Víctor Parés, chair of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Government Committee and representative for San Juan’s District 4, will convene a public hearing to learn the status of the process for using Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles, known as electric air taxis, in Puerto Rico. The announcement follows Florida’s entry into the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program.
Last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his state was accepted into the program, which will include demonstrations, designated areas for the aircraft, and preparation of zones within the state’s international airports. DeSantis also said Polk County is working to create a network of landing and takeoff zones. Parés said AAM technology is the most important revolution in air transportation since the airplane was invented, and that Puerto Rico could become the only island in the Caribbean operating these vehicles.
He said Florida projects attracting more than $2 billion in capital investment during the program’s first six months. Parés added that Representative José "Cheito" Hernández has also worked on the issue and that his contributions will be folded into the discussion on developing a plan to take advantage of the technology. Parés authored House Resolution 607, which seeks a study of the actions of Aerostar Holdings, LLC, operator of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, to accommodate AAM use.
The pilot program, set to begin in April in several states and territories, sets the parameters for AAM to use designated zones safely. In Europe, airports including London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Madrid-Barajas and Rome-Fiumicino have begun evaluating spaces for AAM use.