Transportation (Airports)

Utah's legislature passed SCR 10, a concurrent resolution expressing the state's commitment to advancing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies like air taxis and drone deliveries. The resolution highlights Utah's aerospace innovation history, its geographic and regulatory advantages for AAM testing, and sets a goal to establish an operational AAM system and vertiport network by the 2034 Winter Olympics. It emphasizes collaboration with federal agencies (like the FAA and DOT) without appropriating state funds, instead focusing on policy leadership and coordination. The resolution serves as a formal statement to showcase Utah as a model for AAM development to federal partners.

HB 191 amends Utah's airport definitions to explicitly include "flight parks" - areas used for hang gliding or similar nonmotorized aircraft that are FAA-recognized and publicly owned. This change ensures flight parks receive the same land use protections as traditional airports, including a 1,000-foot "influence area" buffer (compared to 500 feet for vertiports) and requirements for local governments to adopt airport overlay zones. The bill mandates that cities/counties within these areas must enforce noise notifications, conform development to FAA airspace rules, and may require avigation easements for new construction. It applies directly to flight parks (like public hang gliding sites) and local zoning authorities, with a delayed deadline (2026) for flight parks versus regular airports (2024). No funding is appropriated, and the bill focuses solely on clarifying regulatory treatment.