AAAE Response to DOT Request for Information on Advanced Air Mobility (Docket No. DOT-OST-2023-0079)

The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) submitted formal comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation in August 2023 regarding the future of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The letter highlights key obstacles facing airports, such as limited electrical power supply, uncertainty about commercial viability, and a lack of FAA guidance on safely integrating these new aircraft into airport facilities. It also raises concerns about new safety risks, particularly the challenges of firefighting lithium-ion battery fires from electric aircraft, urging the FAA to provide clearer emergency response protocols.

Notes

Letter dated August 16, 2023 from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) to DOT Under Secretary for Policy Carlos Monje responding to the DOT Request for Information on Advanced Air Mobility, Docket No. DOT-OST-2023-0079 (88 Fed. Reg. 31,593, May 17, 2023). AAAE, representing over 9,000 members from nearly 875 airports, addresses use cases for eVTOL aircraft including short-distance cargo delivery, regional passenger services, and helicopter replacement operations; safety concerns including lithium-ion battery fires and ARFF (aircraft rescue and firefighting) protocols; vertiport integration at airport facilities; electrical power supply constraints; and lack of FAA guidance on AAM integration. References AAM Coordination and Leadership Act (Pub. L. No. 117-203), FAA Engineering Brief No. 105 on vertiport design, and the AAM Interagency Working Group (IWG) national strategy mandate.

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