NATA, the National Air Transportation Association, today welcomed the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) release of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Strategy, announced on the anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first powered flight and reflecting the enduring spirit of innovation and progress that has guided American aviation for more than a century.
The strategy establishes a long-term framework for federal action, interagency coordination, and collaboration among State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments and industry stakeholders, with safety, infrastructure readiness, and workforce development serving as the foundation for successful AAM integration.
“The Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy represents an important milestone in aligning innovation with practical implementation,” said NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna. “AAM has the potential to serve as a catalyst for new aviation services and connections, extending aviation’s reach to more communities. We thank Secretary Duffy for his leadership and vision in advancing a coordinated national framework and for recognizing the importance of industry collaboration as these technologies move toward deployment. Realizing that potential will require thoughtful coordination across government and industry, with careful attention to infrastructure, energy, communications, and integration into existing airspace. Forward-looking regulatory and operational frameworks, supported by specialized expertise and operational experience, will be essential to balancing innovation with safety, scalability, and long-term success.”
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy underscored the significance of the AAM National Strategy and America’s long-standing leadership in aviation innovation.
“Since the Wright brothers first took flight in 1903, America has been at the forefront of aviation innovation. Today, we have a bold strategy to unlock the future of our skies and unleash this next chapter of aviation safely and efficiently,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Advanced air mobility vehicles will benefit the American people—transforming how the flying public travels, how first responders jump into action and communities access healthcare, how businesses deliver goods, and how we defend our nation. I look forward to working together to make this dream a reality.”
NATA emphasizes that aviation businesses like FBOs are already operating at airports, heliports, and across the broader aviation ecosystem and playing a critical role in enabling safe and effective integration of new technologies. These businesses bring decades of operational experience in safety management, infrastructure planning, workforce training, security, and community engagement.
NATA particularly welcomes the strategy’s recognition that the United States’ nearly 20,000 existing landing facilities comprising of approximately 13,000 airports and over 6,000 heliports represent substantial infrastructure ready to accommodate AAM operations. Implementation of AAM should complement existing infrastructure to assist all users of the National Airspace System (NAS). As such, NATA stands behind the strategy’s goal to leverage existing regulations, standards, and processes to facilitate use of current infrastructure for near- and medium-term AAM operations (Recommendation 2.1).
“We appreciate the shared recognition that successful integration of advanced air mobility will require more than new aircraft,” Castagna added. “Federal leadership, coordinated policy, and ongoing collaboration with Congress, industry, and communities will be critical to translating this vision into safe, reliable operations. NATA looks forward to continued engagement to help ensure AAM strengthens the aviation system and delivers lasting public benefit.”
To further progress in a consistent way, NATA supports the call for clear communication of information and guidance on roles, responsibilities, and best practices for AAM planning to State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments (Recommendation 4.1), as well as the development of community involvement resources (Recommendation 4.2). Successful AAM deployment requires meaningful engagement with diverse community stakeholders in tandem with clear direction from federal and local authorities.
The strategy also emphasizes a need to utilize current and existing federal resources, develop aviation-specific occupational classifications, and create new pathways to aviation careers to address workforce development (Recommendations 5.1-5.3). This initiative continues to highlight a crucial need which NATA members have consistently identified as essential in order to support all forms of air travel in the NAS.
NATA expresses appreciation to its members who actively engaged in the development of the strategy through public comments, technical input, and ongoing cooperation across the aviation ecosystem. Their expertise and real-world operational perspectives inform thoughtful policy development and help ensure that advanced air mobility is integrated safely, responsibly, and in a manner that strengthens the broader aviation system.
NATA looks forward to continued engagement with the FAA, the DOT, policymakers, and industry partners to support implementation of the strategy and ensure advanced air mobility enhances safety, connectivity, and economic opportunity across the nation.