Another First in Our Safety Evolution

Final As Delivered

I’m delighted to be here today to speak to the Flight Safety Foundation in person for the first time–and to have the opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work that this organization has done to improve aviation safety worldwide for almost seven decades.

When the Flight Safety Foundation formed in 1947, we were just two years removed from the end of World War II. That year, Chuck Yeager became the first pilot to exceed the speed of sound in level flight, in a rocket-propelled Bell X-1 research aircraft. The prototype of the 100-passenger Boeing 377 Stratocaster first flew. And the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Authority first began testing radar precision landing equipment at airports in Washington and Chicago.[1]

Amid these changes, commercial aviation was rapidly growing.  It barely resembled the industry it is today. Airplanes were powered by propeller-driven engines.  The cabins were loud, often filled with cigarette smoke, and subject to uncomfortable vibrations. And, sadly, deadly accidents were very, very common.

The Flight Safety Foundation set out to change that record, and, over the years, has compiled an impressive list of “firsts” in its pursuit of safety improvements.[2] The Foundation organized the first civil aviation accident investigation workshop. It sponsored the first international air safety seminar. It conducted the first collection and distribution of aircraft mechanical malfunction reports. And it conducted the first computer modeling of accident forces, which led to the improvement of passenger restraint systems.

Improving safety is an endless series of “firsts,” because improving safety is an endless evolution. Today, because the FAA and our aviation partners have embraced this evolutionary approach, airline passengers in the U.S. take safety for granted. Our aviation system has achieved a level of safety that really has no historical precedent in any mode of transportation – and there is an assumption that we will continue to set the gold standard when it comes to safety.

A key element in our approach is to constantly strive to be better. That means we have to question whether we can do things differently, to work smarter, or to work more efficiently.

Many of us know that our traditional approach to safety was to look backwards and analyze accidents after they occurred.  We determined what went wrong and tried to prevent the problem from causing the same type of accident again.

But after a troubling string of accidents in the late 1980s and 1990s, the FAA and the airline industry knew that more needed to be done.  We set an ambitious goal of reducing accidents by 80 percent. When that goal was announced, our critics questioned whether we could meet that number.

The critics had a point: The way we had been approaching the problem, it was highly unlikely that we would succeed. But it was the agency’s position that we – and by “we,” I mean the FAA and our industry partners– needed to change our thinking. We needed to evolve.

What if we started trying to identify safety problems long before they led to accidents, or even incidents? What if we started looking for hidden trends, which we all knew could be precursors to accidents? To do this, we knew we’d have to start taking advantage of information sources.

Together with the aviation industry, we formed the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, or CAST. CAST focuses on intense data analysis to detect risk and works to prevent accidents or serious incidents from happening in the first place. To be successful, we knew we would need to collect a lot of data as possible to look for trends that wouldn’t otherwise be obvious. We adopted a wide array of programs that encouraged aviation industry professionals – whether they are pilots, flight attendants, mechanics or air traffic controllers–we asked everyone to voluntarily report all safety events. The idea is that people are more likely to report events—and provide us with critical safety information—if they know that doing so will not have repercussions or jeopardize careers.

Today, we can all take credit for an amazing accomplishment: We have all but eliminated the traditional common causes of commercial accidents – controlled flight into terrain, weather, wind shear, failure to complete checklists. All told, the Commercial Aviation Safety Team reduced the risk of fatalities in U.S. commercial aviation, not by 80 percent but by 83 percent over 10 years.

But we can never be satisfied with the status quo. We know that we need to constantly and continually evolve to meet the safety challenges of tomorrow. And we recognize that the aviation environment has reached a level of complexity where we can’t achieve further safety improvements by following a purely rule-based approach.

So the FAA and industry began implementing Safety Management Systems, which are designed to identify hazards, assess the risks from those hazards, and put measures in place to mitigate those risks. This is the core of what we call our Risk-Based Decision Making Initiative.

Now we’re taking our Risk-Based Decision Making initiative to the next level through what we are calling the Compliance Philosophy.

The Compliance Philosophy is the latest  step in the evolution of how we work with those we regulate. It focuses on the most fundamental goal: find problems in the National Airspace System before they result in an incident or accident, use the most appropriate tools to fix those problems, and monitor the situation to ensure that they stay fixed.

The Compliance Philosophy recognizes that what we all want is that everyone complies with aviation’s high safety standards.  It recognizes that most operators voluntarily comply with both the rules and the core principles of a Safety Management System. It also recognizes that in today’s complex aviation environment, even the best operators make honest mistakes. But even unintentional errors can have a serious adverse impact on aviation safety, so we have to fix the problem. 

So, in cases where a deviation results from factors such as flawed procedures, simple mistakes, lack of understanding, or diminished skills, we use tools like training or documented improvements to procedures to ensure compliance.

That doesn’t mean we’re going to go easy on compliance, or that we’re ignoring minor issues, or making anyone feel they have a free pass. We still have zero tolerance for intentional reckless behavior or inappropriate risk taking. Enforcement is, and always will be, one of our tools that we will use to ensure compliance. We use the enforcement tool in the case of willful or flagrant violations, or for refusal to cooperate in corrective action.

So, the success of our Risk-Based Decision Making initiative, which includes Safety Management Systems and now the Compliance Philosophy, requires both the FAA and the aviation community to evolve in how we do business and how we interact with one another.

To find and fix safety problems, there has to be an open and transparent exchange of information and data between the FAA and industry. We don’t want operators who might inadvertently make a mistake to hide it because they have a fear of being punished. If there is a failing, whether human or mechanical, we need to know about it, to learn from it and make the changes necessary to prevent it from happening again. Again, it’s about finding the problem, fixing the problem, and making sure it stays fixed.

That open and transparent exchange of information requires mutual cooperation and trust, which can be challenging to achieve  in the traditional, enforcement-focused regulatory model.

So what specifically are we doing on the FAA side?

• We have started training for all FAA employees on the new Compliance Philosophy, with detailed “how-do-I-implement-it” training for each Line of Business.
• We are using data, not calendar dates, to determine when and where to conduct surveillance and inspections.
• We are emphasizing that we expect our employees to use critical thinking, which is essential to successful implementation of the Compliance Philosophy. We want inspectors to use their judgment, experience, expertise and qualifications to identify risk, to work with the individual or operator, and to identify the most appropriate tools needed to permanently fix the problems.  

On the industry side, success requires understanding that compliance requires going above and beyond. The FAA expects certificate holders to develop and implement risk controls that are appropriate to their operational environment. That means thinking about outcomes and performance, identifying hazards, and mitigating associated risks, and implementing practices and procedures that encourage reporting.

To get useful reporting, both regulators and operators have to understand the difference between accountability – which accepts responsibility and looks forward – and blame, which focuses on punishment for what’s already happened. With accountability, the idea is to look at the operator’s compliance attitude.

And that’s where the Compliance Philosophy is a critical part of the Risk-Based Decision Making approach.  The Compliance Philosophy recognizes that the greatest systemic safety risk arises not from a specific operational event or its outcome, but rather from the operator’s willingness and ability to comply with safety standards and to operate in accordance with the core principles of a Safety Management System.

So, we use tools like training or documented improvements to procedures to ensure compliance in cases where a deviation results from factors such as flawed procedures, simple mistakes, lack of understanding, or diminished skills. And we use the enforcement tool in the case of willful or flagrant violations, or for refusal to cooperate in corrective action.

In our continuing work to maintain the U.S. system as the gold standard for aviation safety, we start with the fundamental idea compliance is the foremost factor in safety. In all cases, the goal is to achieve rapid return to compliance, to mitigate the risk, and to ensure positive and permanent changes that benefits the aviation industry. That’s what Compliance Philosophy is all about.

As I said at the beginning, we can never relent when it comes to our pursuit of even safer skies. It is our collective responsibility to find new ways to improve, to evolve, to identify new “firsts” while making flying even safer.

Once again, I would like to thank the Flight Safety Foundation for your longstanding  commitment to continuous safety improvement. You are and will continue to be a key partner as we make flying ever safer both here and throughout the world.

Challenges and Opportunities in America’s 21st Century Aviation System

Thank you, everyone, for being here today. It’s great to be back at the NASAO Annual Convention.

At the FAA, our mission is to provide the safest, most efficient airspace system in the world.  That goal has never changed, but the way we’ve gone about accomplishing it certainly has changed.

It’s not news to anyone in this room that the aviation industry is constantly evolving. We’re operating in an uncertain funding environment that can at times make it difficult to invest in the infrastructure projects we need. New technologies are allowing us to manage air traffic more efficiently than ever – while also introducing new challenges for the airspace we manage.

Today, I’m going to tell you about how the FAA is tackling some of these challenges and opportunities as we support America’s 21^st century aviation system. Then, I look forward to answering your questions and hearing about your experiences at the state and local level.

First, I have to address one of the foremost topics on everyone’s mind: reauthorization. As you all know, the FAA’s current authorization is set to expire on September 30^th.

We’re committed to working closely with Congress to pass a long-term bill that embraces a few key principles.

Reauthorization must help us maintain our exceptional safety record by providing more opportunities to use risk-based decision-making. It should strengthen America's global leadership on aviation, while helping us integrate new users and realign our airspace system with current demands.

Reauthorization must provide further support for the modernization of our air traffic control system with stable funding for our core operations and NextGen investments. And we need to secure appropriate funding for our nation's airports.

I know each of you has a wish list of great projects you’d like to tackle at your airports, and we want to make it easier for you to get them done.

In Atlanta, for example, AIP funds are improving runway safety at DeKalb [Deh-CAB]-Peachtree Airport by constructing an Engineered Material Arresting System that can stop an aircraft if it overruns the runway. I know this is a project Carol is familiar with, and it’s a fantastic example of the type of investments we need to make more of.

We also need more flexibility in how we can draw from various funding sources. This would ensure both large and small airports have the resources they need to maintain their vital infrastructure.

Now, as Congress has gotten to work on our reauthorization bill, there’s been a lot of talk about hot topics like privatization and user fees.

We’re open to having these conversations about the structure of the FAA and our air traffic operations, as well as the best way to fund them. However, we must ensure that any potential changes provide long-term stable funding for our air traffic operation and help us maintain the safest airspace system in the world.

It’s also important to be aware of unintended consequences. For example, our ability to roll out NextGen relies on interdependencies and relationships within the agency. NextGen is more than installing technology on aircraft – it involves the close participation of our safety organization to ensure the technology is safe, and that controllers and pilots know how to use it safely.

We believe that any decision about governance must take these big-picture issues into account. As Secretary Foxx recently said, “the test will be whether we can get better outcomes under a different model than we have today – but we’re not starting from a point of disadvantage on that question.”

We’re also likely to see a debate about whether a long-term bill is possible, or if a short-term extension makes more sense.  Our position on this is clear.

Our first priority must be to avoid furloughs and interruptions in funding – because that’s no way to run the best and most complex aviation system in the world.

However, we also don’t want a return to the days before our 2012 authorization, when we had 23 short-term extensions. We need a long-term bill that lets us plan for the future and provides stable, reliable funding for the critical projects we’re supporting.

Now is the time we should be building on our momentum – not slowing it down.

Speaking of momentum, the FAA is focused on putting the Next Generation Air Transportation System in place, and we’ve made substantial progress that is delivering measurable benefits to consumers and aviation stakeholders across the country.

This spring, we delivered on a critical foundational element of NextGen by completing the installation of En Route Automation Modernization, or ERAM, in all of the 20 planned en route control centers. ERAM is a faster computer platform that replaces our legacy system, which had its roots in the 1960s. It gives us a much bigger, richer picture of our nation’s air traffic – and allows controllers to better manage flights from gate to gate.

ERAM is also extremely reliable. It has been available more than 99.99 percent of the time since we completed the nationwide rollout. On the very rare occasion that equipment is unexpectedly out of service, we're able to quickly respond to a situation using backup systems and procedures.

The benefits of ERAM can’t be understated – particularly since it enables many other critical NextGen systems. ERAM links seamlessly with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, technologies to provide more accurate, satellite-based aircraft positions. Last year, we finished the coast-to-coast installation of the ADS-B network, and ADS-B is now integrated at all of our en route centers.

ADS-B helps controllers determine aircraft locations with far greater accuracy. For pilots operating in remote areas where radar coverage is limited, this technology will make flying safer by taking the “search” out of search-and-rescue – a potentially life-saving benefit. ADS-B also brings free weather and traffic updates to the cockpit.

The full benefits of ADS-B require 100 percent equipage for aircraft flying in the designated airspace, and the FAA is committed to working with our stakeholders to ensure all aircraft are equipped by the January 1, 2020 deadline.

Fortunately, one of the most common barriers to equipage – cost – is becoming less of an issue.

A number of manufacturers are bringing to market equipment that complies with the ADS-B Out mandate, and this competition is driving prices down. Some units are now priced as low as $1,500. We hope this means we’ll see equipage rates continue to rise.

Data Communications is another technology the FAA is using to modernize the NAS and make every phase of flight more efficient. Data Comm gives air traffic controllers and pilots the ability to transmit flight plans and other essential messages with the touch of a button instead of multiple verbal communications. 

This switch from voice to text doesn’t just speed things up.  It also increases safety by reducing the chance of a read-back error while relaying information. 

Data Comm is currently being used in Newark, Memphis, Salt Lake City, and Houston.  In 2016, we’re aiming to have Data Comm in more than 50 of our air traffic control towers.

Data Comm is just one example of the FAA’s larger shift toward eliminating risk in our aviation system.

America is rightly considered the gold standard in aviation because we continually push ourselves to do more and be better.

So as aviation has become safer and less accident data is available to guide our efforts, we’ve been focusing on identifying areas of risk and mitigating them before an incident occurs.

The work we’re doing on runway safety is a great example. In June, I hosted a Call to Action on this important issue that brought together a wide range of aviation partners to discuss ways to cut down on runway incursions.

In the last decade, we’ve seen a dramatic reduction in the number of serious runway incursions, but we still haven’t entirely eliminated the problem. Even one incursion shows us that something in our system isn’t working – and that needs to be addressed.

We heard a lot of great ideas at our Runway Safety Call to Action, and we’ve identified some areas where we can make improvements to procedures, visual cues, and communications protocols. We’ll soon be distributing information throughout the FAA and to our external stakeholders so that we can develop action items that will address these issues.

We’re also partnering directly with airports through our Runway Incursion Mitigation Program to develop custom solutions for runway and taxiway intersections where the risk for an incursion is high.

As part of this shift toward risk-based decision-making, we’re also shifting our thinking on enforcement.

In our current system, safety inspectors approach every airline with the same checklist – no matter what kind of safety record it has.  Moving forward, we’ll be looking even more at data to target our inspection and surveillance on the areas of highest risk.

This doesn't mean we're letting enforcement take a back seat. We're not going to ignore safety issues, or let anyone believe they have a free pass.

Enforcement will remain an important tool for us when we find unwillingness to comply with corrections, inappropriate risk-taking, or intentional non-compliance. But we’re going to be starting from the presumption that everyone believes safety is good business and we can all unite around this common cause. Our fundamental goal is to find and fix problems before they can cause an incident.

Finally, I’d like to update you today on the actions the FAA is taking in one of the fastest changing areas of the aviation industry: unmanned aircraft.

Integrating unmanned aircraft into our airspace is a big job, and it’s one the FAA is determined to get right. In fact, we recently filled two executive-level positions that are going to build on our momentum and help us accomplish this goal.

Earlier this year, we took an important step forward by releasing a proposed rule that laid out a flexible framework for allowing the routine use of small unmanned aircraft. It included a number of common sense provisions, like not flying in restricted airspace, not flying at night, and not flying more than 500 feet off the ground. It also recommended requiring the operator to be able to see the unmanned vehicle at all times.

The FAA received more than 4,500 public comments on the proposal, and we’re working to address them before finalizing the rule. This, however, is a lengthy process – so we’re actively looking for other ways to expand the use of unmanned aircraft in the meantime. 

We continue to receive valuable information from our six national test sites, and we recently selected the Mississippi State University team as the FAA’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

We’re also accommodating requests for some commercial operations under our Section 333 exemption process.

To date, the FAA has granted more than 1,500 exemptions that allow unmanned aircraft to be used for a variety of purposes, including aerial filming, precision agriculture, and power line and flame stack inspection.

Additionally, we announced an initiative earlier this year called the Pathfinder Program. This is a public-private partnership that will help us determine how we might be able to safely expand unmanned aircraft operations beyond the parameters of our proposed rule.

Three leading U.S. companies have already signed up to be part of this program, and they have plans to explore three key types of unmanned operations.

• CNN will research how visual line-of-sight operations might be used for newsgathering in urban areas.
• PrecisionHawk, a manufacturer, is interested in surveying crops in rural areas using unmanned aircraft that are flying outside of the pilot’s direct vision.
• BNSF Railroad plans to explore the challenges of using unmanned aircraft to inspect their rail infrastructure beyond visual line-of-sight in isolated areas.

These companies are bringing their own resources to the table, and we’re open to working with more partners who are willing to invest in this type of research. We anticipate receiving valuable data from each of these trials that could result in FAA-approved operations in the next few years. 

Finally, as unmanned aircraft have become more popular, the FAA is stepping up to educate the public on how to safely and responsibly operate these devices.

Earlier this summer, we unveiled a new smartphone app called “B4UFLY.” It’s designed to be a simple, easy-to-use app that will answer a very basic safety question: is it safe and legal to fly an unmanned aircraft at a particular location? Nearly 1,000 public users are beta-testing the app now, and we hope to have an operational version ready by the end of the year.

We’ve also partnered with industry stakeholders on the “Know Before You Fly” campaign, which provides unmanned aircraft users with the ongoing, up-to-date information and guidance they need to fly safely. As part of this effort, we recently joined the National Interagency Fire Center here in Boise to remind users not to fly unmanned aircraft near wildfires, since this activity can endanger pilots and possibly delay firefighting missions.

Most recently, we partnered with the San Francisco 49ers football team to create a Public Service Announcement that is airing on the team’s scoreboard. We’re actively working to create more opportunities like this.

Additionally, we have an ongoing, nationwide “No Drone Zone” campaign. This month, we have been focusing our efforts in the cities hosting the Papal visit – Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C. We’re informing the public that they should leave their drones at home while the Pope is in town, and we’re grateful to our local law enforcement partners for their support in this effort.

All of these efforts are part of our commitment to the safety of our airspace as the unmanned aircraft industry continues to grow and evolve.

Before I wrap up and we get to your questions, I want to once again thank Carol, Greg, and everyone at NASAO for the opportunity to be here today.

I’m proud of the long history of cooperation that exists between the FAA and NASAO. Many of our efforts at the national level simply wouldn’t be possible without the help and partnership from all of you at the local level.

In a few minutes, I’ll be signing a Memorandum of Understanding that affirms NASAO’s support for the runway safety initiatives I mentioned earlier.

As we look to the future of our ever-changing industry, this type of collaboration will be more important than ever.

That’s the value of meetings like this one. They give us an opportunity to speak, to listen, and to find new and better ways to reaffirm America’s role as a global aviation leader.

Thank you. I’m happy to take a few questions.

Remarks to the Royal Aeronautical Society

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.

Meet the Administrator

Thank you JACK for that introduction.   I am very pleased to be here with you all today.

Oshkosh and the annual AirVenture event are truly the heartbeat of General Aviation in North America. This is where old friends get together each year to share and nurture the ideas that breathe new life into this community.

I want to begin by acknowledging the men and women who take such pride every year in transforming Oshkosh into the world’s busiest airport. We have to thank everyone from the pink shirts in the Tower to the West Ramp Rats. Let’s hear it for them.

Speaking of FAA staff, it’s not only the people in the Tower and Fisk Approach. We have with us several senior staff from Headquarters. They are here because General Aviation is a vital part of this country’s heritage and future – and at the FAA, GA safety is one of our top priorities. I’d like our team to stand and introduce themselves.

There are a few more people here at the front – and this is one of the best parts of being Administrator – I have the honor of recognizing them for their exceptional effort and exceptional dedication to the aviation industry. I’d like everyone to meet the 2015 National General Aviation Award Winners.  

• First up is our Certified Flight Instructor of the Year, Mary Schu from Tualitin Oregon.

• This year’s Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year is Donald Streitenberger Junior from Cincinnati Ohio.

• Your choice for Avionics Technician of the Year is Ricky Hestilow of Arlington, Texas.

• Finally, the 2015 FAA Safety Team (FAAST) Representative of the Year is Christopher Hope of Kansas City, Missouri.

These talented individuals are part of a greater community – a community including those who taught them, learned from them, or work with them. The proof is this:  all of us have chosen to honor them for their ongoing efforts.  

Whether you waggled your wings in a Cessna over the railroad tracks, or made an entrance in something slightly bigger – such as FiFi or her descendant, the B-52, you are the people making aviation a success in the United States.

You are the people the FAA is here to serve and keep safe, though some of you may not have appreciated memorizing the 32-page AirVenture NOTAM prior to arrival.

This year AirVenture falls squarely between the 70^th anniversaries of V-E day in May and V-J day in August, which marked the final day of World War Two. During the war years, our remarkable parents and grandparents built and flew some three hundred thousand aircraft. They kick started the GA community, and I am proud to see how this generation is looking after the living history of our War Birds. Nothing is ever the same after you’ve heard Packard Merlins and Pratt and Whitney Radials coming down the flight line.

Talking of the sound of classic engines, Washington D.C. was lucky enough to get a preview of Oshkosh when the country celebrated VE day with the war bird fly past down the Mall. Events like this can only happen with extensive cooperation between GA and the FAA… especially to fly over the Nation’s capitol.

During wartime, pilots put mission first. Today in the world of civil aviation, safety is first and foremost. The pilots who make it out to AirVenture are not casual about aviation; this is a passion. You have conversations with friends involving too many hand gestures; you have subscriptions to too many aviation magazines to ever read in a single month. So when we talk to you about aviation health and safety, you listen.

Medicine and aviation have had a very long relationship. In fact, physiologist Paul Bert performed the first medical tests on pilots back in 1862, 40 years before the Wright brothers. Two balloon pilots had gone up to 29,000 feet and as you might expect, caught a bad case of altitude sickness.

This is why we consider, and you believe, the Third Class Medical Certificate to be so important. We addressed the matter last year and although we are working on it, there is not yet a proposal to change the requirements.

I know this is frustrating to hear; it is frustrating to report. I know you all want to hear something definitive. But is important for you to know that we are working closely with Congress on this issue, and there is a lot of interest in Congress to provide us the authority to change the medical certification requirement. We want to make a lasting policy that will stand the test of time. We want a standard that will not require another re-think, or another process, for years to come. 

The FAA is working continuously and diligently on the proposal. This isn’t just a matter of ironing out obvious wrinkles, it’s trying to foresee where problems might occur and then define a way to forestall them. This is why we look to all interested parties, including Congress, and all stakeholders, to step forward and weigh in with their ideas and thoughts on this issue.

History keeps teaching, but we often fail to listen. Amelia Earhart said, “Trouble in the Air is very rare. It is hitting the ground that causes it.”  Those words hold as true today as they did then.

It’s because of words like these, and the far too many reports that cross the NTSB’s desk, that earlier this summer we – in cooperation with the EAA, and AOPA – started our Fly Safe public awareness campaign. One focus of the campaign is “Loss of Control.” This is a catch-all phrase that sometimes seems inadequate to the task. LOC is the last in a series of actions or decisions leading to a point, often beyond recovery, and often leading to tragedy.

At the FAA, we compile the statistics, looking at numbers in black and white, but we never forget that each number also represents flesh and blood. We want to turn the numbers around, and no method, no percentage point is too small.

Throughout the year, the Loss of Control campaign will highlight particular causes that contribute to accidents, giving pilots a chance to learn from our experience and findings. In the coming months, we will cover topics as varied as Flight Risk Assessment to survival.

What it boils down to is – you can never know enough. You should never miss an opportunity to learn, to increase situational awareness, or to find a new way to stay further ahead of the aircraft.

Aviation and equipment innovation have always gone hand in hand. During the First World War, the prevailing attitude was to not issue our pilots with parachutes. Nearly a century later, planes are being built or retrofitted with parachutes capable of supporting the entire aircraft.

In the spirit of encouraging other innovative techniques, the EAA recently announced its Founder’s Prize, throwing down a substantial challenge to its membership. The mission is to find low cost solutions that recognize and warn pilots prior to the onset of LOC incidents. Fore warned is fore armed and even seconds can avert a tragedy.

Technology doesn’t ensure safety, but it does usually enhance it. In 1931 Wiley Post flew around the world in his Lockheed Vega “Winnie Mae”. His Nav system, his backup, was the 150 odd pound navigator Harold Gatty who sat behind the fuel and the CG. Gatty communicated with Post by pulling notes back and forth on a string. In 1933 Post repeated the trip flying solo, this time using the very first Sperry auto pilot, the 75 pound Mechanical Mike. 

Aviation thrives on these kinds of advances, and taking a lead in this for GA is the ADS-B mandate. Most of you here already know the benefits: your safety factor will increase with better positioning services – very important for areas with limited radar coverage – and free access to weather and traffic data on a real time basis.

One piece of very good news is that equipage costs have gone down dramatically since the mandate was introduced. Units with installation that were going for $8,000 only a couple years ago are now, in some cases, in the $2,000 range with five years still to go.

We hope the price drop will ease an estimated 100 thousand plane owners off the fence and into the shop with their planes. The present conversion rate indicates many are waiting until the last minute to install the equipment. If you’re putting off equipping, I’d like to urge you to reconsider so you and your plane aren’t stuck on the tarmac when the deadline hits. Finally, as I know many of you are wondering, the January 1, 2020 date is firm.

As all of you know, the FAA’s responsibilities cover not only avionics, but the airframe itself. The very first airworthiness certificates in the United States were issued back in 1927 to manufacturers with legendary names such as Douglas, Waco and Fokker, but I’m sure design parameters were slightly simpler in the 1920s.

Airworthiness certification is still an essential part of our job, and now we are looking forward to the advent of the new Part 23 aircraft certification. Over the years the original certification process became complicated and cumbersome. It also potentially restricted the possibility of finding innovative ways to a safer airframe.

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 Part 23 requirements, industry can make extensive use of the latest designs, materials, and technology.

Design used to begin with paper, then onto models. We’ve been flying kites for 25 hundred years, and we started rudimentary control of unmanned vehicles with spark radios and balloons in the late 1800s. Today model aviation enthusiasts are some the FAA’s finest partners and they continually amaze people with their ingenuity. This decade has seen the advent of commercially affordable and accessible UAS. The industry itself is growing exponentially with no sign of slowing down.

The FAA has spent 50 years taking new technology and incorporating it into the National Airspace System, and UAS is no different. One of the most pressing issues here is not the technology, but the influx of non-aviation professionals with little or no knowledge there is a national airspace system. A perfect example of this disconnect was last week during California wild fires. On several occasions multiple drones flying near the fires caused 30-minute suspensions of all airborne firefighting assets.

GA pilots know wild fires often initiate Temporary Flight Restrictions, but the drone operators either didn’t know or ignored FAA regulations. We are continuously working to engage this community, and finding ways to help them integrate safely into the NAS.

One successful effort is the “Know Before You Fly” public information campaign. Developed in partnership with the modeling community and industry, we are working together to provide vital flight parameters for commercial and public drone operators. Several UAS manufacturers have even started to include Know Before You Fly literature in their packaging.

We also launched the “No Drone Zone” public outreach campaign at this year’s Super Bowl as a way to create awareness about drone free zones. Then in mid May, the FAA launched another outreach campaign for Washington, D.C., making sure everyone knew that the 15 miles around National Airport is a “No Drone Zone.”

We reinforced this message again prior to the July 4 holiday. We’ve all seen news coverage of recreational drone users apprehended by law enforcement after flying quadcopters too close to the White House. This is exactly what we’re trying to prevent by giving people the information they need to fly safely before they leave their homes.

Here at Oshkosh, I am always amazed by the variety of flying machines, and there is always so much to do. But if you have the time, and you want more information on any of the topics I’ve addressed, just east of the tower is the FAA Safety Center. There you’ll find more than 100 experts from more than 20 FAA departments eager to answer your questions.

AirVenture is the greatest of all possible aviation worlds. A time when the past sits with pride next to the present, and all around we see hints of the future. Yesterday was a busy day. We formally signed an MOU continuing the FAA’s relationship with Women in Aviation International. We also got to visit KidVenture and met the next generation introduced to flight by the EAA Young Eagles. Watching these young people be as thrilled by P-51 as they are by an F22 shows me, and all of us, that the future is in good hands.

I’ve mentioned a lot of changes, but one thing that doesn’t change – is the pilot. You are the best computer the plane will ever have, the best safety equipment the plane will ever have, and most of you, a steadier hand than the auto pilot. It all begins and ends with you. I hope you never lose that enthusiasm for the air and I look forward to your questions.

Have a wonderful, fun – and safe – AirVenture 2015.

Before the House Oversight and Government Reform Hearing concerning Unmanned Aircraft System

RTCA: An Indispensable Partner

Thank you, Carl, for that introduction. It’s great to be here again and to see so many familiar faces in the audience.

We have achieved an array of major accomplishments during the past year, including significant milestones in the rollout of NextGen and in the integration of unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system. At every step along the way, RTCA has been an indispensable partner. Government and industry must always work together if we are to succeed. Neither can do it alone.

Our aviation system is a valuable asset for the American public that contributes 12 million jobs and $1.5 trillion to our economy. The health of the system – and its orderly evolution into the system of tomorrow – demands our unwavering attention.

It demands our attention not just to the individual projects that we’re developing, managing and improving on a daily basis, but also to the big picture – to what needs to be going on in the background for us to succeed. And by that I mean a stable funding source.

The last time I was here, I talked about some of the financial challenges we were facing and noted that our funding situation was far from settled. That is again the case; we don't know what our upcoming reauthorization will bring.

What our upcoming FAA reauthorization should do is provide the FAA with the tools necessary to meet the demands of the future and minimize disruption to the progress we’ve already made with NextGen and with integrating new users into our airspace system.

There is talk about restructuring the FAA as part of this reauthorization. We are certainly open to having this discussion. But in our view, the most important problems reauthorization should fix are budget instability and the lack of predictability and flexibility to execute our priorities.

It’s also important to be aware of unintended consequences. Our ability to roll out NextGen hinges on interdependencies and relationships within the agency. NextGen is more than installing technology on aircraft – it involves the close participation of our safety organization to ensure the technology is safe and that controllers and pilots know how to use it safely. We believe that any decision about governance must take these big picture issues into account.

Financial uncertainty may sometimes be unsettling, but it has not distracted us from our responsibilities as we tackle some of our most complex – and exciting – challenges ever.

In March, we achieved one of our most significant NextGen milestones to date, and one of the biggest automation changeovers in the FAA's history. I’m referring to completing the deployment of En Route Automation Modernization, or ERAM, at our 20 en route control centers in the continental United States.

ERAM is a key element in the NextGen foundation, and it gives us the technological horsepower to support other key pieces of that foundation. Such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, which is the core technology that moves us from a radar-based air traffic system to a satellite-based system. 

Last year, we completed the installation of 634 ground transceivers that make up ADS-B’s infrastructure. And today, we have integrated the technology into 22 of our 24 en route centers.

We've also completed the first two phases of TAMR, the Terminal Automation Modernization and Replacement program, which is an upgrade of the computer systems and displays used at TRACONS and air traffic control towers.

Data Communications streamlines communications between pilots and controllers, and trials in Newark and Memphis are delivering great results. This technology enhances airspace capacity, reduces flight delays, improves safety and helps aircraft fly more direct routes, which saves time and fuel while reducing aviation’s impact on the environment.

We’re planning to deploy Data Comm in more than 50 air traffic control towers beginning this year and in air traffic control facilities that manage high altitude traffic beginning in 2019. 

Even as we’re building the foundation for the future, we’re delivering powerful NextGen benefits today. Through the Metroplex initiative, we’ve implemented scores of new satellite-based air traffic procedures in the Houston, North Texas, Washington DC metro and Northern California areas. In fact, we now have more satellite-based procedures in our skies nationwide than radar-based procedures. That would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago.

Additional improvements are in the works, including in Southern California, where we’re proposing to weave dozens of new RNAV procedures into some of the most complex airspace in the nation.

These procedures improve safety, shorten flight paths and can reduce aircraft fuel usage and carbon emissions. In Houston alone, results show that the 60 new procedures we implemented in the surrounding airspace save users $6 million annually from reduced fuel consumption. And that of course means fewer CO2 emissions as well.

System-wide, we’ve measured $1.6 billion in benefits to airlines and the traveling public from the NextGen capabilities we have already enabled. In the next 15 years, we estimate that these changes alone will produce an additional $11.4 billion in benefits.

Despite our successes, we know there are critics of how we’re implementing NextGen. There are different theories about how to deploy technology in a complex operating environment.

Some argue that you should start from a broad vision and work back from there on developing a range of scenarios. Others advocate mapping out the entire picture and only proceeding when you are sure of the end game. Our approach, which is the same approach that the Office of Management and Budget uses, is more pragmatic.

Our approach is based on close consultation with industry and closely matches investments with tangible benefits to airlines and the traveling public. It requires an upfront investment, and we are careful not to strand programs in the middle of implementation.

As a result, our NextGen work is creating a healthy, flexible and sustainable airspace system. And when we talk about the system, we’re not just talking about the companies that operate airlines and business jets. We’re talking about everyone who uses the airspace system–tourists, cargo shippers, business people; the list goes on and on.

The fact is, we wouldn’t be where we are today without the work that RTCA has done. This includes the work we’re doing through the 22 special committees that are looking at everything from Data Comm and ADS-B to Personal Electronic Devices and unmanned aircraft. And, of course, the work we’re doing through the NextGen Advisory Committee, or NAC–which, I should note, will be marking its fifth anniversary this fall.

The joint implementation plan we developed last year prioritized four NextGen areas where we can deliver concrete benefits over the next three years. In 2014, the FAA delivered on all 18 of its commitments – three ahead of schedule. And we’re on target to continue meeting our commitments on time.

NextGen is certainly an immense technological revolution. But it's a cultural evolution too. Every major cultural shift involves a learning curve, and the work that the NAC does makes that curve a lot easier to navigate.

Let me offer a specific example to explain what I mean. Last October, in response to an FAA request, the NAC delivered us its “Blueprint for Success to Implementing Performance Based Navigation." The blueprint offers 28 recommendations in six categories – including a more proactive approach to community engagement in the Performance Based Navigation development process. We take our responsibility to community concerns very seriously and, as a result of the NAC’s recommendations, expect to develop new and expanded community involvement efforts.

We also announced last month (May) a multi-year effort to update the scientific evidence on the relationship between aircraft noise exposure and its effects on communities around airports. This initiative, which will involve polling communities surrounding 20 airports nationwide, will be the most comprehensive study using a single noise survey ever undertaken in the United States.

Some of our most groundbreaking work of late has focused on safely integrating unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system.

Not since the years following World War II – when the brightest minds in aviation were exploring the limits of jet engine technology and laying the foundations for space exploration—have we seen such innovation occurring so quickly. It’s clear that the applications for unmanned aircraft are virtually limitless. Today, we’re seeing them used for everything from movie filming and wildlife monitoring to pipeline inspection and oil exploration. It’s impossible to predict what commercial uses may lie ahead.

Safely integrating them istruly an enormous task. To accomplish it, we need to harness the energy, enthusiasm, expertise and creativity of the private sector and academia. Together, we have made impressive progress in a very short period of time.

We published a comprehensive road map that addresses the policies, regulations, technologies, and procedures we’ll need to enable unmanned aircraft to routinely operate in our busy airspace. We proposed a rule for small unmanned aircraft to conduct non-recreational flights. While that rule goes through analysis and approval, we’ve created a way for hundreds of these unmanned aircraft operations to occur under controlled conditions through the Section 333 exemption process. And we recently streamlined that process to speed up approvals. We have now granted more than 400 of them, and the number is growing every week.

Last month (May), we unveiled what we’re calling the Pathfinder Program. We are partnering with three leading companies–CNN, BNSF Railroad and PrecisionHawk, an unmanned aircraft manufacturer–to conduct research that will help us determine if and how we can safely expand unmanned aircraft operations.

We also announced the selection of a team led by Mississippi State University as the FAA’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. This world-class, public-private partnership will focus on research, education and training in areas critical to safely and successfully integrating these aircraft into the nation’s airspace.

The U.S. is certainly not alone in this challenge. If you attend any unmanned aircraft conference, you'll run into people from France, South Africa, China, Germany, the U.K.–it's almost like a U.N. General Assembly meeting. Civil aviation organizations around the globe are striving to safely integrate these systems, and it's important that we all work together to share our knowledge and ensure that our efforts are harmonized.

We believe the United States is uniquely positioned to provide the leadership to forge international cooperation and consensus on this issue and others that are important to all of us.

On the unmanned aircraft front, we'rechairing the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems–a group of 25 countries that is working toward a single set of technical, safety and operational requirements for the certification and safe integration of unmanned aircraft.

We're also working closely with ICAO and regional stakeholders in Europe, Asia and elsewhere to develop uniform aviation regulations and standards, so that air travelers enjoy the same high levels of safety no matter where they are flying. And we're working with our international partners to create a seamless global airspace by harmonizing our NextGen program into the global aviation system.

In virtually all of our important work, both global and domestic, we rely on and benefit from RTCA's advice and guidance. Working in concert is what makes it possible to deliver powerful NextGen benefits, build the foundation for the future, ensure that we continue to have the safest possible aviation system and share our expertise with the rest of the world. We are indeed fortunate to have you as a partner.

Thank you, again, for the invitation to speak with you today.

Knowing the Right Questions

Remarks As Prepared For Delivery

Thanks, David.  I’m glad to be here.  Around 70 years ago, the great American writer James Thurber was just making his mark in the New Yorker magazine.  He was known for writing short stories and drawing cartoons.  He said something that really has passed the test of time: “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”

I think he was onto something.  There’s a satisfaction that comes from the process of inquiry.  Certainly, the scholars in the room know this very well.     

If the world had all of the answers, then we would have nothing to strive for.  And if we kid ourselves into thinking we have all the answers, then we’re just being complacent—something we can’t afford in aviation. 

For nearly 20 years, NEXTOR universities have helped us answer key research questions in aviation.  It started out as a group of four universities and now it’s doubled to eight. 

Today, scholars will present work on aviation safety, ADS-B, performance modeling and analysis, and traffic flow management.  

NEXTOR research brings a level of objectivity and proof that helps guide the FAA’s investment decisions and strategic efforts.  This work is especially important as we work on four strategic initiatives that require us to rely on data more than ever before to target and prioritize our efforts.    

Let me briefly touch on these initiatives.

We’re making aviation safer and smarter by developing a risk-based decision making system.  We collect data, identify areas that pose higher risk, and then direct resources to those areas.   

We’re delivering benefits to the aviation community through technology and infrastructure.

We’re committed to enhancing our global leadership by using data to determine where we should focus our international efforts.

And we’re recruiting and developing a highly-skilled workforce to meet the demands of the future.

In developing these four initiatives, we recognized that aviation is becoming increasingly complex and globalized.  We have to be more nimble in addressing challenges while still meeting the industry’s rapidly changing needs in a budget-constrained environment.

This is where NEXTOR comes in.  I know we can lean on you to help us achieve these objectives.     

I’m confident of this because NEXTOR has a great track record.    

You provided us with safety analysis that demonstrated the need for the ASDE-X program—which has helped ensure runway safety at our busiest airports.  We’re now building off this deployment to provide surface visualization tools at some terminal approach facilities so controllers can get a better picture of what’s happening on the surface of ASDE-X equipped airports. This is helping them use airspace more efficiently.

NEXTOR provided important operational research for ADS-B, dating back to our early efforts with the Capstone program in Alaska.  These early studies gave us insight into the benefits of providing pilots with traffic and weather data in the cockpit. We are now well on our way toward meeting our goal of completing the transition to ADS-B by 2020.

NEXTOR conducts the Total Delay Impact study – a product that quantifies the total cost of delays in the airspace system for stakeholders and society in general.  The information from this study has been cited widely in other industry papers, as well as in congressional testimony.

In addition, NEXTOR is continuing its research on Wake Vortices.  These studies have the potential to expand capacity by helping us safely reduce wake separation standards around the country.

And lastly, let me note that NEXTOR recently completed a report that details how better predicting flight time could reduce airline operating costs.  They’ll be presenting this research today.

These are just a few examples of NEXTOR’s contributions.  Their efforts are helping us make aviation more efficient and greener, while still ensuring safety. 

We can all take pride in past accomplishments.  But as Thurber suggested, there’s a danger in thinking we have all of the answers. With progress comes a new set of questions. 

So what do we research next?

We can certainly benefit from continuing research to support our NextGen activities, particularly the priority areas we’ve identified for the near term.  These include: expanding the use of performance-based navigation, improving surface operations, making multiple runway operations more efficient, and implementing data communications. 

Perhaps NEXTOR can help us capture and better understand the benefits of NextGen.  In doing so, you can help us persuade airspace users about the value of investing in NextGen avionics.  And perhaps NEXTOR can help us see how the innovations we’re implementing today can be enhanced to provide even more benefits tomorrow. 

Earlier this year, the FAA proposed rules permitting the use of small unmanned aircraft—those that weigh less than 55 pounds—for non-recreational purposes.  The proposed rule would allow these aircraft to operate during daylight, as long as the operator maintains visual contact and meets a few other requirements.   

The FAA received more than 4,000 public comments on the proposal, and we’re working to address them before finalizing the rule. This, however, takes time—so we’re actively looking for other ways to expand the use of unmanned aircraft in the meantime. 

We’re receiving valuable information from our six national test sites, including our Virginia Tech test site—a NEXTOR university.  We’re also accommodating requests for some commercial operations.  And this month, we announced two additional steps – the Pathfinder program and UAS Center of Excellence (CoE).

With the Pathfinder program, we’re partnering with three leading U.S. companies—CNN, BNSF and PrecisionHawk—all who committed extensive resources to perform research that will help us determine if and how we can safely expand unmanned aircraft operations in the United States. 

The CoE is a world-class, cost-sharing, public-private partnership between 15 of the nation’s leading unmanned aircraft and aviation universities that have already proven their commitment to this research.  The CoE will focus on research, education and training in areas critical to safely and successfully integrating these aircraft into the nation’s airspace.

We’re also working to safely integrate the growing commercial space industry.  We’re looking to reduce the amount of airspace that must be blocked to support the launch and reentry of space vehicles.  We’re also studying how to more efficiently release that airspace to reduce delays incurred by traditional airspace users that are otherwise rerouted miles out of their way.

Perhaps NEXTOR research can help us safely and efficiently address these issues. 

Let me close by saying that aviation has always moved forward because of American zeal and ingenuity.  All of that begins, as Thurber said, by asking the right questions: We’ve driven down safety risk to an exceedingly low level.  How can we drive it down even further?

We’re delivering benefits through NextGen.  How can we build on this progress and deliver even greater benefits?

The United States is a leader in global aviation.  How can we enhance our leadership role even more?

As we continue to answer these questions, others will pop up.  That’s just what we need.  Through this process, we’ll positively shape the future of aviation.

Data Communications at Newark Liberty International Airport

Thank you, Carmine [Gallo, FAA Regional Administrator].  Hello, everyone.  Thank you for joining us.

Memorial Day weekend is around the corner, and families across the country are getting ready for vacation.  With summer travel comes summer weather – including thunderstorms that can disrupt and delay flight plans.  While we can’t change the weather, the FAA is working to move air traffic more efficiently around it. 

We’re here at Newark Liberty International Airport today to highlight a NextGen technology that is delivering big benefits in the busy New York airspace – particularly in bad weather.  It has to do with how we clear flights for takeoff.  Let me explain.

Before a plane can depart, the air traffic control tower has to send the pilot a clearance on his or her filed flight plan.  The tower sometimes has to amend these plans, for a variety of reasons – like re-routing around congestion, or issuing a new cruising altitude to avoid bad weather. 

Communicating these amendments has traditionally been a time-consuming process.  The air traffic controller has to call the cockpit and verbally relay new instructions, which the pilot has to confirm and manually enter into the aircraft computer system.

It’s a bit like calling your friend for directions to his house and writing down what he tells you.  There’s a lot of back and forth – making sure you have the street names right, and that you know which way to turn at intersections.  Suddenly, 15 minutes have gone by, and you still haven’t left the house.

With Data Communications, the NextGen technology we’re demonstrating today, you don’t have to call your friend for directions.  His address is pre-programmed into your car’s GPS system – and all you have to do is press “GO.”

Data Comm is being used here at Newark to give air traffic controllers and pilots the ability to transmit flight plans and other essential messages with the touch of a button instead of multiple verbal communications. 

This switch from voice to text doesn’t just speed things up.  It also increases safety – reducing the chance of a read-back error while relaying information. 

Additionally, it allows controllers to send text instructions to several aircraft at once – a much more accurate and efficient process than having numerous conversations.

Data Comm also cuts down on travel delays.  Let me give you an example.

Two planes are in line for takeoff when an incoming storm requires air traffic controllers to re-route them.  The plane using voice communications has to get out of line so the pilot can manually input the new instructions – a process that can take up to 15 minutes.  It then has to get in the back of the takeoff line again – ultimately putting the flight 30 minutes behind schedule.

The plane using Data Comm, on the other hand, has its new flight plan sent via text directly to the cockpit.  The pilot accepts the updated instructions with the push of a button.  The plane keeps its spot in the takeoff line and departs on time.

It’s not hard to see the benefits of this technology.  Airlines stay on schedule, packages get delivered on time, and passengers get off the tarmac, into the air, and to their destinations more quickly.

This is particularly important here at Newark International.  On any given day, a third of all U.S. flights connect with New York airports.  Making departures more efficient here can improve air travel nationwide.

In addition to Newark, Data Comm is currently being used at Memphis International Airport, where it’s delivering great results.  Later this summer, it will expand to Houston and Salt Lake City.  In 2016, we’re aiming to have Data Comm in more than 50 air traffic control towers – three years ahead of schedule.

Data Comm is the latest tool the FAA is using to modernize our national airspace system and make every phase of flight more efficient.

Earlier this spring, we finished upgrading our air traffic control computer systems to ERAM, or En Route Automation Modernization.  This was one of the largest technology change-overs in the history of the FAA.  It lets us see a much bigger and richer picture of our nation’s air traffic – and enables other important NextGen technologies like Data Communications.

The implementation of Data Comm here at Newark has been a big success – and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our partners.  I’d like to invite them to share a few words about their experiences.

• Thomas Bosco, the Director of the Aviation Department for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will discuss how Data Comm is improving performance here at one of the New York metro region’s major transportation hubs.
• Captain Chris Williams, Director of Operations for UPS, will discuss how important Data Comm is in a business where minutes matter.
• Paul Rinaldi, President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, will talk about how Data Comm is improving processes for air traffic controllers.
• Mike Perrone, National President of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, will discuss the importance of the aviation workforce in integrating Data Comm into our airspace.
• Jim Compton, Vice Chairman and Chief Revenue Officer from United Airlines, is going to talk about the benefits Data Comm is providing for air travelers.
• Paul Cassel, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations for FedEx Express, will talk about how Data Comm is helping the company meet customer expectations and deliver packages on time.

Before the Senate Commerce Committee concerning FAA Reauthorization: Air Traffic Control Modernization and Reform

As prepared for delivery

Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to speak today about the reauthorization of the FAA.

The upcoming FAA reauthorization provides us with the opportunity to propel our system to the next level of safety and foster the kind of innovative climate that has long been the hallmark of our proud aviation heritage.

This reauthorization has provided a forum for many in industry and government to openly discuss possible changes to the governance structure of the FAA to help us create the aviation system that will sustain our nation’s economic growth well into the future. We are open to having this discussion. But we must all agree on the most important problems reauthorization should fix. In our view those are budget instability and the lack of flexibility to execute our priorities. These challenges exist for the entire agency – not just for the air traffic control and NextGen organizations, as some have suggested.

In addition to finding agreement on the problem we’re trying to solve, we should agree on finding ways to avoid unintended consequences. Our ability to deploy NextGen technologies and capabilities hinges on interdependencies and relationships within the agency. NextGen is more than installing technology in our air traffic facilities and on aircraft – it involves the close participation of our safety organization to ensure that the technology is safe and that controllers and pilots know how to use it safely. We believe that any decision about governance must take into account these issues so that we may best serve our nation and the flying public.

Some have argued for change saying the FAA has not delivered on air traffic modernization. I would argue that the FAA has already made major progress in modernizing our airspace system through NextGen. We completed installation of a more powerful technology platform with our new high altitude air traffic control system – known as ERAM. This system will accommodate the applications of NextGen and allow controllers to handle the expected increase in air traffic more efficiently. And last year we finished the coast-to-coast installation of the ADS-B network that will enable satellite-based air traffic control.

On a parallel track, through our collaboration with industry, we identified key priorities in implementing NextGen air traffic procedures. We now have more satellite-based procedures in our skies than radar-based procedures. We have created new NextGen routes above some of our busiest metropolitan areas, saving millions of dollars in fuel, decreasing carbon emissions and cutting down on delays in each city.

In addition to these improvements, we have set clear priorities on delivering more benefits in the next three years. These range from improved separation standards for heavy aircraft; better coordination of traffic on the airport surface; and streamlined departure clearances using data communications.

NextGen has already yielded $1.6 billion in benefits to airlines and the traveling public. In the next 15 years the changes we have already made will produce $11.4 billion in benefits.

We recognize it is not enough to rely on projected benefits. That is why we go back and study the benefits that certain improvements have provided to users. For example, in Atlanta, we safely reduced wake separation standards to improve the efficiency of the airport. Because of this change, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has increased the number of planes that can land by up to 5 percent, which translates into about five more planes per hour. Delta Air Lines is also saving up to two minutes of taxi time per flight. These improvements are saving Delta between $13 million to $18 million in operating costs annually.

We are aware of the criticisms of the FAA’s implementation of NextGen, and I would like to explain our approach. There are different theories about how to deploy technology in a complex operating environment. Some take the position that you should start from a wide ranging vision and work back from there on developing a range of scenarios. Others suggest mapping out the entire picture and only proceeding when you are sure of the end game. Others say to take a more pragmatic approach, and this is the path the FAA has chosen – based on close consultation with industry. This approach, used by the Office of Management and Budget, closely matches investments with tangible benefits to airlines and passengers. We acknowledge that it requires upfront investment, and we are careful not to strand programs in the middle of implementation.

When dealing with wide-spread change in a dynamic airspace system there is no margin of error. This system must transport 750 million passengers every year with the highest level of safety. Any technology we implement must be reliable and safe from the outset. To achieve this high standard, we must remain nimble and have flexibility.

Our aviation system is a valuable asset for the American public. We should use the upcoming reauthorization to provide the FAA with the tools necessary to meet the demands of the future and minimize disruption to the progress we’ve already made with NextGen and our work to integrate new users into our airspace system.

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee today. I am happy to take any questions you may have.

40 Years of Progress

As Prepared for Delivery

Thanks Chip. I'm glad to be here.

• I want to congratulate SkyWest for being named by Forbes as one of “America’s Best Employers.”
• I also want to thank you for serving on the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee and Equip 2020.  You’re bringing the perspective of the regional carriers to this important work. 
• I’m glad to be here as RAA celebrates its 40^th anniversary.

Today, I’d like to talk about:

• The last 40 years
• How industry has changed
• How safety has changed
• I’d like to talk about NextGen
• Then I’ll take questions.

Deregulation / Mergers / 9-11

• RAA’s existence as an organization traces the path of the industry since deregulation.
• It’s been a tumultuous 40 years.
• We’ve seen the advent of the hub-and-spoke system – of which regionals are such an important part.
  - Regional carriers now make up more than 50 percent of all airline flights.
  - Your service is essential – especially to small communities.
• Since deregulation we’ve seen the invention – and rapid growth – of the low-cost airline, which have led to a dramatic growth in air travel, but also significant disruption in the industry.
• We’ve seen mergers, failures, reorganizations in bankruptcy, more mergers.
• For employees, it’s been 40 years of turmoil.
  - I started at TWA, went through 1.5 bankruptcies.
  - Then I joined United Airlines at the height of profitability – and the beginning of the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) – an innovative new ownership structure ….until it too filed Chapter 11 after 9/11.
• We’ve seen hubs come and go – St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland – all a challenge for an agency that funds much of that airport construction. 

Safety Advancements

• But the last four decades have also seen extraordinary safety advancements thanks to the FAA and industry working together.
• After a series of accidents in the 1990’s, we drovedown commercial fatal accident risk by 83% between 1998-2008, largely through CAST (the Commercial Aviation Safety Team).
• When you hear numbers like that, it’s hard to get your head around it. 
• But to say it more simply – last year there were no fatalities.  The year before, there were no fatalities.  During this time, 1.4 billion passengers flew in the United States.
• In fact, there hasn’t been a fatal accident on a U.S. commercial passenger carrier in over six years now. 

New Safety Approach

• The success has also meant we’ve had to change the way we mitigate safety risk.
• The old system was forensic – investigate accidents, find what went wrong, change procedures.
• The new system is proactive – we have developed a risk-based decision making approach.
  - We collect safety data.
  - We analyze the data to determine high risk areas.
  - Then we direct resources toward mitigating the identified risk.
• Our data comes from many sources – air traffic controllers, airway technicians, the airlines, commercial pilots, GA pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and other sources.
• Through the FAA’s ASIAS program, we’ve collected more than 160,000 voluntary safety reports by commercial airline pilots, including pilots that fly for 19 RAA members.  We’d like to see all 29 RAA members submit safety reports as part of this process.
• Your data has supported our ability to identify the underlying contributing factors that can give rise to accidents.  For example:
• We’re learning more about the factors that contribute to runway excursions, and also loss of control in flight due to a loss of airplane state awareness. 
• To mitigate these factors, the FAA and industry have collectively developed several safety enhancements including in the areas of flight crew training, aircraft equipment, and aviation operational procedures.     
• We can’t make these improvements without your data.
• I ask you to continue to submit your data – and encourage your pilots, dispatchers, maintenance crews and cabin crews to submit reports.  Those of you who don’t participate in ASIAS, I encourage you to do so.
• Through the Air Carrier Training ARC – we’re looking at voluntary initiatives to improve training.  The ARC has recommended ways to improve pilot knowledge and skills to manage the flight path of the airplane.  This work is also helping us to address the risk of pilot skill atrophy as the reliance on flight deck automation grows.

Lessons from Colgan: 1500 hour rule

• But even as we take a proactive approach, we’re still applying lessons from accidents.
• As I mentioned, the last accident by a U.S. passenger carrier in the U.S. was over six years ago – that was of course Colgan Air in Buffalo in 2009.
• Because it was a regional carrier it brought a bright spotlight on your segment of the industry.
• Following that accident, Congress enacted the Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010 to enhance flight safety. 
• One provision in the law requires that all first officers have an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, or ATP. 
• It takes 1,500 flight hours to obtain an ATP. 
• Let me be clear – The FAA did not enact this rule.  We simply codified what Congress put into law.  This was not the normal rule making process. 
• The FAA was given authority to make some adjustments to the law, and we issued a rule giving pilots credit for structured academic and military training, so they can meet the standard with fewer than 1,500 hours.   
• I know this is an important issue for RAA, and the FAA is open to discussing ways to strengthen the pilot pipeline, but this will require cooperation from across the industry.
• I mentioned the ACT ARC earlier – they have a working group focused on ways to develop alternative education, training and experience pathways to qualify for an ATP certificate.  We look forward to their recommendations.  

Pilot Fatigue

• In response to another Congressional direction, the FAA also enacted a rule to address pilot fatigue.
• We used fatigue studies to help us update the flight and duty rules in a way that helps ensure a flight crew member arrives at work rested and ready to fly.
• In this regard, I want to note the work of RAA, along with Air Wisconsin and Washington State University, on completing a flight simulator study on pilot fatigue in multi-segment operations. 
  - The study compared the alertness of pilots completing duty days with multiple take-offs and landings versus duty days of equal duration with a single takeoff and landing. 
  - This research will further our understanding of the science of fatigue in flight operations. 

Full Stall Training/Simulators

• The Colgan accident, along with other accidents and incidents, also highlighted that pilots should have more experience in recognizing the cues of an actual stall, and to reinforce their ability to recover from that stall. 
• New rules require that air carriers implement training programs by 2018 to address the recognition, prevention, and recovery from full stalls. 
• To complement this requirement, we’re looking at what rule changes should be made with regard to flight simulators.  Current rules for simulators required that pilots be trained and evaluated up to the stall warning, but not up to the full stall.  So we’re proposing improvements to simulator models so they can be used to train pilots to recover from a full stall.   
• These changes will enable us to mitigate many of the factors that contributed to loss of control accidents.       

NextGen progress

• Safety is always our first priority, but as Deputy Administrator, one of my statutory roles is to serve as the agency’s Chief NextGen Officer.
• I’m proud to say that we’ve made significant progress in the last year.  We finalized the deployment of automation upgrades at 20 high altitude air traffic control centers across the continental United States.   
  - With ERAM in place, we’re able to process more air traffic data, more efficiently, from more sensors. 
  - En route controllers using ERAM can now track 1,900 aircraft at a time, instead of the previous 1,100. 
  - And ERAM provides all 20 control centers with the same access to all flight plans filed in the system.  Transitions between sectors and centers will be automatic, even when planes divert from their planned course.  All of this means increased capacity and improved efficiency for the U.S. airspace system. 
• We’re also in full production mode with similar automation upgrades in our terminal air traffic control facilities – TRACONs.
• These upgrades set us up to deliver greater NextGen benefits including through ADS-B – the core technology that moves us from a radar-based system to a satellite-based system.  This technology enables more efficient separation of aircraft and provides coverage where radar is lacking, like in the mountains and over water.  Last year, we completed the installation of 634 ground transceivers that make up the infrastructure for ADS-B – another major milestone. 
• Completing this foundation will enable us to deliver more advanced NextGen capabilities to users of the system.
• We’re working to deliver benefits in four priority areas in the next 1-3 years.  These four areas are:
  - Increasing the availability and use of Performance Based Navigation
  - Improving surface operations
  - Implementing Data Communications, and 
  - Making multiple runway operations more efficient.
• We agreed on these priorities in collaboration with the aviation industry through our NextGen Advisory Committee, or NAC, as we call it.
• We believe, and industry agrees, that progress in these areas can benefit all of us in the near term.
• The FAA’s Metroplex initiative is a good example of our efforts to implement Performance-based Navigation.
  - This past year, we implemented scores of new performance-based procedures in the Houston, North Texas and Washington D.C. metro areas. 
  - For example, in Houston, we put in place 60 new performance-based procedures, and results show an annual savings of $6 million from reduced fuel consumption.  
• In support of making multiple runway operations more efficient, we safely reduced wake separation standards at many airports including in Atlanta … Louisville … Cincinnati … Houston … Charlotte … and New York. 
  - Because of this change, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport has increased the number of planes that can land by up to 5 percent, which translates into about five more planes per hour.
  - And Delta Air Lines is saving up to two minutes of outbound taxi time per flight, and saving between $13 million to $18 million dollars in operating costs annually.   
• One technology that especially applies to regional carriers is the Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS, which is a process of fine tuning the GPS signal over a wide area. 
  - WAAS enables pilots to conduct precise approaches at airports when visibility to the runway is reduced due to bad weather or other conditions. 
  - It’s beneficial for aircraft that need access to smaller and medium-sized airports that can’t afford expensive ground-based landing equipment. 
  - NextGen procedures are dramatically less expensive to implement than traditional procedures that require costly ground equipment.
  - Nationwide, we’ve already published about 4,000 of these WAAS procedures at about 1,700 airports.
  - I know Horizon Air’s fleet is equipped with WAAS, and they’re realizing fuel-saving benefits through the use of these approaches.    

Equipage

• With the ADS-B ground stations installed, and ERAM complete, we’re looking forward to the next major milestone, which is ADS-B Out equipage by 2020. 
• The FAA issued a rule in 2010 requiring the fleet to equip with ADS-B avionics by January 1, 2020.  This deadline is certain.  It will not change.  It’s an important milestone to keep NextGen on track.    
• Last October, the FAA held an industry call to action on ADS-B equipage.  From that event, the FAA stood up the Equip 2020 working group – a public-private group that is working to identify barriers to equipage and provide solutions for airspace users.  SkyWest is a participant in this group.
• Since Equip 2020 started, we’re seeing a lot of momentum.  The four major airlines that sit on the NAC have publicly declared they will meet the 2020 deadline – Delta, American, Jet Blue, and FedEx.  Each of these major airlines has a plan for equipage.
• The cost of equipage for General Aviation has also dropped significantly, and we’ve seen a sharp uptick in equipage here. 

Call to Action: Be Part of the Solution 

• We know that regional carriers face particular equipage challenges – (e.g. whether you should retrofit older aircraft or phase them out in favor of buying new rule-compliant aircraft by the deadline.)      
• I encourage you to ensure your airline has a plan.
• Through Equip 2020, you can help influence what solutions are coming out. 
  - You can work in collaboration with major carriers, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, to address these issues together.
  - In fact, Equip 2020 is forming a working group to provide equipage solutions for legacy aircraft like the regional’s CRJ-200 and ERJ-145.
  - We stand ready to work with you.

In closing

• The RAA is a key part of the aviation industry.  You’ve persevered through a lot of change in the past 40 years.
• I want to thank RAA for:
  - working with us on the Commercial Aviation Safety Team …
  - for working with us in various rulemaking committees …  
  - for submitting safety data through ASIAS, and all of your efforts to ensure safety.
  - And for working with us on the NAC.
• The FAA is also committed to expanding our delivery of benefits through NextGen.  To do it, we’d like to see industry equip sooner rather than later.  We’re working with industry to spur more rapid equipage.
• Thank you for your participation at this conference.  
• I’m happy to take questions.