Will Utah’s skies soon resemble a scene from ‘The Jetsons?’

Even as Rep. Mike Kennedy was considering Utah airborne transportation future, the congressman’s thoughts also visited Utah’s historic transportation past.

“The transcontinental railroad was completed in this state at Golden Spike National Monument,” recalled Kennedy on Tuesday during the opening day of Project Alta Summit while discussing key issues such as safety and innovation.

The 1869 completion of the first transcontinental railroad in Utah’s Box Elder County was a moment that forever changed the nation.

Now, Kennedy asserted, Utah is again poised to make transportation history in the emerging area of Advanced Air Mobility.

Kennedy and Utah Department of Transportation Executive Director Carlos Braceras were Tuesday’s concluding panelists on the opening day of Project Alta Summit, a two-day gathering hosted by the aerospace and industry group 47G — a Utah network of over 200 members and several academic institutions.

The two discussed the future of AAM.

The purpose of the summit — held at the University of Utah — is straight-forward: to accelerate the deployment of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in Utah and beyond.

Still new to the acronym AAM? Well, in pop culture terms, think “The Jetsons.”

It’s an umbrella designation for aircraft that are typically automated, electrically powered and have vertical take-off and landing capability.

Many such aircraft fall into the powered-lift category often referred to as “air taxis,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“AAM has the potential to achieve the vision of transportation that is more efficient, more sustainable, and more equitable, while creating thousands of great jobs,” noted the FAA page on AAM.

“AAM aircraft could also be used to transport cargo and passengers, help with firefighting, and provide search and rescue operations.”

47G President and CEO Aaron Starks said this week’s gathering of national and global leaders in aerospace, infrastructure and public policy is a natural fit for the Beehive State.

“Utah has built one of the most collaborative and forward-leaning aerospace ecosystems in the country, and Project Alta is a natural extension of that leadership,” said Starks in a company release.

“This summit is about execution. We’re bringing together the companies, policymakers, and innovators who are ready to move beyond concept and into deployment — and Utah is where that work is happening.”

Are Utahns equipped to usher in the AAM era?

During his discussion with Kennedy about Utah’s AAM future, the UDOT chief said it’s his belief that “Utah is the place” where AAM will fully emerge.

Obviously there’s excitement about the future of AAM. But its development still remains grounded in the anchoring mission of transportation, added Braceras.

“It’s about that same vision we talk about for transportation,” he said. “It’s really about getting people the things that they need. Where they need to go. When they need to go. How they want to go — and doing it safely.”

Braceras noted that over 42,000 people die on American roadways every year. “I believe a more autonomous transportation system will get us to zero fatalities.”

Preparing for, and then accelerating AAM’s opportunities, will require the cooperation of government, industry and academia, he added.

Kennedy acknowledged the difficulties of moving new policies forward. The system, he said, is designed to slow things down — and passing new legislation is highly complicated.

“But what we have here in Utah though is an organized, orchestrated willingness to work together – Democrats and Republicans — on the state level.

“As a state legislator for 10 years, I saw this regularly. We were willing to work together for the common good of our people.”

Utahns, Kennedy added, are historically forward-looking people who care about the future.

The congressman echoed the urgency of developing electrified AAM in Utah and across the country. China’s already on the task, and it’s essential that the United States has the energy resources needed to meet the day’s tech needs and remain competitive.

“If we’re going to electrify our system, we need power plants,” he said. “I don’t care whether it’s coming from solar or wind or whether it’s nuclear or coal fired — all of these can be done well in the United States of America.

“We need critical minerals to build the infrastructure that we need to get these things along — and, subsequently, we need the political will to do these things.

“We have those things in the state of Utah, and I’m proud of that fact.”

Rep. Kennedy: ‘Get me off the ground’

Smiling, Kennedy admitted he’s fascinated with the possibility of hovering around the city, in Jetsons-like fashion, instead of driving.

“Get me off the ground,” he said. “I was a kid when I first saw a jet pack. Give me a jet pack.”

There’s great benefit in flying from one location in town to another, he added, instead of simply putting down more concrete and asphalt.

Additionally, added Kennedy, Utah’s diverse topography makes it the ideal place to develop and test new AAM technology.

“If we can do it here, we can do it anywhere because most of the country is flat.”

Kennedy encouraged the innovators gathered for this week’s Project Alta summit to be proactive in connecting with lawmakers and policymakers. Take the tech to them.

“When they can touch, feel, see and experience these devices, they are far more likely to see you for the amazing people that you are, instead of some perceived boogeyman that needs to be over-regulated and destroyed.”

Making room for AAM safety — and advancement, innovation

Braceras concluded the discussion by asking the congressman to articulate the biggest question he has regarding AAM’s Utah future.

“The biggest question I have is safety,” answered Kennedy. “If I’m on an autonomous device up in the air and somebody wants to terminate my life, how do they?

“What is the built-in safety that is going to ensure that I could get from Point A to Point B without someone interrupting that signal?”

While advocating for safety measures that exceed the standards and practices of today, Braceras also warned of never-ending searches for so-called “perfect” safety systems that get in the way of innovation and advancement.

“Don’t let ‘perfect’ be our enemy on this, because otherwise we’re going to wait forever to be able to move forward,” he said. “I don’t think any of us have the patience to wait for this to move.”

Kennedy added regulatory frameworks ensure AAM innovation will occur in a safe fashion.

“If we’re overdone on making it perfect, we may find that not only are we not going to ever develop it here in the country, but our international adversaries like China are going to dominate us in this space.

“That’s not going to be good for our national security, long-term.”