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Opening remarks, as prepared, of Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX) from today’s hearing, entitled “America Builds: The State of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Industry”:

First, I’d like to take a moment to recognize my new partner, Ranking Member Andre Carson, and congratulate him on his new role on the Subcommittee. Ranking Member Carson, I look forward to working with you to tackle the challenges that our aviation ecosystem is facing, most notably modernizing our National Airspace System (NAS). Secondly, I’d like to thank each of our witnesses for being here today.

We gather today at a critical and defining moment, a moment in which we’re presented with two choices: either we choose to embrace and unleash American innovation, or we carry on with the status quo and watch as other nations surpass us in new and emerging technology.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (e-VTOL) powered-lift aircraft, commonly referred to as Advanced Air Mobility, can redefine how we transport people and goods between local, regional, and urban locations not previously served by traditional aviation. Don’t just take my word for it though; one industry report from 2021 projects that the AAM market will reach $115 billion annually by 2035 and bring about more than 280,000 high-paying jobs.

Furthermore, advances in technology, such as increased battery density, are allowing for the development of e-VTOL aircraft that have the potential to be quieter and more efficient. There’s only one issue: no one has a type certificated (TC) aircraft yet.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 recognized the importance of this emerging technology and included a subtitle dedicated to its advancement. Specifically, section 955 required the FAA to publish a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) regarding powered-lift aircraft by November 16, 2024. It has now been a year since the SFAR’s publication, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses regarding the utility of that regulation, as well as any challenges that they continue to face on the journey to certification.

Additionally, recent regulatory actions such as the establishment of the e-VTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) highlight innovation in this space as a priority for the Trump Administration. I look forward to seeing this pilot program build on the successes of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) established in President Trump’s first term.

Much of the conversation this Congress, deservedly so, has revolved around air traffic control modernization. While the FAA expects initial powered-lift operations to be conducted in a manner similar to traditional aviation, it’s anticipated that operations will ultimately begin to rely on increasing degrees of autonomy. As such, any conversations on the future of our ATC system should take into consideration all current and future users of the NAS. Once again, I’d like to thank our witnesses for being here today and look forward to hearing from them on the state of the AAM industry.

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