New Advanced Air Mobility Association Will Focus on Electric Aviation

Two business aviation executives are joining forces to form the Advanced Air Mobility Association (AAMA). Founders Bill Minkoff and Edwin Brenninkmeyer say the group will seek to promote advances in electric aviation, with members expected to include aircraft and systems manufacturers, finance groups, operators, and universities.

U.S.-based AAMA this week announced the appointment of Mat Garretson as its executive director. He is executive director of the A-7 Corsair II Association and president of Friends of Naval Aviation.

AAMA intends to organize a symposium focused on electric aircraft development and operations. The first event will likely be held in early 2022 in California’s Silicon Valley since the area is a hotbed for eVTOL aircraft start-ups.

The association also has plans for a trophy to recognize achievement in the field of electric aviation. It says it will focus on all types of electric-powered aircraft, including eVTOL designs and fixed-wing eSTOL and eCTOL models.

Minkoff is a former Delta Air Lines captain who has had an extensive career in business aviation sales with companies that include Hawker Beechcraft and aircraft operator and management firm JFI Jets. He is currently on the board of investment group Catapult Partners and is now AAMA’s vice president.

Brenninkmeyer, who is president of AAMA, founded UK-based Oriens Aviation, which is a distributor and support organization for Pilatus’s family of business aircraft, including the PC-12NG single turboprop model and the PC-24 jet. He is a pilot and has a background in venture capital investments.

Some aviation industry and professional groups are already focusing on the fast-growing advanced air mobility sector. These include the Vertical Flight Society (VFS), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the Helicopter Association International, and the National Business Aviation Association. 

Several leading eVTOL aircraft developers have joined GAMA. This week, the international group expanded its electric propulsion and innovation committee to include senior leaders from Joby Aviation, MagniX, and Eviation.

More than 100 of the VFS's 145 members are involved in the AAM sector. These include companies such as Airbus, Bell, Boeing, and Leonardo.