In his latest Aviation Week essay, Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D., highlights how coordination between the public and private sectors — as well as academia — is crucial to safely launching and integrating advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft into the nation’s airspace.  Subscribers to Aviation Week can access the essay, which is also provided below.

By P. Barry Butler

The U.S. has laid a bold roadmap to lead the world in advanced air mobility (AAM) — the emerging air transport ecosystem that integrates next-generation aircraft with the infrastructure, digital systems, energy networks and operational frameworks needed to support them.  

The Transportation Department and the Federal Aviation Administration announced in March the selection of eight projects for a pilot program that creates a pathway for companies to test real-world operations of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicles and hybrid aircraft. Projects span 26 states and a range of applications, including urban air taxis, regional passenger transportation, cargo delivery, emergency response, autonomous flight and offshore energy operations.

Coordination between the public and private sectors — as well as federal, state and local governments — is crucial to launching and integrating AAM aircraft into our airspace safely. State transportation agencies are teaming up with major players across the AAM sector, including Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies, Electra.aero and Joby Aviation. These companies, while competitors, are finding opportunities to work together.

Universities are also joining the effort by researching and testing technologies and systems, as well as furthering infrastructure planning, public engagement and workforce preparation.

For example, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University researchers have demonstrated that Orlando International Airport in Florida could safely accommodate AAM operations. The researchers, working with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, analyzed historical air traffic data from one of the airport’s busiest days of the year and used modeling software to identify available “corridor prototypes” within its airspace. The model showed that AAM aircraft could be integrated without traffic or wake-disturbance conflicts.

Embry-Riddle’s Center for Advanced Air Mobility — a hub for interdisciplinary research, testing, simulation and workforce training — is collaborating with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on research that supports the national strategy. Projects include managing airspace in emergency operations, testing communications and navigation systems, studying automation in flight controls and evaluating public and workforce readiness for AAM.

FDOT and Embry-Riddle also jointly hosted an AAM summit, where more than 300 researchers, policymakers and aviation industry leaders came together for two days of technical discussions and advanced demonstrations.

Other universities have also partnered with government and industry on AAM initiatives. The FAA established the Texas A&M University-led Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies, which includes airspace laboratories, flight demonstration zones and testing corridors. With $1 million in state support, the University of Michigan has created M-Air, a 40-mile research skyway stretching between the university’s campus in Ann Arbor and the Michigan Central Station technology hub in Detroit. Delaware State University and the University of Utah have similarly held forums on AAM deployment in their states.

In meetings with and demonstrations by our faculty, I’ve seen firsthand how AAM has been thoroughly integrated into Embry-Riddle’s programs. Aerospace engineering students study the new fundamentals of AAM aircraft, including multirotor and fixed-wing designs; hybrid and electric propulsion; and advanced navigation, guidance and control systems. Civil engineering courses on airport design cover development of AAM sites, such as vertiports, while mechanical engineering capstone projects explore battery and fuel cell technologies.

AAM has “already fundamentally changed the way we go about designing aircraft,” said Dr. Kevin Adkins, a professor in the Aeronautical Science Department whose textbook, “Foundations of Advanced Air Mobility,” was published in August.  

Embry-Riddle also offers an AAM minor. Its foundational course covers aircraft design, regulations, environmental concerns, air traffic management and business applications. Subsequent courses focus on ground, air and data infrastructure; cybersystems; and aviation maintenance on electric motors, composite materials and high-voltage distribution. Given Deloitte’s estimate that the AAM market could reach $115 billion by 2035, the David B. O’Maley College of Business is advancing business models for new modes of manufacturing and operations, from cargo delivery to passenger service.

Deloitte also estimates that the AAM industry could generate more than 280,000 high-value jobs by 2035. By integrating AAM skills into university programs and professional training, we can ensure the U.S. succeeds in building an aviation workforce prepared for this new era in mobility.