The FAA is, by its very nature, an optimistic organization, always taking care of the present while always thinking of the future. We used to think we were among the very best at these things. Then I found out a little more about the history of the Royal Aeronautical Society, an organization so optimistic and forward thinking, that they were created almost 40 years prior to the advent of powered, heavier than air flight.

This begs the question: What were you talking about for all those years?

Obviously we know that the story of aviation would have been delayed if not for extensive research, both theoretical and practical, by organizations such as this society. It might have taken many more years before a couple of Ohio bicycle mechanics applied and adapted the lessons of their predecessors, and then through their own diligent research, finally took to the air.

The Wright Brothers had a tenacious, if fairly odd partnership. I say odd because they devoted themselves to their work, never marrying and only once flying together to ensure the work would always continue. I mention this because to this day, partnerships, agreements and cooperation are how we ensure continued success in the smooth and safe operation of airspace around the world.

These partnerships take many forms, between the FAA and other Governments, and between the FAA and the various facets of the aviation industry. I note we have representatives from Airbus and Boeing in the audience today, as well as executives from industries representing everything from avionics to petroleum.

Bilateral agreements made across the Atlantic between the FAA and European Union – and its individual member states – have become the bedrock of aviation policy for other regions around the world. They are made with the advice and oversight of the International Civil Aviation Authority, and have ensured smooth and unfettered transition of flights between the airspace of various nations.

In fact, our trans-Atlantic partnership can be safely said to lead the way in regulatory affairs, in issues of certification and in aviation standards. Across the board, agreements with the EU and its member states have not only paid dividends to the countries directly involved, but also with air transport and traffic systems worldwide.

Our cooperative efforts have made all of our systems better. This is very significant because we all have a stake in safety. The importance of the NAT – the North Atlantic Tracks – can be seen in just two numbers. Each day, some 2,000 aircraft traverse the North Atlantic between our two continents.  By comparison, only 1,300 or so flights that fly coast-to-coast across the United States each day – as if you could even use a word like “only” when talking about that magnitude of activity.

We are in an unparalleled period of aviation safety. The United States has experienced zero commercial fatalities this decade due to aircraft failures. That’s while moving 750 million passengers a year. It would be impossible to fairly distribute the credit for these results in an equitable fashion, but on the grand scale these results are the ongoing process of government and industry working together to use data to identify and mitigate risk.

Although those are excellent results, they are laurels that should never be rested on. Like all of you, the FAA is always looking to improve the safety of our National Airspace System. Our significant success in completing key components of our NextGen air traffic modernization, including new automation systems like ERAM and a new surveillance system we call ADS-B, are making the future of flying safer, more efficient and more ecologically sound than ever.

NextGen is the transition from ground based air traffic control to a satellite-based system in which information previously restricted to ground controllers will now be shared with flight crews as well.

The list of advantages this system offers is extensive. Imagine being able to reduce congestion while simultaneously increasing the number of airplanes in the air. I know the thought of unraveling traffic congestion is exciting for anyone who lives in or near London – or Washington, D.C., for that matter. I think this applies to traffic on the streets or in the air.

The implementation of NextGen is another example of the benefits from our close relationship with Europe. The program is not only designed to increase the efficiency of the U.S. airspace, but also to dovetail neatly with Europe’s air traffic modernization program, SESAR.

NextGen is the foundation of the FAA’s foreseeable future. ERAM, or the En Route Automation Modernization system, is the computer system that makes it work. This program to replace a 40-year-old computer system was, to say the least, challenging, complex and rife with issues.

Nevertheless, we are proud of the capabilities of ERAM, and in those of TAMR, its low-altitude equivalent. The flexibility to reroute airplanes – and handle more flights simultaneously – is essential. I know our British partners at UKNATS are equally proud of their accomplishments in ensuring the safety and efficiency of the UK’s busy airspace.

For the FAA, an interesting challenge is the transition between old and new systems without slowing or stopping operations. In other words, we are changing the walls and foundations of a building while keeping the roof in the air at all times.

While we take pride in these advances, the FAA takes care to avoid over-regulation. We understand the essential need to balance legislation with voluntary efforts. The goal is to maintain an unfettered market place without compromising safety.

An example of this is ADS-B – an essential piece of GPS-based equipment essential for all aircraft operating in controlled airspace, no matter whether it’s a Boeing or a Piper or Cessna. When this equipment was initially mandated by the FAA, it is fair to say opinions became heated in the General Aviation community, mostly because about the expense of buying and installing the technology in individual planes.

As time has gone by, however, demand has increased, more manufacturers have come online and prices have dropped significantly to under $2,000. We are encouraging pilots to install this equipment now, to take advantage of its capabilities well before the 2020 deadline.

As we all know, running a safe aviation system means more than controlling air traffic. Regulators and operators alike must continually look for ways to improve safety, even when your current state is something you dreamed about only a few short years ago.

At the FAA, we recently embarked on an evolution in the way we work with those we regulate. Our goal is to strengthen the bonds between agency and operators, to encourage the voluntary compliance with the highest safety and regulatory standards. If there is a failing, whether human or mechanical, we want to know about it, to learn from it and make the changes necessary to prevent it from happening again.

We know this approach works. The Commercial Aviation Safety Team successfully reduced the risk of fatalities in U.S. commercial aviation by 80 percent over 10 years by using voluntarily reported data. Today, we are all moving toward Safety Management Systems.

In exchange for this knowledge, and in the absence of repeat failures or deviation from regulatory standards, the FAA under a new Compliance Philosophy is willing to use remedial solutions rather than enforcement. The FAA wants to learn from mistakes, not have people too afraid to inform us of them in the first place. 

The concept of self-examination is not restricted to manufacturers or airlines. The FAA took the opportunity to look at itself and its certification process. We were concerned that our complex regulations might potentially stifle innovation. Airworthiness certification is still an essential part of our job, and we are looking forward to the advent of what many in the industry believe will be an improvement in the way we certify smaller aircraft.

Over the years the original certification process became complicated and cumbersome. It arguably restricted the possibility of finding innovative ways for manufacturers to improve their products. With extensive feedback from industry and stakeholders, we are drafting a rule incorporating safety innovation flexibility.

The FAA will define safety and airworthiness parameters, thus giving designers a goal without telling them how to get there. As long as results meet the new requirements, industry can make extensive use of the latest designs, materials, and technology. 

Systems such as NextGen and the modernization of commercial fleets have brought significant advantages to air travel.  But with every step forward we sometimes encounter a new crack in the sidewalk.

Before our latest en route computer system was installed, airplanes were further apart and were fanned out over a larger area due to the lack of precision with the previous technology. Under NextGen, these flights are now following very precise tracks that can concentrate traffic over confined areas. The FAA is committed to working with local communities to minimize negative effects, even as we continue to believe in the safety and economic benefits of moving ahead.

We also face the issues brought on by population density. While it is rational to wish to increase airport infrastructure closest to areas where the most people live, it is difficult to build in these communities precisely because they are high population areas. This is a classic Catch 22 that has caused the “more runways or more airports” argument to be complicated on both sides of the Atlantic.

While the growth and modernization of infrastructure on both sides of the Atlantic is important for both our corporate partners and national partners such as the United Kingdom, money and funding have an important part to play in the equation.

In the United States, some have proposed privatizing air traffic control as a way to alleviate the uncertainties caused by the lack of reliable funding. Regardless of the outcome of these discussions, we all agree that consistent funding is vital if we are to stay on schedule with our much-needed modernization program. 

Another challenge facing the FAA is the safe integration of Unmanned Aircraft. This is the first time in aviation history so many operators have suddenly appeared in our National Airspace System. While we welcome them, and are working to integrate them, we realize most of them have little knowledge of aviation or our rules and regulations.

Pilot reports of encounters on both sides of the Atlantic, of drones over crowded environments, and being unsafely flown at altitudes as high as 10,000 feet, have lately become a staple of the media. In the United States, reports of drones interfering with forest fire fighting, crashing at the U.S. Open Tennis tournament, or being seen by pilots in the vicinity of other aircraft and airports, have become headline news.

We want people to enjoy their hobby, but we want to make sure they fly safely. Education has been our preferred method for successfully integrating unmanned aircraft operators. How we educate becomes the next question, and we have found solutions by using all available avenues to reach potential operators. We are using traditional and social media, as well as working with local, state and Federal agencies. We have partnered with several manufacturers, all of whom have chosen to include safety literature in their packaging.

Campaigns such as “Know Before You Fly” and the setting up of “No Drone Zones” – most obviously over Washington, D.C., and over professional sporting events – have all paid dividends. This week, (Sept. 14) we began reaching a new and broader audience after working with the San Francisco 49ers NFL football team to air a drone safety public service announcement on their scoreboard during games. We hope to expand this type of outreach in the coming months.

Although we prefer voluntary compliance, enforcement has to go hand-in-hand with education. We have given law enforcement agencies information about regulations governing unsafe flights, in the hope they can prevent the unintended consequences of a careless or negligent operator. 

I believe we are entering a new Golden Age in aviation, this time based on efficiency, economy and with an acknowledgement to follow increasingly ecological balanced decisions. On one hand, manufacturers have created incredibly safe products and are always looking to find advances in everything from materials technology to software. On the other, the airspace is capable of safely and efficiently moving more of those planes faster, along shorter routes.

Although we can take a moment to enjoy where we are, we should never stop asking ourselves, “what’s next?” and considering new ways to continually improve.

We began today talking about partnerships, and I should have mentioned the Aeronautical Society. You have branches in 100 countries. Your members are from every possible discipline in aviation. For close to a century and a half, you have been a clearinghouse of information and innovation. This is the very definition of cooperative behavior, working together with common purpose for common goals.

This has been one of the great pleasures of working at the FAA. The goal of the FAA is safety, and all our partners – whether in manufacturing, in the airline business or in our European counterparts – have the same goals in mind.

How we do things will constantly change; why we do them will never change. And when we succeed, it will be together.

Thank you, and now I would be pleased to take any questions.