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St. Petersburg task force urges early steps on electric vertical flight, council sunsets panel
Summary
The Advanced Air Mobility Task Force recommended short‑term airport adaptations at Albert Whitted, minimum vertiport standards, an alternatives analysis and a Janus Center for Aviation; council voted unanimously to accept the report and immediately sunset the task force while directing staff to pursue next steps.
Ed Montaneri, chairing the Advanced Air Mobility Task Force, presented the panel’s final report to the St. Petersburg City Council on Feb. 19, urging the city to prepare for emerging electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft by adopting both short‑ and long‑term measures.
The report, commissioned under City Resolution 2025‑106, recommends near‑term actions at Albert Whitted Airport — designating parking spaces for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft, installing electrical charging stations, and ensuring fire‑safety systems — and a longer‑term alternatives analysis to identify exact vertiport locations and infrastructure needs. Montaneri said the city should also develop minimum standards for stand‑alone vertiports (operations, airspace, charging, noise/visual impact) and pursue regional coordination, particularly a connection to Tampa International Airport.
Council members pressed presenters on timing, regulatory authority and sequencing. Council discussion clarified that the FAA controls aircraft operations and the city’s scope centers on land use, design standards and public‑safety readiness. Montaneri and task force members emphasized workforce and education planning, proposing a Janus Center for Aviation and Innovation to anchor training, research and manufacturing partnerships.
After debate about next steps and whether to continue the task force, Council moved and voted unanimously to sunset the task force immediately and direct administration to begin an alternatives analysis for Albert Whitted Airport and prepare proposed land‑use and design standards. City staff said the analysis is the logical first step and would inform zoning and procurement choices.
Council members said they want the city to remain engaged regionally and to identify federal and state grant opportunities that can fund infrastructure needs. The resolution to accept the report and sunset the task force passed unanimously; council also asked staff to return with a recommended sequence of actions and budget implications for committee review.
