NBAA Welcomes Textron eAviation as Latest Industry OEM to Join AAM Roundtable
/The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes Textron eAviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, as the latest original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to join NBAA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Roundtable.
Established in 2021, the NBAA AAM Roundtable focuses on maintaining the U.S. position as a global leader in aviation and aerospace, as well as harnessing the full safety, economic, environmental and national security potential of AAM.
Textron eAviation is pursuing Textron’s long-term strategy to offer a family of sustainable aircraft for urban air mobility, general aviation, cargo and special mission roles. The team is leveraging the acquired expertise of Pipistrel and Amazilia Aerospace and the industry-leading product design, certification, manufacturing, and aftermarket solutions across Textron’s businesses to develop AAM vehicles and advance new propulsion technologies, including hydrogen and electric power.
“In just a few years, NBAA’s AAM Roundtable has proven to be a powerful voice in the development and advancement of these exciting and sustainable technologies,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We are pleased that Textron eAviation has joined in this effort to advance the safety-driven integration of AAM vehicles and supporting infrastructure into our National Airspace System.”
“We are honored to join NBAA’s Advanced Air Mobility Roundtable and applaud their steadfast advocacy in shaping policies that foster innovation and prioritize safety in aviation,” said Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of Textron eAviation. “Our collaboration with NBAA and other industry leaders is crucial as we collectively work to develop transformative and sustainable transportation solutions that meet the evolving demands of global mobility.”
The NBAA AAM Roundtable helped achieve two key legislative victories on Capitol Hill in 2022. The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act (S.516) established an interagency working group to review and examine factors that will allow the maturation of the AAM ecosystem within the U.S. and develop an AAM national strategy.
The roundtable also supported the passage of the Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act (AAIM Act) that established U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grants to assist state, local and tribal governments and other entities in planning infrastructure to support AAM operations.
Most recently, the AAM Roundtable worked with the bipartisan congressional AAM Caucus and leading authorizers in Congress to advance pro-AAM policies in legislation to reauthorize funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These priorities are reflected in the FAA reauthorization bill, which passed earlier this year.
Founding members of the NBA AAM Roundtable include Archer, BETA Technologies, Hillwood Aviation, Joby Aviation, Lilium, Overair, Supernal and Wisk.