A conservative watchdog group warns about Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nominee Michael G. Whitaker’s ties to an electric “flying taxi” company in a new memo first obtained by the Daily Caller.
President Joe Biden nominated Michael G. Whitaker for the role of FAA administrator in September. Whitaker currently works for a company called Supernal, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) wrote in its memo. Whitaker’s LinkedIn profile corroborates his role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the company. Supernal builds electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eTOVLs), a class of vehicle set to undergo probing by the FAA as it seeks to gain approvals.
Whitaker has spent three-and-a-half years working for Supernal, starting in April 2020, his LinkedIn shows. He has served in several prominent roles within the company, starting as the Global Head of Policy before progressing to Chief Commercial Officer and then COO.
“We believe Mike Whitaker’s closeness with the industry raises serious conflict of interest question,” the AAF’s memo reads. “Will Mike Whitaker usher through approvals that benefit his former employer and, consequently, enable the federal government to dispense limitless ‘helicopter money’ to fund vertiport buildouts?” A vertiport is a type of helipad that provides a landing space for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies, such as eTOVLs.
“Given its current state, any attempt to place an industry insider in a major regulatory position should be viewed with skepticism,” the memo continues.
The Daily Caller reached out to Michael G. Whitaker but did not receive a response in time for publication.
READ THE FULL MEMO:
Hyundai Motor Group announced the creation of Supernal in 2021 to develop a “family of electric air vehicles and convening public and private stakeholders to responsibly shape the emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry.” The company said it plans to embark on its first commercial flight in 2028.
Senate Republicans are evaluating Michael Whitaker, President Biden’s nominee for FAA administrator, to assess his qualifications.
– Sean Broderick #aviationhttps://t.co/PwqlfIfAg2https://t.co/sgbNl14bYc— Hype (@HypeAviation) September 27, 2023
The company plans to take regulatory steps in 2024, according to its newsroom, coinciding with the year Whitaker is slated to take on the role of FAA administrator if confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
A report from Bleecker Street Research argued AAM companies, such as prominent air taxi startup Joby Aviation, are a long way from being worthy of FAA approval, suggesting AAM technology is not yet safe for commercial use.
“Joby is a pre-revenue company that we believe is a long way away from having commercial operations,” the report reads. “We believe it has overstated to investors its production capabilities and timeline. We don’t see a path to near-term FAA approval. We think the company has played it fast and loose with math and the implications of the numbers it has put into its guidance.”
Joby delivered its first eVTOL air taxi to Edwards Air Force Base in California for testing in late September, roughly six months ahead of schedule. The startup’s investors include major companies such as Delta Air Lines and Toyota.
Supernal Head of U.S. Policy Diana Cooper wrote a 2021 blog post touting air taxi technology, arguing it can help advance “equity” goals in society.
Air taxis can “leverage the unique power of transportation and infrastructure in pursuit of 21st century goals of equity, accessibility, and sustainability,” Cooper wrote. She further advocated for the government to help fund infrastructure for the technology to help facilitate its implementation into society.
“Government also has a critical role to play to advance equity in the AAM sector,” Cooper continued. “However, government must step in and provide public funding opportunities for communities that would otherwise be at risk of being left behind. Federal investment for planning and building take-off and landing sites — or ‘vertiports’ — that is tied to equity and accessibility requirements will help us realize Wright’s vision of using urban planning, infrastructure, and transportation to positively transform society.”
Infrastructure for AAM vehicles received $25 million in the 2023 omnibus spending bill. The Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization (AAIM) Act kickstarted a two-year pilot program to give grants to local governments, transit agencies and city planning organizations to implement AAM infrastructure. Furthermore, lobbyists acting on behalf of Supernal worked to get the AAIM passed through Congress, according to ProPublica.