The FAA has released an implementation plan detailing the steps needed to safely enable advanced air mobility (AAM) operations in the near term.
The Innovate28 plan includes various components and the sequence they will occur in for operations to be at scale at one or more sites by 2028.
“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.
The plan will serve as a foundation for making entry into service routine and predictable by maximising 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.
The FAA’s plan also includes a planning guide that can be applied to any site, laying out key integration objectives and sequences.
Multiple entities will play roles: the FAA; the advanced air mobility industry; labour partners, NASA; the United States’ Department of Homeland Security and Department of Energy; the power industry; and state, local and tribal communities. The FAA is collaborating closely with stakeholders, including through the Department of Transportation’s Advanced Air Mobility Interagency Working Group.
The plan covers operations, infrastructure, the power grid, the environment and community engagement.
Image: NASA
