The U.S.-Saudi Business Council participated in the 2025 AIAA AVIATION Forum and Exposition on July 23 in Las Vegas, where Vice President Ana Carmen Neboisa moderated a panel titled “Forging U.S.-Saudi Partnerships in the Saudi Aviation Sector.” The session brought together senior representatives from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), NEXA Capital Partners, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) to explore Saudi Arabia’s strategy to develop a globally connected aviation sector supported by investments in infrastructure, connectivity, and emerging technologies. The session also discussed opportunities for collaboration (R&D, investment and human capability development).
The panel addressed key updates in the Saudi aviation sector such as Riyadh Air, a digitally native carrier scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2025, and examined broader efforts to expand commercial aviation, general aviation, and airport networks across the Kingdom. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) was a central focus, with discussion on its potential to reshape passenger and cargo transport, urban logistics, and aerospace innovation in the context of Vision 2030 and the upcoming Riyadh Expo 2030 and beyond.
The U.S. leads the way in terms of investment and development of the AAM industry. That should come as no surprise as Americans have long been characterized as people on the move, developing transport vehicles from sturdy horse drawn carriages to powerful locomotives, from reliable automotive to seemingly miraculous flying machines. Speakers pointed to U.S. AAM innovations, such as fully electric and/or hybrid eVTOL and eSTOLs, all awe-inspiring technological advances, as well as related infrastructure. The U.S. Congress has pledged over $31 billion to modernize the existing and somewhat antiquated low altitude traffic control to accommodate the operations of drones and various advanced air mobility vehicles. With 90 years of aerospace leadership and members in 92 countries, AIAA shared its experience in fostering collaboration among government, industry, and academia to support technical advancement in aerospace and mobility,
The session also highlighted the Council’s ongoing efforts to promote U.S.-Saudi engagement in the aviation sector. Through its memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the Business Council has organized executive dialogues, led business development missions – including the first delegation of U.S. airport directors to the Kingdom – and supported companies exploring opportunities in the emerging AAM space. The Council continues to facilitate collaboration across sectors as Saudi Arabia advances its aviation and mobility objectives. AIAA and NEXA Capital participated in the recent AAM mission that the Council led to Riyadh and Jeddah in February 2025.
AIAA has over 50 members in Saudi Arabia and collaborations with 6 universities. AIAA sees direct alignment with the Kingdom’s AAM ambitions and intends to expand its activities in Saudi Arabia in order to contribute to the development of the Saudi aerospace industry in terms of R&D, workforce development, and emerging technologies. AIAA sees a variety of short term and long term opportunities for collaboration related to its cutting-edge technical research library, international publishing, and knowledge exchange, participation in its Standards program to help develop rules for sustainable aviation, student competitions, as well as interest in hosting regional technical conferences connecting professionals, government and investment institutions.
