US Representatives pass advanced air mobility bill

The bill, introduced by Representatives Larsen, Graves and Titus, was approved by a bipartisan vote of 338 for and 73 against, and will now advance to the Senate for a further debate and vote.

The bill, if brought into law, would enable communities to create integrated plans for AAM operations in their area, and invest in the infrastructure needed to scale up future operations – including the construction of new take-off and landing ‘vertiports’ and other associated infrastructure.

Alliance for Aviation Across America, which welcomed the House’s approval of the bill, said in a statement: “A recent study found that the market for AAM in the US is estimated to reach US$115 billion annually by 2035 and is expected to benefit urban, suburban, and rural communities.”

Executive Director Selena Shilad said: “Virtually every industry, business, and community in America depends on aviation, and general aviation, for the transport of goods and personnel, medical care, and disaster response, among many other benefits. While the industry has made many important investments in these priorities, federal support is now needed to bring these goals to fruition.”

“We also urge the US Senate to pass S.246, which was introduced by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), and approved by the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation last month,” she added.

The development of AAM infrastructure and systems is of growing interest to governments and organizations around the world. In Germany, an Airbus-led alliance of public and private stakeholders known as the Air Mobility Initiative was launched in May.