Political Quotes

“This amendment strikes the word ``vertiport'' from the definition of ``heliport'' for the purposes of AIP funding, the same funding that the gentleman on the other side of the aisle just mentioned that we need so much of. As a helicopter pilot, I am very interested in the funding for heliports, but vertiports are going to use some of that funding; meanwhile, not paying anything in. Let me tell you, Mr. Chair. Vertiports exist for the purpose of advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing or eVTOL vehicles, which only exist in prototype and other nascent stages. Mr. Chair, eVTOL is so immature in its development that there is a reality index that actually exists--an Advanced Air Mobility Reality Index. The reality index ranks companies and essentially determines whether there is a reality that these things are ever going to even come to the market, be produced, and be viable. Is that something we should be investing in? These are ranked and combined to describe the likelihood of the aircraft certification and production on scale. Again, this is a ranking of the likelihood that these things even get produced, much less used.…”