Hyundai-owned Supernal has named ex-government official Jay Merkle as senior director of regulatory affairs.
US-based Supernal is developing an "advanced air mobility" electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. Merkle worked for 30 years at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and was executive director of the agency’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office.
“Uniting top aviation expertise is critical to Supernal’s mission of responsibly shaping and introducing the Advanced Air Mobility ecosystem,” said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and chief executive of Supernal. “Jay Merkle has tremendous depth and breadth in the industry, with a track record that emphasies his bold vision for airspace safety and compliance," Jaiwon added.
“My three decades at the FAA were focused on making our airspace more efficient, adaptable and robust — all of which are qualities that will be even more important with the introduction of a new class of aircraft,” Merkle said. “I look forward to collaborating closely with Supernal’s policy, legal, compliance and engineering teams to provide a total solution for AAM that delivers new levels of mobility while maintaining uncompromising safety standards," Merkle said.
