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Thank you, and good afternoon. There's a saying out there that we've all heard - The more things change, the more things stay the same - and I used to think that made a lot of sense. I've been in this business for a while, and takeoffs and landings are still the bread and butter thing they've always been.

Since becoming Administrator, though, I see this business quite a bit differently. Things really are changing, but no, things really are not the same.

If you've got a cell phone, an iPhone or a Blackberry, hold it up for a moment. Look around. Things are not the same after all. Ten years ago, who was thinking that we'd all have one of these Captain Kirk communicators? But we do.

The same type of scenario is rippling its way through aviation and through the FAA. A couple of weeks ago, I was in Houston as ADS-B was coming on line. Talk about change - there's little doubt in my mind that the future of aviation and innovation is alive and well - and making a difference in the Gulf of Mexico. We've launched initial operations for satellite surveillance in an area that's of critical importance to this nation. And the real beauty of this step - ADS-B increases safety and efficiency in one fell swoop.

From where I stand, ADS-B is a huge change - a technological leap on the same order of magnitude as radar itself - maybe bigger. The Gulf is known for a lack of weather reporting, position reporting and communications. ADS-B can close that chapter for good.

As a pilot, I view ADS-B the same way we think about all the cell phones that you held in the air a minute ago. ADS-B is going to change the way we fly. Write that one down. All of us run back to the house when we forget our cell. There's going to come a time very soon when ADS-B will be viewed the same way. Equipage is up to the operator, but just like having a cell in your hand, the benefits of having the technology far outweigh the costs. Just ask UPS. They're fully equipped with ADS-B out . They've been able to validate the capability to reduce noise by one third and save fuel and miles along the way. In the Gulf, helicopter operators previously could only get IFR service with an inefficient antiquated grid system. Now, with ADS-B, radar-like five mile separation services and direct routings can be realized. The carriers at high altitude get similar benefits. The math's not complicated - the business case is obvious.

Developing new technology and leveraging it to benefit safety and the environment are just a part of the shared vision we are all working towards at 800 Independence. We must accomplish our mission for moving aircraft even more safely and efficiently. We need to reach that next level of safety. But in order for the FAA to set the standard, we've got to enter what I'll call the "NextGen Age" at each and every level of the organization. I want us to be the best in the world. I want other nations, companies and operators to start from, "How does the FAA do it?' - and then follow suit. Not because we're the biggest, or because we have the biggest stick, but instead I want them to follow us because it makes sense to do so.

With respect to change, I want more than just a NextGen for navigation. I want a NextGen for safety, which requires accountability and transparency. The rules need to be applied consistently and fairly all across the board, all across the country. The strike zone can't change with the time zone. But if it does, we shouldn't be surprised when operators throw up their hands and say, "Exactly which rulebook do you want us to follow?"

I'm also pushing for another kind of NextGen - a new way of thinking about employee relations and labor relations. This is a great opportunity for us to move forward as an agency. I understand the issues - I've been on both sides of the table. It's a time for change. We must get union discord behind us. We need to energize employees with a forward-looking focus. Employees are important, and when you lose sight of that, you can't be surprised if mission focus starts to slip.

When we signed the new controller agreement, I made it clear to managers and union members alike: It's important to have you with us as we move forward to tackle the truly difficult problems facing this agency. This is a new chapter for all of us - we are looking forward.. And this is not just about one FAA union - improving employee engagement across the board is one of my top priorities for 2010 - for employees who are members of unions and those who are not.

That's my vision for the agency. My focus is going to be on something that's never going to change - safety. One of the reasons I'm so positive about ADS-B is that it gives efficiency and safety in one package. We're ditching World War II-radar and ground-based procedures and giving pilots and controllers a situational awareness that they haven't had before, with accuracy we could only imagine.

Safety starts with professionalism. As a member of the aviation community, your approach to safety can't be anything but serious. Professionalism and accountability aren't optional. We have checklists because we know from experience that without them, the human mind will round off the edges of a procedure that's meant to be razor sharp. We know that in our every day lives as well. A full stop at a stop sign doesn't mean you can roll through if nobody ever comes that way. Runway safety comes to mind. Regardless of the technology - the moving map displays, the auditory cockpit warnings, the ASDE in the tower - it's still incumbent on the flight crew to stay heads up. Technology is providing a boost for runway safety - a big boost - but it doesn't replace the need for vigilance. And there is no machine that can do that. Vigilance comes from responsibility, and responsibility comes from professionalism.

As I discuss these issues, I'm not just talking to pilots, but also to controllers, technicians, flight crew members, maintenance teams and my co-workers at the FAA. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if your paycheck gets touched by an airplane, I'm talking to you. Professionalism has got to be stressed at every level and in every occupation. Safety is a shared responsibility, and I expect everyone in the chain to meet that responsibility and to raise a hand when a problem is spotted.

We are close to the one year anniversary of the Colgan Air 3407 crash in Buffalo. Although I wasn't FAA Administrator at the time, that accident was very emotional for me. It raised issues like one level of safety and pilot fatigue - issues that I have spent my career working on.

I'm not the first Administrator to say safety is the core of the FAA. The flying public needs to have confidence that no matter what size airplane they board, the pilots have the right qualifications, are trained for the mission, are fit for duty - and that they're flying an aircraft that's been properly maintained and is ready to go. This is our mission, our focus and we will keep raising the bar for safety - there simply is no alternative.

In June, Secretary LaHood and I issued a Call to Action on Airline Safety and Pilot Training. We held 12 regional safety forums. We pulled together the FAA, air carriers and labor organizations to drill down on where we needed to make changes. As a result of these efforts we are expecting to publish this spring a much needed proposal for a Flight Time and Duty Time rule.

We know we need to reexamine pilot qualifications to make sure commercial pilots who carry passengers have the appropriate operational experience - they need to be trained for the mission they are flying. There are proposals that raise the number of required hours and we need to look at that possibility. But we must have qualification and training requirements that elevate the importance of mission appropriate experience.

Professionalism was a key theme in our Call to Action, and I'm pleased to say all the pilot employee organizations have committed to helping us develop guidelines on cockpit discipline and pilot professionalism. We'll be meeting next month to refine our work.

As I look ahead to what comes next for the FAA, one thing I am keenly aware of is a need for the agency to have more of a mission focus, at every level. Part of that mission is making sure we are equipped to take aviation into the future. That we can develop technology that right now might seem out of reach.

I touched on ADS-B going live in the Gulf of Mexico and Louisville. The NextGen milestones for this year don't end there. ADS-B goes live in Philadelphia next month, Alaska in the spring. From there, we're full speed ahead on nationwide operations. Later this year, we're going to be turning on full-sharing of surface data for ASDE-X. That was a key recommendation from RTCA. It's going to make a positive impact on our efforts to reduce delays.

We all need to commit to the mission of making sure we are ready for this new generation of technology and beyond. We talk a lot about best equipped, best served. But it's the truth. I know this technology is not inexpensive. Those however that are equipping early are seeing the benefits.

We are continuing to work with Congress to find ways to expedite funding for NextGen. The true benefits of this NextGen system will be realized as more and more aircraft become equipped.

As we push toward the future, though, we have to remember one very important factor: us. I think we need to, as a group, not lose sight of the impact of removing the human, taking us out of the process. I've seen too many examples in the FAA and industry that point very clearly to what I think is our next biggest hurdle. We must make sure that equipment does not supplant human intelligence. The Minneapolis overflight comes to mind - where the aircraft did what it was designed to do - remain on course. It's easy to get complacent, maybe a bit too comfortable, when the plane's flying itself. I've met inspectors who are pushing for more time touching an airplane. We need to ensure we've found the balance between "data entry" and time in the field. I want to be absolutely clear that the machine can't replace the human in the loop. When we lean too far that way, I think we'll regret it.

Many of you here have been following the FAA for a long time. So it will come as no surprise for you to learn that part of my present and future mission as Administrator is trying to breakdown the stovepipes at the agency. I'm sharing this mission with my entire management team.

ADS-B in the Gulf and Louisville were wonderful examples of what can happen when the FAA works across organizational lines to get a job done. I cannot and will not accept anyone who says that going it alone is the way to go. Not when you have the collective brain power of over 46 thousand people at your disposal. We are holders of the public trust for safety, and without a doubt, we meet that 24/7. But I expect fully that we can find efficiencies and become a more cohesive team providing better service to the public and each other.

Aviation is changing all around us, and the FAA is changing along with it. We have to open our minds to new and innovative ways of keeping our aviation system on the leading edge - whether it's technology, or creative funding mechanisms. We're getting high marks for safety, but we will not stop there.

So let me share with you what my vision of a flight in 2020 would be like. Our clearance is delivered and accepted with Data Link. The radio will only be used for emergencies. We'll taxi out and takeoff without touching the brakes with no chance of a runway incursion we'll fly the most efficient course for departure and enroute at our most efficient altitude. Complete high fidelity weather information will be will be available to the pilots and controllers for the full projected route and avoided using predictive weather tools. We will descend and reach our destination using a continuous descent approach. Our airports and airways will be funded with a transparent blend of lower taxes and fees not subject to variations of the economy and supplemented with savings in time, fuel and carbon emissions. We'll deplane through multiple jet bridges, move through the terminal on high speed vehicles and moving sidewalks, only to find out our bags didn't make it.

Thank you.

"Safety is our highest priority at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and this new satellite-based technology will help the FAA improve the safety of flights over the Gulf even as air traffic increases," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

"This is a significant, early step toward NextGen," Administrator Babbitt said in a press conference at the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center. "We're delivering on time, a system that's not only more accurate than radar but comes with significant safety and efficiency benefits. This will save time and money for aircraft operators and passengers and reduce our carbon footprint."

ADS-B, which is one of the technologies at the heart of the transformation to NextGen, brings air traffic control to the Gulf of Mexico, an area that has not had the benefit of radar coverage. Before ADS-B, controllers had to rely on an aircraft's estimated or reported - not actual - position. Individual helicopters flying under Instrument Flight Rule conditions at low altitudes to and from oil platforms were isolated within 20x20 mile boxes in order to remain safely separated from other helicopters. The complex, manual nature of these operations severely reduced capacity and efficiency for the 5,000 to 9,000 daily helicopter operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Aircraft equipped with ADS-B in the region will now know where they are in relation to bad weather and receive flight information including Notice to Airmen and Temporary Flight Restrictions.

Prior to ADS-B, commercial aircraft flying at high altitudes were kept as much as 120 miles apart to ensure safety. Controllers are now able to safely reduce the separation between ADS-B equipped aircraft to five nautical miles, significantly improving capacity and efficiency. The new technology will also allow the FAA to provide new, more direct routes over the Gulf of Mexico, improving the efficiency of aircraft operations while using less fuel.

The FAA was able to install ground stations on oil platforms as part of an agreement with the Helicopter Association International, oil and natural gas companies and helicopter operators. A network of ground stations was deployed on oil platforms and the surrounding shoreline, bringing satellite-based surveillance to an area with almost as much daily air traffic as the northeast corridor.

The Gulf of Mexico is the second key site where ADS-B is being used by controllers to separate aircraft. The new technology is also being used by controllers in Louisville, KY, chosen in part because UPS voluntarily outfitted much of its fleet with ADS-B avionics. Four ground stations give controllers at the Louisville International Airport and the Louisville Terminal Radar Approach Control facility an ADS-B coverage area extending 60 nautical miles around the airport up to 10,000 feet.

Controllers in Philadelphia will begin using ADS-B in February and the system will become operational in Juneau in April. ADS-B is expected to be available nationwide by 2013.

The FAA first established an ADS-B prototype in Alaska, outfitting numerous general aviation aircraft with ADS-B avionics. The improved situational awareness for pilots and extended coverage for controllers resulted in a 47 percent drop in the fatal accident rate for equipped aircraft. In South Florida, the installation of eleven ground stations now gives pilots in equipped aircraft free traffic and weather information. Controllers will soon begin using ADS-B in that region to separate aircraft.

Photo of ADS-B Awards Ceremony in Houston, Texas

During a 90-minute check ride, Administrator Babbitt made sure Santa can properly execute the demanding maneuvers and precision rooftop landings inherent in making toy deliveries. He also checked that the sleigh's deicing equipment, reindeer propulsion system and communications and navigation systems are working properly. In addition, the Administrator verified Santa has policies in place to guarantee he and his elves will have a proper rest period before the long, all-night mission.

While the elves will have WiFi inflight internet access, St. Nick stressed he will strictly enforce his longstanding ban on distractions in the cockpit.

"Santa and his crew have always shown extraordinary professionalism in the cockpit," said FAA Administrator Babbitt "I'm certain they'll pull off the flight without a hitch."

This year, Santa has several Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) technology improvements at his disposal to make the annual trip safer and more fuel-efficient.

For example, North Pole International Airport boasts a new ASDE-X ground surveillance radar system to help St. Nick avoid marauding polar bears and the occasional Grinch. Santa's sleigh (registration N0EL) boasts all the necessary electronics to use Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP), approaches the FAA has in place to help Santa easily reach children's homes. The sleigh also has an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) component that pinpoints its position for air traffic controllers and other aircraft throughout the flight.

Mindful of environmental issues, Santa has incorporated several Earth-friendly features this year. Rudolph's bright red nose and the sleigh's warning and decorative lights are all powered by energy-saving LEDs.

The public can follow Santa on his Christmas Eve mission at http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html.

Thank you, Henry [Steingass], for that kind introduction.

This meeting is all about building the U.S.-India Aviation Partnership. When we speak of partnership, we're talking about the working relationships that go into building that partnership.

With this in mind, I had planned to spend the next five minutes sharing my views on what it takes to build strong working relationships. However, I recently saw a letter that President Patil sent to President Obama. That letter captured everything I wanted to say and more. And it did so in a single sentence.

In congratulating President Obama for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in October, President Patil wrote that the award "underscored the principle of mutual respect in international relations." Her profound statement - "the principle of mutual respect in international relations" - represents what I consider the foundation of our aviation relationship.

Mutual respect means that we share a certain level of confidence. As partners, we are doing our best to promote aviation safety. We're doing our best to follow international standards and foster seamless and efficient aviation operations.

I believe firmly that all of us must expand our knowledge. Anyone and everyone in aviation needs to do whatever it takes to extend the global reach of this business. My first international bilateral meeting as FAA Administrator took place right here in Washington this past June. The meeting was with Secretary Nambiar, Director General Zaidi and Chairman Agrawal. From the moment that the meeting started, I could tell we had a partnership centered on safety and on the mutual respect I mentioned a moment ago. I could tell we had a partnership in improving efficiency. And, maybe even more importantly, I could see there was a lot we could learn from each other.

We are doing just that through several ongoing initiatives that have been implemented to strengthen our cooperation. One is the Joint Aviation Steering Committee.

Through this committee, we focus on those areas that call for government-to-government cooperation. This steering committee is based on the premise that success comes from taking a balanced approach to improving aviation safety. We are making a conscious effort to promote cooperation across all key areas of aviation. This includes air traffic management, airports, aircraft certification, flight standards and environment.

That effort is well under way. Just yesterday, we spent a good deal of time discussing the future course for our cooperation. Working together, we addressed a broad range of important questions. I'll list a few: How can we take the next step forward in understanding each others certification practices? What are some of the lessons learned we can share from our implementation of Air Traffic Flow Management concepts and procedures? How can we do a better job of protecting our environment?

The timing for moving forward in this partnership couldn't be better. There's little doubt that the global aviation system stands at a critical crossroad. We need to make sure we are working together as we decide the best way to turn.

Looking in one direction, we see business as usual. We see ground-based navigation systems, outdated communication technologies and conventional approaches to airport systems and management practices. We've done all this. An opportunity for innovation and change is before us right now. We need to turn in a new direction that will take us toward the future. We must prepare for the demands of safety and efficiency that come our way.

While there may be professional disagreement about timeframes and growth, there nevertheless remains an indisputable fact. We cannot stay where we are. We must make maximum use of the opportunity to expand the efficiency of the system. I'm reminded of an old proverb: "If you don't adopt change, you're going to end up where you're headed." The irony in that statement makes us smile, but the wisdom in it is right on target.

In the United States, the Next Generation Air Transportation System will take us into the future of aviation. I'm talking about technologies such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance, System-Wide Information Management, NextGen Network Enabled Weather, Data Communications, and more. I know that India and the U.S. have had a partnership in GNSS for many years so our movement toward collaborating on future aviation systems is already underway.

This leads me to another important point. Systems of the future must have the capability to talk to each other. This starts with people talking to each other. That's why this Summit and our continued dialogue are so important.

In India, we are working closely with our U.S. industry through the Aviation Cooperation Program. Through this program, we pool public and private resources and work collectively with the Indian government. USTDA is also an important partner, providing a large share of the funding and support in the overall strategic coordination of our aviation projects. We've already seen the tremendous synergies that can result through our cooperation.

The Aviation Cooperation Program is about defining the priorities that will help manage the safe and efficient growth of India's aviation system. And, no one knows the top priorities better than Secretary Nambiar, Director General Zaidi, Chairman Agrawal and their colleagues who have been so kind to join us here in Washington this week.

As we look forward to the next two days of discussions, I hope everyone will give some thought to President Patil's inspirational words on mutual respect.

Those of us who have gathered here this week have an enormous responsibility. While there are almost one and a half billion people in the United States and India, there are just over 200 of us in this room today who carry much of the responsibility for defining the future of the U.S.-India aviation partnership. I am optimistic. This conference shows that we are headed in the right direction. This is indeed a partnership based on mutual respect. Thank you for your time, and thank you for coming.

The SE2020 contracts will be awarded to teams of companies, up to three of which will perform research and development work and two of which will perform systems engineering work. This work will complement and enhance major NextGen initiatives already under way, such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast, System Wide Information Management and Data Communications. Contract teams will focus on a series of operational capabilities, including Trajectory Based Operations, Collaborative Air Traffic Management and Reduced Weather Impact. The goal is to achieve early NextGen successes to improve safety and bring greater efficiencies to the nation's airspace system.

The team concept is designed to create competitive synergy within each group, driving innovation so that each team comes up with the best possible product. The FAA also structured the contracts, using market survey data, to encourage bids from teams that will include small companies as prime contractors as well as subcontractors. The agency is looking for the best and the brightest, regardless of size.

Five-year contracts will be awarded next summer, with subsequent three- and two-year options.

Good morning, and thank you, Hank [Krakowski]. You and Ventris [Gibson] can be rightly proud of what brings us here today.

Before I begin, I want to lead a round of applause for the Contract Team. Getting this done was one of the biggest items on our plate, and we couldn't have done it without them. Would the members of the team please stand? Nicely done. Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it.

I'm glad to be here, and I'm especially glad that we have the opportunity to turn a new page in our relationship with employees. The mediation and arbitration process that got us here provides the foundation for us to do that. I can't stress enough that the purpose of this conference is to look forward. Focusing on what's in the rearview mirror makes it virtually impossible to keep your eyes on the road ahead. And the road ahead is where we need to maintain our focus - a mission focus.

There are those who try defend the rearview mirror and say that if you don't study history, you'll repeat its mistakes. I'm not saying that we shouldn't learn from the past. I am saying that we can't afford to live in the past. There are nay-sayers on both sides of the table. Some 260 NATCA members voted against these new provisions. There are managers who say we sold the farm.

I've been through quite a few negotiations. The fact that neither side got everything it wanted is probably an indication that we came out in a pretty good place. But we cannot now nor ever be in the place where our focus is on the negative. Better than 2 million passengers a day count on us to help them move forward. Talking about what was or what should be takes the focus off our mission, and that is the fast track to unprofessionalism. There's a new agreement in place. There are plenty of thoughts about it, and you're entitled to your opinions. But either way, as leaders, we're responsible for energizing employees. Focusing on the past - or what you don't like in the new agreement - will prevent you from energizing anyone or anything. That's unacceptable.

As we move forward, I want you to remember that this new agreement respects and acknowledges that both sides have statutory rights and as well as employee/employer rights. To be candid, this is not about co-management. It is about leadership and working together for a common purpose. And we must agree that entails leading both organizations in a direction that serves our partners, our stakeholders, our customers and our employees.

Anticipating a question that I expect to come my way, one of the issues that continues to surface whenever we discuss the relationship or the contract is the "appropriate level of recognition." I have met with NATCA's executive board. I'll be transparent: I plan on continuing this process. But this should not be interpreted as changing the authorities and responsibilities of local management. My expectation is that issues will be worked at the appropriate level. I have no intention of working local issues from the Administrator's office. That is what I expect all of you to do with the tools that are within this contract.

Generally, I'm not one for academic studies, because I think that they lack a "real-world" focus. But I came across one from the Kennedy's School's Center for Public Leadership that's worth talking about. They conducted an opinion poll about who trusts whom and why. It's a tough look at leadership. It's an even tougher look at the lack of leadership. The long and the short of it comes down to their headline: "Americans' Confidence in Their Leaders Declines Sharply."

I'm not bringing this up as a criticism of who we are or what we do. But I do think it's instructive for us as leaders.

What I expect from each and every one of you as a result of our newly structured agreement is leadership and professionalism. I expect that of you as managers. I expect it of the rank and file. And I expect it of the labor leadership as well.

A GAO report just came out that discussed human capital and employee satisfaction at the FAA. Like milk has a "sell by" date, reports should have a "tell by" date. I believe this one is old news. It's based on research that, in some cases, dates back over a year. And certain Congressional comments on this report were particularly disheartening. The FAA was called a "rudderless ship." That isn't my legacy, and it's not yours either.

But this report can actually serve as a catalyst to remind us about what we need to do here this week and when we go back to our facilities. You have the leadership skills and initiative to make a difference. In fact, I believe we have a once-in-a-professional-lifetime opportunity to show ourselves, other agencies, the public and other naysayers that you can go from worst to first. Years from now I want other agencies to come to the FAA and ask how we did it.

The FAA is a ship with a mission. It's staffed by a great team of employees and leaders. And I'm counting on you using your skills and leadership abilities to keep us focused on that mission.

The arguments of the past need to be set aside. This is a chance for us to make a major step forward. We need to step up the level of safety. We need to launch NextGen. We need to handle challenges like efficiency and the economy's effect on this industry. But most of all, we need to work together.

Without you, it's not going to happen.

I've spoken on the topic of professionalism any number of times in six months, and today is no exception. Professionalism is knowing the right thing and doing it. Doing the right thing even when you don't feel like it. Doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Doing the right thing even when you can't count on others to act in kind.

We've seen far too many examples lately of people in this business dropping the ball. Sometimes, lives are lost. Sometimes, we're just flat out embarrassed.

Well, I think we all need to remember that as public servants, we have to take a look at polls like the one from the Kennedy School and conduct a self-assessment. We've all been at this long enough to know the right thing to say and do. We also know that getting advice from mentors and colleagues always pays off.

The Kennedy School mentioned six areas as key factors on influencing confidence. I'll read the list:

• Trust in what the leaders say;
• Competence to do the job;
• Working for the greater good of society;
• Shared values;
• Get good results; and
• Being in touch with people's needs and concerns.

The study then states the obvious: if we want to be effective, we must generate confidence in the people who depend on us. That check list is a start. And this is a new start for all of us. Where and how we finish is up to you, but as I said before, we must maintain a mission focus. I'm counting on you, and so are the employees you manage, and so is the passenger. Thank you.

The agency is leasing 55 acres of land to the South Jersey Economic Development District to build an Aviation Research and Technology Park, which will sit adjacent to the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center just outside of Atlantic City, N.J.

The park, which will be constructed at no direct cost to the agency, will offer a central location for the FAA's industry partners to perform research, development, testing, integration, and verification of the technologies, concepts, and procedures required by NextGen. The Technical Center's multi-modal location gives research park partners access to research laboratories and testing facilities that will support all facets of NextGen.

The Aviation Research and Technology Park will complement Florida's NextGen demonstration capabilities at Daytona International Airport. Advanced NextGen technologies developed and tested at the Technical Center will be demonstrated in an operational environment at Daytona, then returned to the Technical Center for integration with the current air traffic control system and other components of NextGen.

The first building planned for the site will occupy 44,500 square feet, and cost roughly $10 million. The park, which is expected to create 2,000 new high-skill jobs, is capable of accommodating up to 400,000 square feet of technology-oriented facilities. Total private sector investment by the time the park is completed has been estimated at between $80 and $100 million.

Good morning, and thank you, Marion [Blakey]. It's great to be here.

To be blunt, aviation is in a tough spot. We're all in a tough spot. It's ironic, because we're as safe as we've ever been - maybe even safer. But so many of the headlines are devoted to aberrations - mistakes made by people who just flat out weren't doing their jobs. And most of them little mistakes, but in airplanes, little mistakes can add up and become one big mistake with fatalities.

I won't call inattention and lack of professionalism an epidemic, but then again, I've seen four fairly visible cases in the last five months.

I must say that it's tough to create a regulation aimed at someone who simply isn't paying attention to the basics, but apparently there are still some who just don't get it, who don't make situational awareness a priority, who don't take their professional responsibility seriously. I've honestly struggled with how to factor them in when crafting a rule.

I think what puts us in the boat we're in is that far too many of our problems are self-inflicted. Think for a moment about the power curve - the aviation kind - where you get when the nose is up and the aircraft is dirty. Now that is a very bad place to be. Actually, you won't be in that particular place very long unless you do something very, very quickly and you have altitude to recover. We can't afford to get behind the power curve of professionalism or human factors understanding and we need to move quickly to gain understanding for the recovery.

The lack of professionalism that's made its way to the front pages is not painting an accurate picture. The tragedy of this is that our pilots are the best trained, highest-skilled in the business, as we saw in the water-landing on the Hudson. And I'm not just talking about the airlines. GA safety in America is superb. But in either case, human factors can and will eat our lunch unless we take care of it. Better mentoring is one of the keys - experience transfer. The veteran pilots need to take every opportunity to pull the younger ones aside and make sure they understand the importance of doing things the right way, and the consequence of not.

And I don't want top performance reserved for check rides - I want it, and you expect it, every time you get in an airplane.

I've noted often that nobody ever lands wheels up twice. I'd suggest that the right touch of experience transfer and mentoring might prevent it from happening the first time. And programs like "ASAP" provide another vehicle for pilots to educate all of us, including their peers on even "bad experiences" so we all learn what from what would likely otherwise just be buried.

Let's spend a bit of time looking forward to modernization and NextGen. We have enough aeronautical folks here that understand aviation's basics. To fly, lift overcomes gravity and thrust overcomes drag. Simply put, we need thrust to overcome drag. That's a message for the people who complain that we need modernization now and then they criticize NextGen, the very plan that will deliver modernization. You can't have it both ways. But the naysayers and their conflicting agendas keep getting in the way of progress. They are drag folks, but we need thrust, and lots of it - we need everyone on board and pulling. We need to convince a lot of people, we have to refine a great deal of technology, write technical standards, build a lot of equipment, equip a nationwide fleet of aircraft, design procedures to utilize the new technology and train literally hundreds of thousands of people to use the new systems safely.

And let me be the one to break it to you - that's not going to happen unless we have a consensus of expectations on our goals and the political will with a commitment to work together to get there.

Likewise, we need to use lift to overcome gravity. In this case, lift is money, and the lack of funding for both the system funding and the aircraft equipage is going to pull us down just like gravity. The longer we take to implement, the longer we don't gain the benefits of our technology.

As an industry, we have to work together to create this financial lift. We need to convince Congress and the American public that it is worth the investment - the lift - that we need to accelerate NextGen so that we all gain the benefit of the investment. But as long as the divisive sideshows continue - gravity wins.

The gains are clear and they are there, but we just haven't done a very good job of explaining the benefits to all involved. For general aviation, information delivery, enhanced traffic awareness and the thousands of new approaches that become available. For everyday folks who might fly only once a year, but they still get their Ebay purchases and those Amazon.com books overnight. And the folks that live around all of our major airports and the carbon reductions they will benefit from - all of them have a beneficial stake in NextGen, but we need to deliver the message to them.

The problem pilots face with loss of lift is that you have to put the nose down to pick up speed to get that lift back. At 10,000 feet, this is not a big deal. At one thousand feet, it becomes a very big deal. That's that "power curve" thing again. With the stops and starts this agency has had with modernization over the years, we've been too close to a thousand feet too often. I'm not saying that this is insurmountable, but at some point, we've got to pick a course and stick with it. When the RTCA came back with its list of recommendations, as approved by industry, I view that as the green light. As I've said before, it's not going to get any greener. The President, the Secretary, this administration, they're very clear in that they want this thing done. And as a pilot, and a passenger, and a taxpayer, I do too.

As we put the parochial agendas aside, and as we work together, we will see a return on the investment.

On the FAA's part, as we unveil new technology and procedures, we must demonstrate benefits in real time. Projections are great. Forecasts are helpful. But there's nothing quite like the ability to say that you sliced 30 seconds of taxi-time at LAX or Hartsfield to really make your point. The only way we're going to continue to sell NextGen is by getting away from concepts and getting into real savings, real efficiencies, real numbers that cut right to the bottom line.

I think we're on the way, and I think we have our industry to thank for helping us get there. As a matter of fact, the agency just declared initial operating capability for ADS-B air traffic separation services in Louisville. This means controllers at Louisville TRACON are seeing ADS-B on their scopes. This is a major milestone that took just about four years of planning and hard work. With this declaration, the FAA will start to see gains in safety and efficiency. As a foundation for future NextGen capabilities, ERAM is showing that it can handle the demands of a 24-hour test in Salt Lake. It is clear progress in our effort to replace the backbone of the NAS with a system that was designed to support NextGen. Performance-based navigation is saving fuel, reducing delay, and cutting emissions at numerous airports across the country.

To my mind, the only question that remains is whether or not all of us will provide the thrust and the lift to get things right. Knowing you as I do, I'm sure we can. Thank you.