• 26 Nov 2024 06:48 PM
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ICAO AAM Symposium 2024

By Rex Alexander
Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2024

Considered to be one of the largest events ever held by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), its first Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Symposium is being touted as a resounding success by everyone involved. Held at ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada, on Sept. 9–12, AAM 2024 attracted key stakeholders, dignitaries and interested parties from around the globe. The final count saw more than 1,700 total in-person and online attendees representing 87 nations — including a record number of transport ministers, civil aviation authorities, industry leaders, and air navigation service providers (ANSPs).

One of the opening keynotes was provided by His Excellency Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) who stated that, “This gathering is not just another milestone, it’s a beacon lighting the path forward to a new era in aviation.”

Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, led off the first day with welcoming remarks in celebration of ICAO’s 80th year of operations, stating that, “We find ourselves at an important juncture in aviation evolution. Advanced air mobility is a crucial component of this evolution, presenting us with opportunities and challenges that, while acknowledging past innovations, are exceptionally complex in their scope and potential impact. Our task here is not to dwell on the past but to shape the future.”

The symposium itself provided attendees with a multitude of excellent panel discussions, presentations and workshops led by AAM leaders and subject matter experts from every corner of the world. A principal message of ICAO's AAM 2024 was the need to foster collaboration among stakeholders to include government agencies, industry leaders, academia and international organizations. The importance of developing regulatory frameworks, technological standards and infrastructure necessary for AAM was heavily emphasized throughout all four days.

While technological advancements in aviation were front and center at AAM 2024, safety remained a paramount concern in the integration of AAM into the traditional aviation marketplace. Discussions highlighted the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks that address the unique challenges posed by these new aerial vehicles. This included establishing certification processes for new aircraft types and ensuring compliance with existing safety standards.

The safety focus was further advocated for in the panel, “Holistic & Integrated Risk Management,” where Dr. Tracy Lamb, chief safety officer for Supernal, stated that the AAM community needs to “recognize that we need to be as safe as airline travel for this industry to succeed. So that’s the target level of safety that we need to be shooting for, if not safer.” She went on to say, “that begins with a fully integrated, very robust safety management system, which includes a very robust risk assurance and risk management system.”

A critical underlying element that was pointed to throughout the event was the importance infrastructure will play in allowing AAM to mature and prosper going forward. This includes the establishment of vertiports, charging stations for electric aircraft, updated air traffic management systems, and low altitude and urban weather reporting. Several speakers pointed out the need for collaboration between urban planners and aviation authorities being essential to ensure that infrastructure development properly aligns with city growth and mobility needs.

The critical role that infrastructure will play in AAM was hammered home by Jim Viola, president and CEO of Vertical Aviation International (VAI), who asked the rhetorical questions, “Do we need a whole new definition of what a vertiport is? Do we need to have a JFK [-sized airport] for these aircraft to go to?” referring to the recent draft engineering brief from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on vertiport design (see “Washington Report,” Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2024). In answering his own question, Viola stated, “They should operate as helicopters do. We don’t need the big eVTOL landing areas of the future. We need to take advantage of smaller infrastructure.” Viola closed by stating, “There is a potential for overregulation that we need to guard against by finding the correct balance to allow for rapid expansion while protecting aviation’s invaluable safety record.”

One specific workshop on the second day that garnered attention was on “Insurance and AAM.” “A key enabler to AAM will be insurance. AAM is a paradigm shift in aviation and will fall to a niche insurance provider,” said Chris Proudlove, Senior Vice President and Senior Underwriting Manager at Global Aerospace. Frédéric Malaud, ICAO’s Chief of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Section, tied the insurance question to risk analysis in stating, “ICAO has not been very involved in insurance for aviation. Does AAM represent a fundamental shift in this approach?”

David Stepanek, Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at the Bristow Group followed up by saying, “Besides how insurance relates to aircraft certification, we have to determine how the aircraft are to be operated and in what environment.”

The event provided sponsors and exhibitors who were in attendance a robust platform to showcase their technology and technological advancements designed to propel the AAM industry into the future. Innovations in battery technology, autonomous flight systems, and air traffic management solutions were a significant focus, as well as the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in enhancing operational safety and efficiency.

The symposium concluded with a forward-looking perspective on the future of AAM. Stakeholders were encouraged to adopt a proactive approach in shaping policies and practices that will govern AAM infrastructure, technology and operations. The integration of AAM into the broader traditional transport ecosystem was seen as a transformative opportunity that can enhance mobility, reduce congestion and improve access to services to a host of individuals. However, this vision was tempered by many stating that gaining the public’s trust and acceptance will be critical to the successful implementation of AAM.

ICAO is a United Nations agency that helps all 193 recognized countries cooperate and share their skies to mutual benefit. The symposium underscored that the AAM industry is maturing and is relevant to every country in the world.

About the Author

Rex J. Alexander has over four decades of military aviation, general aviation and commercial aviation experience, and he is a globally recognized subject matter expert on helicopter, vertical lift and eVTOL infrastructure. He is the founder and president of the aeronautical consulting firm Five-Alpha (5α) and has served as the VFS Infrastructure Advisor since 2018.