The Federal Aviation Administration recently released a new implementation plan detailing the steps it and other aviation sector stakeholders will need to take to safely enable advanced air mobility or AAM operations in the near term.
[Above image via the FAA]
That “Innovate28” plan includes various components and the sequence in which they will occur for operations to be at scale at one or more sites by 2028.
It will also serve as a foundation for making entry into service routine and predictable by maximizing the use of existing procedures and infrastructure. It addresses how the agency and partners will certify aircraft and pilots, manage airspace access, ensure pilot training, develop infrastructure, maintain security, and engage communities.
“This plan shows how all the pieces will come together allowing the industry to scale, with safety as the North Star,” said Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson in a statement.
The agency said its AAM plan also includes a planning guide that can be applied to any site, laying out key integration objectives and sequences. It also covers a wide array of air mobility needs – from operations and security to infrastructure and environmental protocols.
[Editor’s note: The FAA recently issued $92 million to 21 airports to purchase of solar panels, electric buses, and charging stations, as well as fund electrification studies. As part of that sustainability effort, the agency is providing funding to help general aviation airports safely transition to unleaded fuel for piston-engine aircraft.]
The agency said multiple entities will play roles in putting its AAM plan into action: AAM companies; labor partners, NASA; the Department of Homeland Security; the Department of Energy; the electric power industry; plus state, local and tribal communities.
The FAA added that it is also working closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advanced Air Mobility Interagency Working Group.
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