Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy addressed the 2026 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas today and announced a major advanced air mobility (AAM) milestone: the first manufacturer approved to operate electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with passengers aboard for market research.
Duffy announced that FAA has given BETA Technologies a special airworthiness certificate allowing the company to carry passengers on its Alia 250, a first for eVTOL aircraft.
“The FAA’s special airworthiness certification of BETA’s A250 aircraft is another critical step towards enabling the future of flight in America,” Duffy said. “I want to thank our incredible safety team at the FAA for their hard work and congratulate BETA on reaching this milestone. From bringing the next generation of aircraft online to modernizing our nation’s air traffic control system – we are delivering generational wins for the flying public at record speed.”
Last December, the Department of Transportation unveiled the nation’s first Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy to support the ongoing development and integration of AAM technologies. A few months earlier, FAA began its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (EIPP) to fast track “air taxis” to market after President Trump signed an executive order directing the agency to start the pilot program.
This was the latest major AAM milestone announced at NBAA-BACE. FAA unveiled its Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) to establish rules for the safe, efficient integration of AAM aircraft into the National Airspace System (NAS) at NBAA-BACE in October 2024.
“NBAA thanks Secretary Duffy and the teams at DOT and FAA for continuing to help us move aviation forward,” said NBAA Interim COO Dan Hubbard. “We share the goal of ensuring the U.S. remains the global leader in aviation. Advanced air mobility is a key part of that, transforming how we move people and products, and creating significant economic growth opportunities across the country.”
NBAA and its AAM Roundtable – which includes Archer, BETA Technologies, Eve Air Mobility, Hillwood Aviation, Joby Aviation and Wisk – has supported and encouraged the development of AAM for many years.
Duffy also highlighted the administration’s work to rapidly modernize the nation’s air traffic control system. The effort – known as Modern Skies – began last year with an initial congressional investment to upgrade the nation’s system. NBAA and nearly 60 other groups came together as the Modern Skies Coalition in March 2025 to call for a significant investment in a new ATC system. Four months later, Congress approved $12.5 billion for ATC modernization.
The secretary last month urged Congress to provide an additional $30 billion in funding to continue and expand the ATC modernization work.
ATC modernization requires updates at more than 4,600 FAA sites across the country. The ATC system serves approximately 45,000 flights and 2.9 million passengers every day.
Taking place Oct. 20-22, NBAA-BACE is the world’s most powerful business aviation event of the year, showcasing the industry’s latest innovations and services, and hosting the leaders who are shaping its future.