FAA releases advanced air mobility implementation plan ‘Innovate28’

The FAA released an implementation plan Tuesday, outlining the necessary steps to enable advanced air mobility operations in the near future. The Innovate28 plan details different components and the order in which these will occur in order for operations to be at scale at one or more locations by 2028.

“This plan shows how all the pieces will come together allowing the industry to scale with safety as the north star,” Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson said.

The plan will be used as a foundation, maximizing the use of existing procedures and infrastructure to make the entry into service as routine as possible. Innovate28 addresses how the FAA and partners will certify pilots and aircraft, manage airspace access, guarantee pilot training, develop the necessary infrastructure, maintain security and engage with communities.

The new implementation plan includes a guide. The guide is applicable at any location and outlines important integration ideas and sequences. The safe integration of AAM will take the collaborative effort of multiple groups including the FAA, the AAM industry, labor partners, NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy, the power industry, and state, local and tribal communities. The FAA will be working closely with stakeholders as well as through the Department of Transportation’s AAM Interagency Working Group.

RELATED STORIES:

New rule offers clarity on training requirements and operational rules for powered-lift aircraft

FAA updates its blueprint for air taxis, urban air mobility

The FAA recently released its airspace blueprint and proposed a comprehensive rule for training and certifying pilots to fly the new aircraft. The plan highlights operations, infrastructure, power grid, security, environment and community engagement.

Operations

The plan includes sections outlining operational suitability, operations certification and various rulemaking activities. Pilots will have the ability to fly the new aircraft to and from various locations from the existing or new infrastructure. They will be able to use predetermined flight schedules with pilots on board. The AAM aircraft will likely operate up to 4,000 feet altitude in urban and metropolitan areas. The aircraft will be flying using existing or modified visual flight rules when possible and within controlled Class B and C airspace near major airports.

Infrastructure

The plan addresses the infrastructure needed for the entry into service of AAM aircraft. It also addresses the use of existing and new infrastructure as well as vertiport-related research. Operators, manufacturers, state and local governments, and other stakeholders will be responsible for the planning and development related to enabling heliport/vertiport infrastructure. When AAM aircraft enter into service, operations will likely be at existing heliports, commercial service airports and general aviation airports. Modifications may be made to install charging stations, parking zones and taxiing spaces when necessary.

Power Grid

The electrical power grid may need upgrades to service the influx of AAM operations. The FAA has an interagency agreement with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab that regulates how aircraft electrification will affect the electrical grid at airports, heliports or airports.

Environment

The FAA is responsible for evaluating the environmental impact of aviation operations in the U.S. and for disclosing said impacts to the public. The agency will observe how AAM operations impact aspects such as noise, air quality, wildlife disruptions and visual disturbances. There are already rules in place to dictate how the FAA will conduct environmental studies and reviews.

Community Engagement

The FAA will be engaging with local, state and tribal communities as well as airports to understand any concerns about the integration of AAM into the airspace. The agency uses comments, such as for noise and mitigations, to regulate operations. Other stakeholders, like AAM operators and airport or vertiport operators, will also play a crucial role in community engagement.