research necessary for the technology to help enable operations. These initiatives have positioned the U.S. to be the global leader in this space.

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.

As such, we are asking that DOT and FAA continue to position the U.S. as the global leader in AAM. This entails making progress on the type certifications of the aircraft, publishing the SFAR and any subsequent rulemakings on time, maximizing the use of existing infrastructure to accommodate initial operations, and exporting the FAA's approach globally. Additionally, we believe is critical that DOT and FAA allocate the necessary staff and resources to bring this industry to fruition. We encourage DOT to begin these efforts by quickly establishing the AAM interagency working group established in Public Law 117-203, the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act.

The U.S. has always been a leader in aviation. We appreciate your commitment to advancing this exciting new industry, and we look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure that the U.S. remains preeminent in aviation for decades to come.

Sincerely,

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