Fischer sponsors bipartisan Advanced Aviation Integration Act

With the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due by the end of September, bipartisan legislation introduced on June 8 by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) would re-designate a portion of the agency to more effectively handle the future regulatory challenges associated with emerging aviation technologies.

“The aviation industry is undergoing an exciting period of innovation, with new technologies emerging nearly every day,” Sen. Fischer said. “It’s critical then that the FAA has the right structure and people in place to keep up. Our bipartisan bill would retool the agency so it can more efficiently tackle the regulatory and safety challenges of the future.”

Sen. Fischer sponsored the Advanced Aviation Integration Act, S. 1888, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to provide for the safe and timely integration of advanced aviation technologies into the National Airspace System by the FAA, according to the text of the bill.

If enacted, S. 1888 would re-designate a piece of the FAA to handle innovations like advanced air mobility, which aims to improve accessibility to underserved communities in rural and urban areas, and would create an online portal at the FAA for all new aircraft certification requests, allowing applicants to monitor their progress, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Fischer’s office.

“As we move into a new era of aviation with rapid technological advancement, such as Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing operations, our legislation will ensure the FAA prioritizes the effective and efficient integration of advanced air mobility aircraft into our National Airspace System,” said Sen. Duckworth.

The bill is supported by Robert Rose, co-founder and CEO of Reliable Robotics, and has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

“Our nation is at an inflection point for aviation safety, with safety-enhancing technologies that will prevent accidents and save lives within reach for smaller aircraft, and this legislation will accelerate that work,” Rose said.