Houston Daily

Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX) delivered opening remarks at a hearing titled “America Builds: The State of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Industry” in Washington, D.C. Nehls began by welcoming Ranking Member Andre Carson to his new role on the Subcommittee and expressed his intent to collaborate on modernizing the National Airspace System.

Nehls emphasized the significance of this period for American aviation, stating, “We gather today at a critical and defining moment, a moment in which we’re presented with two choices: either we choose to embrace and unleash American innovation, or we carry on with the status quo and watch as other nations surpass us in new and emerging technology.”

He highlighted electric vertical takeoff and landing (e-VTOL) powered-lift aircraft as transformative for transportation between locations not currently served by traditional aviation. Citing an industry report from 2021, Nehls noted that the AAM market could reach $115 billion annually by 2035 and create over 280,000 high-paying jobs.

Nehls also discussed technological advances such as improved battery density that may lead to quieter and more efficient e-VTOL aircraft. However, he pointed out that no type certificated aircraft has been approved yet.

He referenced the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which included provisions supporting AAM development. “Specifically, section 955 required the FAA to publish a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) regarding powered-lift aircraft by November 16, 2024. It has now been a year since the SFAR’s publication, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses regarding the utility of that regulation, as well as any challenges that they continue to face on the journey to certification,” Nehls said.

The chairman also mentioned recent regulatory actions like establishing the e-VTOL Integration Pilot Program under the Trump Administration. He said he hopes this program will build on previous efforts related to unmanned aircraft systems integration.

Nehls addressed ongoing discussions about air traffic control modernization in Congress. He noted that while initial powered-lift operations will be similar to traditional aviation, increased autonomy is expected in future operations. He stressed that future ATC system conversations should consider all users of national airspace.

Nehls concluded by thanking witnesses for their participation and expressing interest in their perspectives on AAM industry developments.

In recent elections, Troy Nehls has secured victories against several opponents: In 2020 he defeated Sri Preston Kulkarni with 51.5% of votes; in 2022 he won against Jamie Jordan with 62.2%; and in 2024 he prevailed over Marquette Greene-Scott with 62.1%.