Agency Wins Collier Trophy for New Technology
The 2007 Robert J. Collier Trophy
Awarded by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), the Collier Trophy has been given to a list of legendary aviators, including Orville Wright; aviation pioneers Glenn H. Curtiss, Glenn L. Martin and Donald W. Douglas; and Neil Armstrong.
Add to that list the name of Paul Fontaine, manager of FAA's advanced technologies development and prototyping group, who led more than 100 members of the ADS-B program in the research and development of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) from 1999 to 2005.
The Collier Award caps 12 years of work on the ADS-B project. Simply put, this award is one of FAA's single biggest technology achievements. Established in 1911, the Collier Trophy is awarded for "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year."
ADS-B is the cornerstone of the agency's NextGen plan to transform the air traffic control system. ADS-B sends weather, traffic, and airspace information to airplane cockpits. It will provide significantly more cost-effective performance with higher accuracy, integrity, and update rates than regular radar.
"ADS-B is a ground-breaking effort for next-generation airborne surveillance and cockpit avionics," said NAA Chairman and Collier Selection Committee Chairman Walter Boyne. "Its implementation will have a broad impact on the safety, capacity and efficiency of the national airspace system."
The ADS-B program benefited from wide industry participation, including: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Air Line Pilots Association; Alaskan Aviation Coordination Council; ACSS; Cargo Airline Association; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; FAA's Capstone Program Office, Office of Aviation Safety, Safe Flight 21 Program Office, Surveillance and Broadcast Services Office, and William J. Hughes Technical Center; GARMIN AT, Inc.; Independent Pilots Association; Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions; MITRE Corporation; NASA's Ames Research Center and Langley Research Center; RTCA's Special Committee and ADS-B Working Group; Sensis, Inc.; University of Alaska, Aviation Technology; and UPS.
The ADS-B Team beat out impressive competition, including teams for the Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X, Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), Epic Air Team Very Light Jet, Airbus A380, and the Air Force Space Command's Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) Development, Test and On-Orbit Operations Team.
The Collier Trophy will be awarded at a formal dinner on Thursday, June 12, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.
The National Aeronautic Association is the oldest national aviation organization in the United States. It is "dedicated to the advancement of the art, sport and science of aviation in the United States." Its membership comprises thousands of individuals and dozens of organizations representing all segments of American aviation, from skydiving and models to commercial airlines and military fighters.
