FAA Unveils Blueprint for Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has introduced an updated blueprint outlining airspace and procedural changes to accommodate the future of air taxis and other Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations.

According to the blueprint, AAM operations will initially start at a low rate, with air taxis operating similarly to helicopters. They will utilize existing routes and infrastructure, such as helipads and early-stage vertiports. Communication with air traffic controllers will be maintained when necessary.

As the volume of operations grows, air taxis are expected to fly in corridors between major airports and city center vertiports. The complexity of these corridors may increase over time, evolving from single one-way paths to routes accommodating multiple flows of aircraft traveling in both directions. Eventually, these corridors could connect an increasing number of routes between vertiports.

The FAA anticipates that aircraft technology will also advance. Automation and real-time data sharing among aircraft are expected to play increasingly significant roles in these corridors.

This operational blueprint is a crucial step in the FAA’s efforts to safely introduce and support the next era of aviation. It provides a common frame of reference for the FAA, NASA, and industry stakeholders, helping to guide their research and decision-making processes.

The blueprint was developed collaboratively by the FAA, NASA, and industry stakeholders.