Thank you, Rick (Leach, President of Compass Airlines) for that kind introduction. I just toured the exhibit hall and was impressed with the next generation aircraft, engine technology and avionics on display. In spending just a few quick minutes in the hall today, you see the industry is going through significant technological transformation. As you all know, we are moving into the Next Generation air transportation system.

We're moving from the ground-based navigation of the last century to the satellite-based system of tomorrow. So it's a very challenging time for us in aviation.

And we are moving towards an aviation system that will be even safer, more efficient and environmentally sustainable - one that will have more direct routes, fewer delays and more predictability.

It's not just here in the United States. The entire world is changing the way we handle air traffic.

As we make this transformation, with new technology, new aircraft and new procedures, and a re-energized workforce, we need to focus on how we can use new techniques to make the system even safer and smarter.

The industry has a fabulous safety record, but we all know that we cannot rest on our laurels.

We are moving from a system of accident investigation and forensic study, to a proactive analysis of data. We want to understand what might happen so that we can make changes to address safety risks that might be out there. That's a smarter way of doing business.

And we plan to address this in a variety of ways. We want operators to establish Safety Management Systems. This is how we find out where problems might exist, and how we catch errors, and ultimately how we improve safety. At the FAA we are already using SMS in our Air Traffic Organization and are extending it to other areas throughout the agency.

The aviation industry has always been a leader in using data to analyze risk. And I must take a moment here to thank all of you at RAA for your excellent response to our Call to Action in 2009. At that time, we asked you to institute voluntary reporting programs like ASAP - the Aviation Safety Action Program -and you did. Now all of your Part 121 U.S. airline members have instituted ASAP. That is 100 percent participation. That's incredibly impressive as an industry. This program is so important to collecting safety information that otherwise would probably not come to light. We rely on individuals to report errors and safety-related information, and they do so with reasonable protection from company discipline or FAA enforcement.

I urge everyone to institute FOQA - Flight Operational Quality Assurance - as well. I know I may be preaching to the converted with RAA members, however, there's still room to improve and for more regional airlines to institute FOQA. It's an important and very useful program.

The great thing about these programs and databases is that they provide us all the ability to work collaboratively to analyze data across different operators and different types of employees in the aviation industry.

Our goal is simple. It's to understand the behavior and correct it in a way that will enhance the safety culture that we all value.

At the FAA we have created similar safety databases, based on non-punitive reporting for air traffic controllers and for those who repair equipment in our national airspace sytem.

These kinds of databases help us all continuously improve training, so aviation professionals are equipped to handle a wide variety of different situations. This is one of the ways we are being more collaborative and much smarter about how we advance the cause of safety.

Another avenue is through improving pilot training and also pilot qualifications. And also through recognizing and combatting pilot fatigue.

In the last three years-more than two billion people have flown on U.S. commercial aircraft without a single fatal accident.

In large part, that's because of the efforts across the aviation industry - thanks to thousands of dedicated pilots, maintenance personnel, airport operators, air traffic controllers, FAA inspectors and technical specialists.

Our goal is to maintain this safety record but also to improve upon it. Now is not the time to become complacent. Instead, we all have to remain extremely vigilant. America expects precision and perfection from the aviation industry, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

One area we have addressed head-on is the issue of pilot fatigue. Late last year we issued the landmark rule on pilot fatigue that ensures pilots have a longer opportunity for rest before they enter the cockpit. It also ensures that work schedules are based on the latest fatigue science.

Combatting fatigue in the cockpit is the obligation of both airlines and pilots, and they need to do it by working together. Every pilot has a personal responsibility to arrive at work fit for duty. The new rule gives pilots enough time to get the rest they really need.

Many RAA members are very familiar with the rules we are also working on for pilot training and qualification -you have served on the rulemaking committees. So I want to thank you for your service and I want to thank you for your participation as we work to enhance safety in every way we can.

The FAA has focused a lot of energy on enhancing both the certification and qualification for our airline crew members.

As you know, we are raising the baseline qualifications for first officers who fly for U.S. passenger and U.S. cargo airlines. The proposed rule, which we introduced in February, would require first officers to hold an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, which is the highest pilot certificate available.

Not only do we want to require that certificate, but we propose to increase the training to achieve it. For example, we believe that it's necessary to have both academic and flight training in critical operating skills. This includes learning more about high altitude aero-dynamics, handling stalls and upsets and knowing how to perform in multi-pilot operations.

I understand that RAA members are already adding the training needed for an ATP certificate to their training programs. That is good news. The ATP requirement goes into effect in August of 2013, regardless of any rulemaking action by the FAA. So that means it will go into effect in little over a year.

We are also proposing to increase the experience to become the captain of a U.S. passenger or cargo airline. You would need at least 1000 hours in multi-crew air carrier operations before upgrading to captain. This would not include flights such as crop dusting or banner towing - but actual air carrier experience.

Later in the conference, John Duncan of the FAA will discuss this topic of how to recruit more young people into the aviation industry and ways to accrue the necessary hours. And we've had a lot of conversations about whether these changes will affect the shortage of aviation professionals in the future. That's a big question, and we have to resolve it in a way that allows us to maintain the highest levels of safety.

Once these crew members are hired, we also want to ensure that the baseline training they receive is updated and applicable to the types of environments they are going to face in their jobs.

We are working on a final rule for pilot and crew training that will improve safety. It would require pilots to demonstrate their skills in real scenarios - situations that they might encounter in the cockpit.

Of course, many of you are familiar with AQP, the Advanced Qualification Program. This is a voluntary, FAA crew member training program which incorporates many of the safety enhancements in this proposed rule. I know many of you have benefitted from this kind of training and we want everyone to be able to do so.

The FAA has consistently issued strong training guidance to carriers. But this proposed rule does represent the most significant overhaul of crew training in the last 20 years.

This is a major effort to strengthen the performance of pilots, flight attendants and dispatchers through better training.

The difference is, though, rather than have a pilot execute a recovery in a highly choreographed event, the new training will be conducted as if they were actually on a flight.

Today's operating environment is incredibly complex and we must ensure that training and knowledge are applied to real life situations. Not only do we want the flight crews to show us they have mastered individual skills, we want them to demonstrate that they can apply those skills in real world situations.

And those real world situations are always changing in a dynamic industry like ours. We are constantly learning more about flight and improving the way we fly.

It will take all of us working together as an aviation industry to continue to enhance safety in an industry that is already very, very safe. But we are making progress. I want to thank you for your efforts to encourage an open safety culture where everyone can talk about safety concerns in a constructive way. And thank you for your professionalism in doing the job the right way, every day.

Thank you very much.

May 18-Check out the FAA's new child safety website and information toolkit.

• FAA News Release
• Secretary LaHood's Fast Lane Blog
• Child Safety Website

Over the last century, GA airports have evolved from unpaved landing strips to aviation hubs. This in-depth analysis highlights the pivotal role GA airports play in our society, economy, and the entire aviation system. The FAA has conducted previous commercial service airport studies, and now has analyzed both aviation segments with the completion of this GA study.

This strategic tool will help the FAA, state aeronautical agencies, and airport sponsors make planning decisions. The FAA worked with aviation-industry stakeholders including state aeronautical agencies, aviation associations, aviation user groups, airport directors, airport authorities, airport planners, academia, other federal agencies, and local councils of government.

GA airports can serve many different functions and advance the public interest, ensuring that Americans nationwide have access to medical flights, search and rescue, disaster relief, aerial firefighting, law enforcement, community access, commercial and industrial activity, flight instruction, and air cargo. The study also aligns the 2,455 GA airports based on their existing activity levels - national, regional, local, and basic.

The categories reflect the current aviation activity at the airport, such as the number and type of based aircraft, number of passenger boardings, and the type of flights.

• national airports give communities access to national and international markets
• regional airports connect communities to statewide and interstate markets
• local airports provide access to intrastate and interstate markets
• basic airports link communities with the national airport system and support general aviation activities

The FAA plans to further study some GA airports to better understand their role. The FAA will begin working in the fall of 2012 with airport sponsors and state aeronautic divisions to identify the activities these 497 airports support, and how they serve the public interest.

The study does not affect an airport sponsors' eligibility to receive federal funding, and does not remove any airports from the federal five-year planning document called the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

The FAA will incorporate findings of the study into existing GA airport guidance. The United States has the largest and most diverse network of airports in the world and general aviation is a critical component. GA airports do more than relieve congestion at other airports, and in 2009 contributed $38.8 billion to the economy.

• FAA Press Release
• Secretary LaHood's Fast Lane Blog
• Child Safety Website

Thank you very much, Bob (Bergman), for that very kind introduction. It's a pleasure to be here among so many people who are devoted to aviation and the spirit of innovation and also the spirit of partnership and collaboration that characterize our industry. It's really great to be here.

In the past few days, newspapers across the country have published stories celebrating the life of an aviation pioneer-Evelyn Bryan Johnson. She died on May 10th at the age of 102 years old. During her illustrious career she served as a flight instructor, an airport manager, a tour operator and, yes, as an FAA pilot examiner. But her real accomplishment is that she flew 57,635 hours, more than any other woman in history-and the second most of any human being. That's about six-and-a-half years in the air. It's no wonder they called her "Mama Bird."

Evelyn Johnson was a real pioneer who had a front row seat to watch the meteoric growth of aviation and its dramatic evolution. During her life, aviation progressed from bon fires to beacons and from propellers to jet engines. It was a time of tremendous discovery and innovation.

When Evelyn was just a child, an important milestone took place in aviation history. Today, May 15th, is the anniversary of that milestone. It was on this day in 1918 when the first official air mail route was flown in the United States. This story is less about technology and more about collaboration.

Because you see, the Post Office and the U.S. Army Air Service established an air mail route between New York and Washington, D.C. with a stop in Philadelphia.

The pilots flew two-seat, bi-planes - the Curtiss Jenny.

It was a less than auspicious beginning.

One of the pilots was handed a map and told to follow the railroad tracks from Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia. He barely cleared the trees, then he got lost. Finally, he landed in a farm in Maryland, and he flipped over. The other pilots found their way and they were able to deliver the mail that day.

It took a great deal of collaboration among many different entities to launch and continue air mail service in the United States. It was not perfect at first, but they stuck with it and ultimately they were successful.

Innovation and collaboration - those are two of the most important elements that fueled aviation in its first century. And it's going to take a great deal of both as we define the second century of flight.

This is an historic time in aviation.

If you stop and think about it, it's amazing how far we've come since the Wright brothers made their historic flight. Our industry is all about overcoming obstacles to achieve what no one thought was possible.

What we do over the next several years is going to affect the air transportation system in this country for decades to come. That's why it is critical that the FAA, other government agencies, and all the various components of the industry work together innovatively and collaboratively as we lay the foundation for the future.

I am honored that President Obama has nominated me to lead this great agency as we undertake this challenge. And I remain squarely focused on our top mission: ensuring the safety of our nation's aviation system for the traveling public.

The technology we use today is very safe, but it limits our ability to grow efficiently. We must move to the greater safety and efficiency we will achieve through the precision of GPS. The whole world is going in this direction and we need to create templates for others to follow.

All of us here have to work together to make decisions about how we are going to harness the greater safety and efficiency of new technology. And all of this is happening at a time of great change for the economy, for our society, and for the environment.

At the FAA, I've asked our leadership team to focus on three main areas as we face the challenges ahead.

• Number one, is making the safest aviation system in the world even safer and smarter, and I put the emphasis on smarter.
• Number two, is accelerating the benefits of new technology-and here I have really emphasized benefits for the public now.
• And number three, is making sure that we empower our employees to embrace innovation and to work efficiently.

We have a lot to build on:

We issued a landmark rule to address pilot fatigue.

We have made great strides in our relationship with our labor unions.

And Congress has passed, and the President has signed, a long-term reauthorization that put an end to four-and-half-years of stop-gap funding measures.

All of this is excellent progress. We created a vision for what aviation would look like in the year 2025 and we are sticking with the vision and the plans that will get us there.

But we at the FAA cannot do it alone.

As I mentioned, we are at a pivotal time in aviation. We are moving from radar to satellites, from radios to data messages and from airways that zig-zag the country to more direct routes.

So first, we need to focus on how we can use new techniques to make the safest system even safer and smarter.

When you think about the progress we've made in safety since Evelyn Johnson began flying in 1944, it's tremendously impressive. The industry has a great safety record, but we cannot rest on our laurels.

We are moving from a system of accident investigation and forensic study, to a proactive analysis of data. We want to understand what might happen so that we can make changes to address safety risks. That's a smarter way of doing business.

And we plan to address this in a variety of ways. We want operators to establish Safety Management Systems. This is how we find out where problems exist, and how we catch errors and improve safety. At the FAA we are already using SMS in our Air Traffic Organization and we will extend it to other areas within the agency.

The aviation industry is a leader in using data to analyze risk. We have several safety programs that are based on individuals who report errors and safety-related information. They do so with reasonable protection from company discipline or FAA enforcement.

The result is an abundance of safety information that otherwise would probably not come to light-and the ability to work collaboratively to analyze it across different operators and different types of employees in the aviation industry.

Our goal is to understand the behavior and correct it, to enhance our safety culture.

At the FAA we have created similar safety databases, based on non-punitive reporting for air traffic controllers and for those who repair our equipment.

These kinds of databases help us all continuously improve training, so employees are equipped to handle a wide variety of situations. This is one of the ways we are being more collaborative and much smarter about how we achieve safety.

While making our system safer, we also want to integrate new technology into our day-to-day operations.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems are cutting edge technology and we are committed to safely integrating them into our national air space. There is a lot of interest in unmanned aircraft and a lot of work to do. We are identifying six test ranges that will support integration of UAS. And wecontinue working on a rule for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Now the direction we received from Congress is to safely integrate such systems into our air space, and we will do just that.

Unmanned aircraft are one of the many areas where we are developing new rules and procedures to change our airspace.

And we are changing our airspace. The Next Generation air transportation system is happening now. And a transformation as large as NextGen requires both innovation and collaboration on even greater levels than we have ever seen.

We're making progress on an important NextGen capability by collaborating with industry to test how we move towards greater reliance on data communications.Data Comm is critical to the evolution of our airspace. It is essential to the successful implementation of NextGen. It is about safety, speed and efficiency.

Data Comm initially will provide departure clearances for aircraft, which will appear as text on a screen, rather than spoken words over the radio.It saves time and improves safety, especially when bad weather slows operations. It will extend to other uses as we move forward.

Now we plan to test Data Comm at three sites within the next year. We'll test in Memphis with FedEx, Newark with United, and Atlanta with Delta. This collaboration between the FAA and the airlines is the kind of public-private partnership that will move us forward.

Another example of how we are collaborating now to bring benefits to the public as soon as possible is the Metroplex initiative. This program shows what happens when we encourage our employees to think out of the box and come up with innovative solutions.

We know we need to improve the efficiency of airspace above congested metropolitan areas. To do this, several offices within the FAA worked extensively with the aviation community to design precise GPS routes that will accelerate benefits.

We are breaking down the stovepipes in this agency. Right now, air space designers and environmental specialists are working together, simultaneously, on these new navigation procedures. The environmental folks weigh in early and often, and the process is moving along much faster than it otherwise would. We have empowered our employees to change the way they work and to collaborate.

We have airlines, airports, labor unions and other partners sitting at the same table, all of us working together toward a common objective.

We are making changes to our airspace in three years that would normally take five to 10 years to complete under our old way of doing business.

The result is that we are creating new, more direct routes across the country that will relieve bottlenecks and congestion. These routes will improve safety and efficiency, and foster the flow of commerce. We are making great progress in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, California, north Texas and right here in metropolitan Washington, D.C. And more regions will follow.

In these metro areas alone, we expect to see significant benefits. Satellite-based navigation is expected to cut a total of seven million nautical miles from flight plans around these cities each year. These shorter routes, together with gradual descents that cut back on engine power, are projected to save at least 22 million gallons of fuel. For these cities, that's a total reduction in carbon emissions of 220,000 metric tons. That's like taking more than 43,000 cars off the streets.

When we deconflict the airspace around a large metro area it also helps general aviation because it clears the way for better access to GA airports. We are designing new satellite-based procedures and separate flight tracks for reliever airports. GA pilots can bypass busy hubs, enjoy the skies and fly where they need to go.

This is all thanks to NextGen.

We're also taking a much more inclusive look at aviation infrastructure in this country. We have worked with a number of the organizations in this room to complete a report on general aviation airports. The report highlights the major aeronautical functions that GA airports support. And these functions are critical to the health and wealth of the American people.

Whether it's helping to relieve congestion at a major hub or providing better access to a rural airport, NextGen is one of the largest infrastructure initiatives underway in the United States today. It is transforming our aviation system and it is transforming the way we do business.

It's an ambitious agenda. And we know our record for large acquisition programs has been mixed, but we have learned from our experience. We've put in place formal metrics to track and evaluate NextGen milestones to ensure that we have the appropriate management and oversight.

We have established a new organization specifically focused on implementing major technology programs. This will strengthen and improve the coordination among NextGen initiatives, ushering them from the drawing board to live operation. And our NextGen team will ensure that at the enterprise level, we are fully integrated, engaged and ready to deliver 21^st century benefits to the flying public.

We are embracing some major technological changes that will improve our airspace, but we cannot lose sight of the important role that our people play in making all of this happen. What will make us successful is empowering our employees to work creatively and to build a solid future. We have to leverage the innovation, the inspiration, and the creativity of people not just in the FAA, but across the entire aviation industry.

If you think back to nearly 100 years ago, two different agencies worked together to move mail by air for the first time. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. It changed the way we communicate and as a result, drew our country closer together.

We've witnessed an amazing number of aviation milestones since "Mama Bird" Johnson soloed her Piper J-3 Cub. It's almost mind-boggling to think how much transformation occurred in just one aviator's lifetime. It's all thanks to the innovative efforts and creative thinking from all corners of the aviation industry.

Now we are transforming our entire airspace to take advantage of the technologies of the future. It won't be easy, but we can't afford to forego the enhanced accuracy, safety and efficiency these new technologies will bring. NextGen is the way of the future. We are building a new and even safer way to fly. And we will need to work together to make this change.

Henry Ford said it well, "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success."

None of us can do it alone, but together, we can, and we will, lift our aviation system to new heights.

"Mama Bird" would be very proud indeed.

Thank you very much.

Most recently, the agency has been working to ensure the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the NAS. The FAA's sole mission and authority as it focuses on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety.

Already, the agency has achieved the first unmanned aircraft systems milestone included in the 2012 FAA reauthorization - streamlining the process for public agencies to safely fly UAS in the nation's airspace.

Federal, state and local government entities must obtain an FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) before flying UAS in the NAS. Now, under the FAA Reauthorization bill, the agency must to find a way to expedite that COA process within 90 days of enactment, which is May 14, 2012.

The COA Process
The FAA has been working with its government partners to streamline COA procedures as part of the effort to ensure UAS are safely integrated into the NAS. In 2009, the FAA, NASA and the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security formed a UAS Executive Committee, or "ExCom" to address UAS integration issues. The ExCom established a working group that developed suggestions to expedite the COA process and increase transparency into those activities.

The FAA implemented recommendations, including establishing metrics for tracking COAs throughout the process and improving the on-time rate for granting an authorization.

The agency also developed an automated, web-based process to streamline steps and ensure a COA application is complete and ready for review. The agency already has expedited procedures in place to grant one-time COAs for time-sensitive emergency missions such as disaster relief and humanitarian efforts.

Starting on March 29, 2012 the FAA introduced another improvement by changing the length of authorization from the current 12-month period to 24 months.

If the FAA disapproves a COA, the agency quickly addresses questions from the applicant and tries to provide alternative solutions that will lead to approval.

First Responders
Another part of the reauthorization bill directed the FAA to "allow a government public safety agency to operate unmanned aircraft weighing 4.4 pounds or less" under certain restrictions. The bill further specifies these UAS must be flown within the line of sight of the operator, less than 400 feet above the ground, during daylight conditions, inside Class G (uncontrolled) airspace and more than five miles from any airport or other location with aviation activities.

The FAA and the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice have established an agreement that meets the congressional mandate. Initially, law enforcement organizations will receive a COA for training and performance evaluation. When the organization has shown proficiency in flying its UAS, it will receive an operational COA. The agreement also expands the allowable UAS weight up to 25 pounds.

A New Office for New Technology
The FAA continues to move aggressively toward the safe, timely and efficient integration of UAS into the nation's air transportation system. In March 2012, the agency created a new UAS Integration office, headed by a single executive, which brings together specialists from the aviation safety and air traffic organizations. The office serves as the FAA's one-stop portal for all matters related to civil and public use of unmanned aircraft systems in U.S. airspace.

Upcoming UAS Activities
Work for several other important milestones is underway in 2012. The FAA received more than 200 comments after asking for public input on the process for selecting six UAS test sites mandated by Congress. In July, the agency expects to request proposals to manage the test sites in order to make the selections in December. These sites are important because they will provide valuable data to us safely integrate UAS into the nation's airspace by 2015 as required by the 2012 FAA reauthorization.

And later this year, the FAA expects to release a proposed rule that will establish policies, procedures and standards for a wide spectrum of users in the small UAS community. This class of UAS will likely experience the greatest near-term growth in civil and commercial operations because of their versatility and relatively low initial cost and operating expenses.

For more on how to improve your weather knowledge, check out the new issue at: http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/.

In addition, the issue's Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons department (pg. 27) looks at the newly released versions of the Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Handbooks, and Vertically Speaking (pg. 29) reviews minimum safe altitudes and VFR weather minimum for rotorcraft operations.