General aviation airports across the United States 🇺🇸 are facing an urgent AAM readiness gap as advanced air mobility moves from concept to commercial reality. Airport operators, local officials, and industry leaders are being told to act now because eVTOL air taxis and electric aircraft are reaching market faster than many facilities can prepare. The Federal Aviation Administration’s Innovate28 plan is pushing toward scaled AAM operations by 2028, and companies have cleared major testing and certification milestones. Yet readiness remains uneven, and much of the early investment is flowing to big-city hubs rather than the smaller fields where many AAM flights will start. Without swift planning and targeted upgrades, airports risk safety issues, community pushback, and lost economic opportunity.
At the core of the problem: most general aviation airports were not built for high-frequency, low-altitude operations by electric and autonomous aircraft. They lack charging networks, vertiports, grid capacity, and modern digital systems. They also lack clear, local rules for staged rollouts and meaningful community input as traffic patterns change.
The AAM Infrastructure Readiness Index published in October 2025 shows large gaps in preparedness—especially among smaller and rural facilities. Meanwhile, the market outlook is accelerating. Industry forecasts put the AAM sector at $8.2 billion in 2022 and project growth to over $68 billion by 2032, with tens of thousands of eVTOL deliveries expected by 2040.
Pressure grows as AAM nears commercial service
The FAA’s Innovate28 roadmap focuses on integrating eVTOLs into the national airspace system by 2028. Major milestones in flight testing and certification have already arrived, with companies such as Joby Aviation securing approvals that open the door to commercial air-taxi operations as early as 2025.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, this timeline is putting new pressure on local authorities to coordinate infrastructure, workforce training, and policy support at a pace many did not expect even two years ago. Yet progress on vertiports and charging stations is concentrated in select regions and large commercial hubs. Many general aviation airports are waiting for clearer guidance or funding, even though they could become first movers for point-to-point AAM services, medical flights, and airport connectors.
Technical and operational gaps
- Existing air traffic systems were not designed for dense, low-altitude eVTOL operations threaded through busy urban and suburban areas.
- New detect-and-avoid tools, improved surveillance, and networked traffic management platforms are needed.
- Electrification adds complexity: airport grids must handle simultaneous fast charging, and operations teams need digital platforms for scheduling, safety, and turnaround coordination.
- Tier 1 airports are digitizing core workflows with automation and biometrics; many smaller fields run on legacy systems and tight budgets, widening the digital divide.
Regulatory and community challenges
- Federal and European regulators are building frameworks for AAM integration, but local implementation often lacks clear phases, timelines, and resident engagement mechanisms.
- Without tailored policies and early outreach, airports could face operational bottlenecks, safety questions, and environmental challenges.
- Community concerns about noise, emissions, privacy, and land use must be addressed proactively.
Early outreach, transparent flight paths, published operating hours, and data-backed monitoring are essential to build trust and avoid backlash.
What airports should do now
Airport leaders do not need to wait for perfect certainty to begin. Practical steps can set a strong foundation, reduce risk, and position facilities to capture new traffic.
- Conduct AAM readiness assessments to map current infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and operational capacity.
- Form joint task forces with local government, industry partners, and community groups to guide staged rollouts.
- Prioritize upgrades to electric grid capacity, charging infrastructure, vertiports, and digital platforms for traffic, safety, and turnaround management.
- Build training and recruitment programs to develop AAM skills among airport staff and local regulators, tapping available federal funding where possible.
- Advocate for policy support and inclusion in national AAM strategies, aligning state and regional plans with federal timelines.
Key issues these steps address
- Infrastructure deficiency: Billions are flowing to commercial terminals while general aviation airports see fewer upgrades, yet AAM may start at these smaller fields.
- Regulatory lag: Local airports need clear guidance and phased plans to avoid safety and environmental problems.
- Digital divide: Modern automation and integrated systems are essential for efficiency and safety.
- Airspace management: High-frequency, low-altitude operations demand detect-and-avoid tools and networked traffic coordination.
- Environmental and community impact: Early engagement, environmental review, and cleaner propulsion adoption build public support.
- Economic imperative: Early movers can secure new services and revenue; those who wait risk losing relevance.
Practical examples by airport type
- Metro-area airport: multiple high-capacity chargers, a dedicated vertiport pad, and digital scheduling to coordinate frequent short-haul flights.
- Rural airport: a single charging node, a modular vertiport, and strong community outreach to support medical and cargo missions.
In both cases, staff must train for new safety procedures, battery handling, and rapid turnaround of electric aircraft.
Operational changes to expect
- Ground crews will monitor charge times and battery health, not just fuel trucks.
- Dispatchers will manage low-altitude traffic flows along tight corridors.
- Airport managers will track noise data, publish metrics, and respond to resident feedback through formal channels.
Without these systems, even a few early flights can expose gaps that damage trust.
Uneven progress and the cost of waiting
Readiness remains uneven. Infrastructure buildouts for vertiports and charging stations are underway, but progress clusters in select regions and commercial hubs. The AAM Infrastructure Readiness Index points to the widest gaps at smaller and rural facilities, where budgets and legacy systems create hurdles.
Waiting carries real costs:
- Missed early service launches that generate jobs and long-term revenue.
- Rushed deployments that spark community backlash.
- Delayed environmental review or weak communication that can lead to legal challenges or restricted operating hours.
Early investment, by contrast, lets airports shape flight paths, hours, and noise footprints to work for nearby residents.
Budget priorities for boards and councils
Prioritize projects that unlock near-term operations and scale over time:
- Power and charging: coordinate with utilities for capacity, redundancy, and off-peak strategies; start with modular chargers.
- Vertiports: design pads with safety buffers, lighting, and passenger flow in mind; consider phased builds that add stands as demand grows.
- Digital stack: move from spreadsheets and radio calls to integrated platforms for scheduling, safety, and airspace coordination.
- Safety systems: adopt detect-and-avoid support tools and procedures suited for high-frequency, low-altitude traffic.
- Community trust: commit to transparent public meetings, clear noise and emissions data, and formal feedback loops.
Public engagement will decide whether AAM becomes a welcome service or a source of tension. Practical steps include:
- Present simple, clear plans.
- Show how design choices reduce noise and protect privacy.
- Put residents on advisory groups.
- Publish flight tracks and share evidence on quieter electric operations.
- Respond visibly when concerns arise.
Timing is urgent
With commercial operations accelerating by 2025 and national scaling targeted by 2028, general aviation airports have months, not years, to put basics in place. The challenge is steep, but the steps are clear: conduct readiness checks, build coalitions, upgrade power and vertiports, modernize digital systems, train teams, and seek policy clarity and funding.
Airports exist to connect people and support local economies. AAM will expand that mission—enabling short, reliable trips across crowded metro areas, faster medical transport, and new cargo options. Those gains will come only if airports close the AAM readiness gap before traffic ramps up. The industry’s growth curve is set, and the early routes will go where readiness is real.
For details on federal planning, readers can review the FAA’s Innovate28 plan here: FAA Innovate28.
This Article in a Nutshell
As advanced air mobility moves from concept to commercial reality, general aviation airports across the U.S. face a widening readiness gap. The FAA’s Innovate28 aims to scale AAM operations by 2028, and some companies could begin commercial air-taxi service as early as 2025. However, many smaller and rural GA airports lack vertiports, charging networks, adequate grid capacity, and modern digital systems. The October 2025 AAM Infrastructure Readiness Index highlights these disparities. Airports are advised to conduct readiness assessments, form task forces with government and community partners, prioritize power and charging upgrades, modernize digital operations, and develop training programs. Early action can prevent safety risks, community pushback, and missed economic opportunities; delay risks rushed deployments and lost revenue streams.
