International Aviation

General Aviation Safety

EAA AirVenture

Remarks As Delivered

Good morning, everyone.

It feels so good to be back at AirVenture.

I don’t care what’s going on in DC. I get here, and it’s where I feel like I need to be.

I remember my first trip here. When I saw all of the planes lined up, covering every square inch of available real estate… it took my breath away.

And it still does, to be honest.

I once was asked in an interview to choose the best airshow. Which is better – Paris or Oshkosh?

To me, of course, it’s an easy answer.

Le Bourget is… champagne. And chalets.

Oshkosh? It’s beer and blue jeans. And airplanes. A hell of a lot of airplanes.

And I know that if Orville and Wilbur were with us today… they’d be right here.

So just out of curiosity – show of hands, please. How many people are here for the first time?

How many people are here for the tenth or more time?

Twenty or more?

Wow.

So, this is my fifth AirVenture, and the first as Acting Administrator of the FAA.

But it doesn’t get any better than this, does it? No. And there’s no place any of us would rather be.

And they tell me that this is my opportunity to talk about what the FAA is doing for the general aviation community.

And from the conversations I’ve been having with many of you in the past few days, there’s a lot to talk about.

So, for the next 90 minutes or so… Nah. I thought I’d get a good reaction from that.

But I do want to talk about some of the things we’ve been doing.

We’ve changed our Airmen Certification Standards, so that tests focus less on memorization, and more on critical thinking and risk management.

We’ve streamlined our medical clearance process so that most pilots can receive an exam from their own doctor.

About 36,000 have already saved time and money by skipping a trip to the AME, and meeting the requirements for BasicMed.

Then there’s our new small airplane certification standards, which went into effect last year. And what we’re finding is that they’re freeing up manufacturers to dream big.

We’ve already gotten proposals under Part 23 that combine elements of rotorcraft and fixed-wing vehicles into one, electric-powered aircraft. It’s exciting stuff.

Advancements like these aren’t going to be limited to new builds. We’ve also improved our policies to make it easier and more affordable to install safety-enhancing equipment in the existing fleet.

But here’s the rub.

The FAA can do all sorts of things behind the scenes to help manufacturers get safety equipment off the drawing board and into your favorite supply store more quickly.

It doesn’t do us any good if they don’t end up on your aircraft.

And that, of course, brings me to the subject of ADS-B.

Now, I know you’ve been hearing guys like me come here and tell you about this mandate for years.

But it’s not going away. January 1, 2020 is getting closer and closer.

524 days. That’s what we’re looking at.

You know, it’s not a lot of time when you factor in researching the equipment, buying it, and finding a repair station that’s got time on the schedule to install it.

Now some of you in the room may be thinking – hey, I’m not flying in ruled airspace. I’m not flying in controlled airspace. I don’t need to get ADS-B.

But if there’s even the slightest possibility that you’re gonna need to go into controlled airspace after 2020? You should get ADS-B.

And what I’ve been finding out, in these conversations with you folks, is that those of you who have ADS-B already… And I just talked to a guy yesterday who’s got ADS-B In and Out in his RV-6.

He said it’s an incredible enhancement to his situational awareness. No matter where he flies.

So the FAA wants to make this as easy for you as possible.

We offered an equipage incentive last year. About 10,000 of you took advantage of it. And we’re actively looking for additional ways that we can make this an easier task.

Manufacturers have also stepped up. ADS-B transponder prices have fallen dramatically in the last few years. So if you haven’t looked into equipment costs recently, now’s the time. You should do it.

And there are plenty of vendors here at Oshkosh that would be more than happy to help you figure out a set-up that’s right for you and your aircraft.

ADS-B is going to make the National Airspace System safer. I am confident of that.

Now, speaking of safety…

Thanks to technological advancements, accessible training and trouble-shooting resources, and pilots’ individual commitments to professionalism in the cockpit… the GA fatality rate has fallen almost 23 percent over the last five years.

Look around you. That’s 95 lives that were saved last year, versus where we were in 2012.

This is great news. But if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s this: We cannot get complacent on safety.

We always have to be on the lookout for new ways to do more, and to be better.

Now we had a couple of unfortunate events this past week.

We lost a pilot in Sheboygan who was participating in a formation exercise for Oshkosh in a Venom fighter jet.

And the C-47 known to all of us as Bluebonnet Belle crashed in Texas – total loss – on its way here.

Thankfully, all fourteen people aboard that warbird survived.

Now, incidents like these are rare. But they remind us that, even as we gather here to celebrate, we can’t take safety for granted – not for a second.

We need to remain vigilant in our personal safety checklists before we fly.

We also need to address emerging issues in the system – as a community.

The FAA is going to be hosting a safety summit next month on wrong surface events, which our Air Traffic Organization has identified as a top-five hazard to our airspace.

These incidents occur, as you know, when an aircraft takes off from or lands at an incorrect taxiway, runway, or airport.

The risk is particularly high for the GA community, where we’ve seen a much higher rate of incidents happening.

We’re going to be bringing together a wide variety of stakeholders to discuss how we continue to address this important issue.

And we need all of you to be part of the conversation. 

So… that’s the business side of the talk. Appreciate you listening.

I know a lot of this can sound like inside baseball stuff. But all of you are a savvy group.

You get it – about how the work we’re doing together makes a difference in how you operate within our airspace.

Which is why I didn’t come here just to tell you about the latest and greatest from the FAA.

I’ve got something bigger on my mind.

Walking around here at AirVenture, it seems impossible that America’s general aviation community could be struggling.

There’s so much respect for our history. So much excitement for the future.

But the numbers don’t lie.

In the last ten years, the number of private pilots holding active airmen certificates has decreased by 27 percent.

This is a big drop. And I hate to say it – but the rest of us aren’t exactly getting any younger. Me included.

The average age of a private pilot certificate holder has gone up every year for the last twenty years. It’s now pushing 50.

Look… GA is the heart of America’s aviation system. It’s one of the things that sets us apart from the rest of the world.

We have to protect the legacy we inherited from the pioneers that came before us. And we need to make it even stronger, so we can pass it on to the next generation.

And by “we,” I mean all of us. This is not something the FAA is going to do on its own.

How do we reach the people who aren’t already in our community? How do we ignite their passion for aviation?

I’m a firm believer that the idea of flight intrigues everybody. I mean, at our core. As human beings.

When I was a really little kid, I remember having a recurring dream… that in my dream, I had figured out how to fly, by myself.

I don’t know if anybody else has had those dreams, but I used to have those dreams.

But they were just dreams. I’d wake up in the morning, I’d be all disappointed that I couldn’t actually fly.

Until I went into fifth grade. And Mr. Tyler, my teacher – I found out he was a private pilot. And I thought… well, that’s pretty cool.

And then he said to the class – anybody who wants to go up on a flight with me in my airplane, let me know. Every single one of you who wants to go up, I’ll take you up on the weekend. On his own time, his own dime.

Of course I raised my hand. Went out on his 150, out in Long Island, New York.

And as vivid as you all sitting here today, I can remember sitting up with him in the right seat, taking off… And for the first time in my life, watching trees get smaller, and houses get smaller. And he knew exactly where I lived, and he flew over my house and my neighborhood at 3,000 feet.

And that was it. I was toast. I was done. I’m gonna be a pilot for the rest of my life.

So I know every person in this room has a story just like that. Probably better. About the people who introduced us to this world we love so much.

So now, it’s our turn to be those people – for the next generation, for the young kids.

The universal fascination with flight? It’s still out there.

We’ve got teenagers playing video games that let them build their own airplanes and fly simulated missions.

But they may not see how that connects them to a real-life cockpit.

We’ve got a whole generation of kids that are growing up with drones under the Christmas tree.

They’re already pilots. They just don’t think of themselves that way.

It’s our job to connect the dots. And to clear up some of the misperceptions about who we are and what we do.

Cause when you ask laypeople to describe a “private pilot,” a lot of them picture a millionaire shuttling himself between vacation homes.

Now, don’t get me wrong – we’ve got a few of those. Maybe not a whole of them here.

But we’ve also got people who dropped everything last year to hop in their personal planes and help out with hurricane relief efforts.

Who devote their time and resources to restoring old warbirds to their former glory so future generations can enjoy them.

Pilots who fly sick kids to receive medical treatment they couldn’t afford to get to otherwise.

And we’ve got all of you. Some of you who do those very things. And you come to Oshkosh, every year. Park your planes out on the grass. Sleep under a tarp slung over the wing.

Just to be here. To be a part of this.

We truly are a community. And there’s no better way to start growing our ranks than by harnessing this energy we feel here every year and using it to inspire the next generation of aviators.

I’m heading to KidVenture later today. And you better believe I’m telling those young people about all the possibilities that aviation has to offer.

And I hope you’ll do the same. I know many of you already do.

A lot of you are familiar with EAA’s terrific Young Eagles program.

But did you know that it’s already given more than 2.1 million kids their first ride – for free – in an airplane? Just like Mr. Tyler did for me.

More than 40,000 people around the world already volunteer with them – and they’re always looking for more. Can never have too many.

So please – if you’re not already involved, please consider it. Or think about other ways you can give back to the aviation community that’s already given us so much.

Do it for the family members and mentors who once held the door open for you.

I could never thank Mr. Tyler enough for what he did for me. This… gift he gave me. Where I am today. Because he took me up for 30 minutes in a Cessna 150, about a hundred years ago.

But what I can do is pay it forward.

And it’s my greatest hope that you all feel the same way, and will do the same thing.

Thank you.

Oshkosh Airventure Tower – One of The Busiest in The World!

How Does That Work? FAA Air Traffic Control at EAA Airventure Oshkosh

A Shared Language

Thank you, Eric. Good afternoon, everyone.

It’s a real honor for the United States to be hosting this year’s FAA-EASA International Aviation Safety Conference. And I thank you all for joining us.

It’s great to see so many of our international counterparts this week – not only from Europe, but from around the world.

And having you all here – I think – speaks to the unique nature of the aviation industry.

Even at times when the geopolitical climate is tense… when nations are more focused on differences than similarities… the global aviation community comes together.

And it’s because, no matter where we hail from, we all share the same language.

The language of safety.

Aviation is the safest form of transportation in the world.

We say and hear those words all the time. But really think about it for a second.

Metal tubes, filled with some of the world’s most complex machinery, are hurtling through the air – and navigating in three-dimensional space – 35,000 feet above our heads right now.

Just figuring out how to do that was hard enough. Let alone to do it safely.

So how’d we get here?

It comes down to a pretty simple idea. One that the entire aviation industry, from top to bottom, has embraced.

We don’t compete on safety.

Conferences like this give us the opportunity to reaffirm that commitment. And it’s especially important to do so now.

The world and our industry are changing on an almost daily basis. That creates a lot of questions.

How do we safely integrate new users into our already busy airspace?

How do we harness technology to modernize the way we manage air traffic?

How do we maintain the safety of our system without stifling innovation?

These questions aren’t new. And they’re not unique to the United States. We’re all grappling with them.

And if we’re going to find the right answers – the best answers – we need to continue building on the partnerships that have fueled so many of our successes to date.

That starts with how we integrate new users into our airspace.

This is an area where we can learn so much from each other. Unmanned aircraft and commercial space operations have truly captured the world’s imagination.

And as these industries grow, so do their airspace needs.

To help meet this increasing demand, the United States is embracing a flexible regulatory framework that can nimbly respond to innovation.

We were the first country to integrate commercial drone operations under specific conditions into complex airspace.

Now, we’re looking to go further.

I joined Secretary Chao last month to announce ten pilot program sites across the country where state, local, and tribal governments will be working with private industry to demonstrate and study expanded drone operations.

The information we gain from these trials will help us build out the regulatory framework for unmanned aircraft nationwide – including operations over people and beyond visual line of sight.

We’re also changing our approach to commercial space launches.

It’s not enough to just accommodate this growing industry. We need to fully integrate it into our airspace.

We’re looking at how new technologies like the Space Data Integrator can make launches less disruptive to nearby airspace users.

And we’re revamping our licensing processes to make it easier for commercial space operators to receive the approvals they need more quickly.

Of course, integrating new users into a system that already includes everything from jumbo jets to helicopters goes hand-in-hand with investing in modern air traffic systems that can manage it all.

This has been a priority on both sides of the Atlantic for many years now.

Here in the United States, we’re working closely with industry to prioritize our modernization efforts so that we can deliver concrete benefits to airlines, passengers, and businesses as quickly as possible.

In FAA facilities around the country, state-of-the-art computers are supporting new automation systems that make managing air traffic more efficient.

We’ve deployed Data Communications technology nationwide to help pilots and controllers send messages to each other faster and more accurately.

We’re using Performance Based Navigation to create more direct flight routes that save time and cut down on emissions.

And we’re about 18 months away from a deadline that will require all aircraft flying within controlled airspace to be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast – better known as ADS-B.

ADS-B uses GPS satellites to give air traffic controllers a more accurate picture of where an aircraft is at any given moment.

About 25 percent of the U.S. airline fleet has already equipped with ADS-B.

And we’re working closely with our international partners to make sure any aircraft that will be flying in U.S. airspace has equipment installed that complies with the mandate by January 1, 2020.

This is part of our larger harmonization efforts with the global community.

The United States signed a revised Memorandum of Cooperation with the European Union late last year. It expanded our collaboration on air traffic modernization to include deployment activities. This will support continued seamless transatlantic operations.

At the same time, we signed an amendment to the US-EU Safety Agreement that makes it easier to validate and import each other’s aircraft and aviation parts.

Thanks to the relationship we’ve built over the years, we have a high-degree of confidence in our respective certification systems.

This agreement acknowledges that. It opens up a way for the US and EU to collaborate on flight simulation training devices, as well as on pilot licensing and training.

And we continue to build on this work today.

The FAA and the European Commission amended their Safety Agreement this morning, and took the first step toward lowering validation fees for manufacturers.

This amendment will also help get products to market faster by reducing the involvement of validating authorities on both sides of the Atlantic.

These agreements are just the most recent examples of the value of the relationship between the United States and our European partners.

We’ve been able to make tremendous safety gains in transatlantic operations by working together. And it’s essential we protect them as we look to the future.

That's the message I'll be taking to the United Kingdom when I visit the Farnborough Airshow next month.

Brexit and its March 2019 deadline is obviously on all of our minds.

And as the clock runs down, removing uncertainty about the UK and its aviation agreements with the rest of the world only becomes more important.

Brexit is going to affect passengers, businesses, and the entire global supply chain. But early planning can help mitigate those impacts.

So it's in everyone’s best interest to reach a decision on the aviation components of Brexit as soon as possible.

Fortunately, we’ve been certificating aircraft for decades. We know what agreements we need to have in place to ensure safe and efficient operations.

What we need now is focus and clarity.

We need to do everything possible to ensure a seamless transition and minimize disruptions.

Because the safety, efficiency, and affordability of our systems depend on it.

I said it earlier – aviation is the safest form of transportation in the world. But it didn’t start out that way. Far from it.

The earliest years of flight were filled with trial and error… tragedy and sacrifice.

But we did the work. We worked together. And we achieved more than this industry’s founding fathers could have ever dreamed.

But that doesn’t mean our work is done.

We can’t get complacent.

We went more than nine years and two months without a commercial passenger fatality here in the United States.

But the engine failure on Southwest Flight 1380 reminded us that even a single incident in our system is one too many.

The United States is a worldwide leader in aviation. We’re proud of that reputation. And the Trump Administration intends to keep it.

But we know we don't have a monopoly on good ideas.

We need our partners in the international aviation community to help us reach the next level of safety.

Aviation doesn’t have borders, or boundaries.

We’re a global community. And there’s no limit to what we can achieve when we work together.

Thank you again for joining us this week. I’m looking forward to a productive conference.

International Aviation Club Luncheon

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

As you can tell from that kind introduction, I’ve been in the aviation industry for about 80 years… or, most of my adult life.

I’ve been fortunate to see aviation from so many vantage points. Of course, none better than the view from the cockpit.

But, my time at the FAA has been extremely rewarding. And it’s such an honor to be back with the opportunity to help shape an agency I’ve always admired, at a time when its work is more important than ever.

It’s also very cool to be invited to speak to the International Aviation Club. I’ve been a member for years. So many good friends and colleagues I’ve gotten to know and work with over the past few decades are here today. It’s great to see you all.

Aviation has always been defined by change —because it is constantly reshaping the world we live in. But the pace of change happening in the world right now is unique – even by our standards.

I was recently in London, where Brexit and its March 2019 deadline is on everyone’s mind. As the clock runs down, removing uncertainty about the UK’s relationship with the global aviation community only becomes more important.

It has the potential to affect passengers, businesses, and the entire global supply chain. If you make, operate, or maintain aircraft on either side of the Atlantic, Brexit will affect you.

So I knew I spoke for the entire aviation community when I shared with my European counterparts that it is in everyone’s best interest to reach a decision on the aviation components of Brexit as soon as possible. We have to get this right.

But in many ways, this is one of the easier issues our industry is dealing with right now.

We’ve been certificating aircraft for decades. We know what agreements we need to have in place to ensure safe and efficient operations. We have clarity — we need focus. We must stay focused on minimizing disruptions and supporting a seamless transition. And by “we”, I mean all of us.

A lot of other questions we need to answer – about access, technology, and safety – are much more complicated. And we’ve been facing those questions — here in the U.S., and around the world — for years.

A few weeks ago, I attended the Uber Elevate conference in Los Angeles. During a panel, I was asked if I would ever ride in an autonomous aerial taxi. The question sounded almost surreal. That used to be Jetsons stuff. Now, it’s right around the corner – we’re talking when, not if.

But, the list of “how do we?” questions is not to be taken lightly. How do we safely integrate these new users into our already busy airspace? How do we harness technology to modernize the way we manage air traffic? How do we maintain the safety of our system without stifling innovation?

The questions aren’t new, but just because they’re familiar doesn’t make answering them any easier. And we’re doing it at a time when some folks are wondering: Are we up to the task?

There’s a perception out there that government is where good ideas go to die. Too many bureaucrats. Nothing gets done. And that makes people not want to work with us.

The pace of change is too fast. The scope of work is too big. The stakes are too high. We can’t afford to be alienating the pioneers… the trailblazers… the groundbreakers. They’re the foundation of our industry. And we need them at our table.

So if there’s one message you need to hear, from the Trump Administration, Elaine Chao’s DOT, and the FAA, it’s this: The era of red tape strangling good ideas is over.

We’re building a bigger table – not just for traditional aviation stakeholders, but the newest Silicon Valley start-ups. We’re doing away with outdated processes that don’t work in today’s aviation system. And if people come into my office and say the reason we do something a certain way is because that’s the way it’s always been done? You better believe I’m sending them back to the drawing board.

At the very time when American innovators are leading the charge by doing things in a new way, government has to keep up. The FAA has to keep up. If there’s a way for us to improve a process, we’ve got to lead the way. That’s what makes us a world leader in aviation, in safety, in efficiency.

But, I know…talk is cheap. You’re thinking…what does this look like in the real world?

Earlier this month, I joined Secretary Chao to announce ten UAS pilot program sites across the country where state, local, and tribal governments will be working with private industry to demonstrate and study expanded drone operations.

We will get a better understanding of how operations over people, beyond visual line of sight ops, and flying drones at night work at the local level. The information we gain from these trials will not only help us expand the regulatory framework for unmanned aircraft nationwide, but it will also help us determine the appropriate level of local control.

We’re changing our approach to commercial space launches. It’s not enough to just accommodate this growing industry. We need to fully integrate it into our airspace.

We’re using new technologies like the Space Data Integrator to make launches less disruptive to nearby airspace users. And we’re revamping our licensing process to make it easier for commercial space operators to receive the approvals they need more quickly.

This attitude also extends to certification. We’re moving toward a more performance-based system where the FAA sets safety standards and lets manufacturers figure out the best way to meet them.

A rule overhauling how we certify small general aviation aircraft went into effect last year. And while it’s going to take some time, we plan to apply these same principles to more aircraft categories, including UAS, moving forward.

We also remain committed to modernizing our air traffic control system.

I’ll be the first to admit: the debate around the FAA’s latest reauthorization didn’t go the way I hoped it would. And while I’m happy to see a long-term bill on the horizon, I worry it still doesn’t tackle some of the larger funding and management issues we face.

But I’m not going to stop using the megaphone I’ve been handed to make sure our workforce gets the resources and technology it needs to keep delivering the level of safety and efficiency the American people expect. And we’re going to continue working with industry to prioritize our modernization efforts.

Now, let me be clear about something: Making the FAA a better partner to the aviation industry doesn’t mean we’re cutting corners on safety.

Our commitment to being the gold standard is not going to change. In fact, we’re setting the bar even higher. We’re just not going to tell you how to clear it. We know this industry is going to solve some of the challenges we’re facing more quickly and more creatively than the FAA ever could alone.

We need our partners in the international community, as well.

The challenges facing the FAA aren’t unique. Civil aviation authorities around the world are grappling with the same issues. And the United States doesn’t have a monopoly on good ideas.

Working together, we can — and do — get things done. We already have an impressive record of achievement… from reducing aviation’s environmental impact, and harmonizing our air traffic control systems… to sharing safety data, and streamlining our certification processes.

There’s so much we can learn from each other that can help us reach the next level of safety.

I come from a military background. My father was a Marine, and I was in the Air Force. Growing up as the son of a Marine, and later, as an officer myself, I learned that leadership isn’t a fixed point.

You can’t just declare yourself a leader one day, then say: I’m done. Instead, you must keep asking yourself: How can I do more? How can I be better?

Our industry has always been like that. Aviation certainly didn’t start out as the safest mode of travel on the planet — far from it. But it is today.

No one handed us our current safety record. We did the work. You did the work. Together, we earned it.

But that doesn’t mean our job is done. And we can’t become complacent. The last few weeks have been a tough reminder… one fatality in our system is one too many.

How can we do more? How can we be better?

We ask ourselves those questions every day at the FAA. But we can’t answer them alone. Aviation doesn’t have borders, or boundaries. We’re a global community. We don’t compete on safety. And there’s no limit to what we can achieve when we work together.

So the United States stands ready to lead, and ready to partner with anyone who shares our vision for the future of aviation.

A future that is safe. A future that is innovative. A future that is limitless.

Oh… I almost forgot… The answer I gave to the question of whether I would ever consider riding in an autonomous aerial taxi? It was the same answer most of you would have given: In a heartbeat. Sign me up.

Thank you for the invitation to be here today.

Amazing is What You Do

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Thank you, Paul. I’m happy to be here. I want to thank you and Trish for your leadership … and for being such great partners.

I also want to thank our controllers for the job you do every day. You safely handle about 45 thousand IFR flights a day … over 31 million miles of domestic and international airspace.

To the layperson, this is nothing short of amazing.

But it’s what you do, every single day.

When it comes to safety and efficiency, you have set an incredibly high bar.

I’ll give you a good example.

Last month, controller Tim Martin at Daytona Beach Tower came through for a 20-year old student pilot who was in trouble.

The pilot was flying solo when engine oil sprayed all over his windscreen. He couldn’t see anything forward or sideways.

Tim calmed him down, and got him towards the Daytona Beach Airport. Once the aircraft was close to the runway, our tower controllers gave vertical guidance to the radar controller to relay to the aircraft. 

Tim and his colleagues worked together to guide this pilot all the way to touchdown, and then let him know how much runway he had left.

When the student landed, he said we had saved his life.

Saves like these remind us that we must always be vigilant. Whether you’re in the cockpit, the tower cab or the center–the calmest, most benign day can turn on a dime into a life and death situation.

This became all too clear after Captain Shultz’ engine failed on Southwest Flight 1380. Tragically, this event took a life.

But, if not for the calm professionalism and coordination of the flight crew and air traffic controllers, it could have been much worse.

We had gone 9 years and 3 months without a commercial passenger fatality. But that tragedy reminds us that ensuring safety is a never-ending task.

The FAA and NATCA are doing everything possible to drive down safety risk. We have to continue to collect and share safety data … identify and target the highest risk areas … and work with our stakeholders to address the problems.

Over the past 10 years, FAA controllers have submitted more than 147,000 ATSAP reports. From these reports, we have put in place 181 corrective actions.

That’s 181 more ways to extend the safety margin so that accidents don’t happen!

Let me give you some examples. 

A controller at Albany Tower reported that trees were obstructing the view of Runway 28.

That’s a potential trigger for runway incursions.

ATSAP’s Event Review Committee shared the report and coordinated a full Obstruction Evaluation. And following that, we put out a contract to remove or trim the trees from public and private property.

Employees at Kansas City Center also submitted ATSAP reports indicating problems with some frequencies for Kirksville, Missouri.

There were “scratchy” readbacks, numerous repeats, and missed calls. The frequencies had become useless on main and standby.

This is a bad thing all the way around. It could lead to miscommunication between controllers and pilots.

This could result in increased workload, distractions, and the potential for airspace and separation issues.

Technical Operations looked for causes and solutions, and last year they implemented a series of mitigations to solve the problem.

It was the ATSAP reports that really elevated the issues, so they could get the attention they needed.

None of that happens without you leaning forward. ATSAP turns up things that otherwise would have gone unattended to. We’re as safe as we are because we make sure we get things right, and when they’re not, we fix them. Together.

As I said, this is what we do.

And it’s the same approach we need to take as drones come into the field.

This industry is rapidly evolving, and the FAA must stay a step ahead.  

Our goal is to ensure safety while enabling innovation.

We could be looking at 3.5 million drones by 2021. As part of this effort, we have to ensure the safety of other aircraft and people and property on the ground, while safeguarding the needs of traditional airspace users.  

Earlier this month, Secretary Elaine Chao announced the ten selectees that will take part in the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program.

These sites are going to change how we look at aviation. We’re well familiar with border patrol, package delivery, and emergency response. We’re just used to having someone sitting up front to do it.

It’s a new day.

Over the next two and half years, the selectees will collect drone data on night operations, flights over people and beyond the pilot’s line of sight, and on detect-and-avoid technology.

For specific drone flights, they will be able get expedited approval for airspace authorizations. In turn, they will give us the data that will inform our regulations on drones.

Last month, the FAA announced a national beta test of a new automation tool called LAANC.

We’re at the mercy of acronyms. LAANC is the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability.

LAANC is designed specifically to expedite requests by drone users to operate in controlled airspace near airports.

At early prototype locations, LAANC has cut the average approval time from three months to less than one minute.

As part of the beta test, over the next six months, the agency will be rolling out LAANC to nearly 300 air traffic facilities and about 500 airports.

We look forward to seeing the results.

Through the UAS Pilot, LAANC and the other efforts we’re making, the U.S. will continue to lead the world in safe drone integration.    

None of this happens without you, and we’re going to hire more than 5,000 controllers in the next five years, to make sure we’re in a place to succeed.

Again this year, our hiring has been going very well. As of last week, we were at 82 percent of our hiring goal of 1701. This will be the third year in a row we have exceeded our goal.

Our largest staffing challenge is at New York TRACON. As you know, N90 is one of the world’s busiest and most complex RADAR facilities.

Over the past year, we’ve posted two announcements for experienced applicants to be assigned to N90. The ATO is providing the selected applicants with more intense simulator training that comes close to matching the real traffic there.   

We have also taken steps to enhance Academy training. It’s called Ten Eleven Twelve Radar Assessment, or TETRA. In the future, we will employ this training for new hires at N90 and other large complex RADAR facilities.

Thanks to NATCA’s advocacy, there was a change in the law allowing us to post an announcement to hire applicants with no experience within a local commuting area.

We plan to post this announcement on June 19th, preceding an all-sources announcement scheduled for June 27th.

And whether it’s hiring, or any other important investment we make at the agency, stable funding is an important issue.

We must have a funding stream that’s sustainable and matches what we’re trying to accomplish.

We were pleased that the House passed a five-year FAA reauthorization bill last month. But it certainly didn’t play out the way we had hoped.

While we understand the political dynamics that prompted Chairman Shuster to remove the air traffic control reform title from the bill, we all agree that the status quo has not provided a stable, predictable funding stream to operate and modernize the NAS.  

The stop-and-go funding has delayed needed system improvements. It makes planning for modernization projects difficult and more expensive.

And the 2013 sequestration forced us to suspend controller hiring and shutter the Academy for a year.

The pending bills are far from perfect, but I’m committed to ensuring that you get the resources you need to continue delivering the level of service that the American people expect.

Under the leadership of Chairman Shuster and Chairman Thune, I’m confident that a long-term bill will be enacted this year.  

As controllers, your professionalism and teamwork are major reasons for aviation’s historic safety record.

I mentioned Flight 1380 earlier. When the pilot told Corey Davids, controller at New York center, they had to make an emergency landing, Cory and nine other controllers cleared the airspace so the plane could land in Philadelphia, as soon as possible.

Otherwise, the tragedy could have been much, much worse.

People who read or watched this story thought it was amazing.

But, I think Cory put it best when he said, “We have thousands of controllers around the country that go in everyday, do their job, leave, and no one hears anything about anything.”

Cory’s right. This is simply what you do. This is why FAA remains the gold standard around the world.

I look forward to working with you to keep it that way.

Writing History in Real Time

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Good morning.  I often wonder if the Wrights around 100 years ago really understood the magnitude of their invention.  Or were they so caught up in flying that they didn’t allow themselves a moment to ponder—to ponder what would become their indelible thumbprint on the page of history? 

We find ourselves today at a juncture not unlike that one, but in this case, we’re acutely aware of the ripple created by unmanned aircraft.  In this day and age, we’re surrounded by innovation—perhapsbuffetedis the better word. 

I went to the Consumer Electronics Show in January, and I tell you – if you can dream it, I saw it at CES in Vegas.  Retailer and ridesharing companies are creating their own skunk works on pilotless aircraft to deliver packages and people.  The commercial space industry is making reusable rockets a reality.  They just put a Tesla into orbit.  We’re on the cusp of a new age of supersonic travel.  And self-driving cars are moving from Disney’s drawing board onto America’s roadways. 

If you are a student of aviation and a fan of innovation, today is your day.  History and innovation are about to meet at the intersection we call unmanned aircraft.  Drones are the future of aviation, but if past is prologue, and it most certainly is, drones are also the today of aviation, very much today.  This is history in the making—real time—and the people in this room are making it. 

In fact, I think the size of this audience is an indication of why we’re moving as quickly as we are.  Aviation has always depended on innovation—but as we’ve seen, innovation without collaboration is a non-starter.  Our recently completed Pathfinder program featured groups that we’d never partnered with before—like train operators and broadcasting outlets. I’d like to thank these partners – CNN, PrecisionHawk, and BNSF Railways – for successfully concluding Phase 3 of their pathfinder operations late last year.  

We also successfully completed the prototype evaluation for LAANC – the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability.  This automates how UAS operators get permission to fly in controlled airspace – a crucial first step for UAS traffic management.  We’re going to conduct a national beta test starting April 30.  Nearly 300 air traffic control facilities and 500 airports will be covered by September.  That’s a significant expansion of a successful program designed specifically and directly for the people in this room. 

In addition, beginning April 16, we’re going to start accepting applications from new partners looking to provide LAANC services.  Right now, there are five—Skyward, AirMap, Project Wing, Boeing and Rockwell Collins.  If you’re interested, you can find information on the application process on the FAA web site. 

With LAANC, pilots and drone companies can receive near real-time airspace authorizations – eliminating the manual authorization process that can sometimes take weeks. Controllers can see where planned drone operations will take place. This allows them to mitigate risk by ensuring no other aircraft are operating near the drone. I want you to know:  we’re listening.

I’m particularly proud of another effort I’m sure you’ve all heard about by now—the UAS Integration Pilot Program.  We’ve created an opportunity for State, local and tribal governments to partner with the private sector—people like UAS operators and manufacturers.  President Trump established this to accelerate integration … to ensure U.S. global leadership in this industry.  The response has been enthusiastic.  Given this crowd, no surprise there.  We had 149 lead applicants, from which Secretary Chao will select at least 10.  The pilot program is going to broaden our concept of what drones can do and help inform a streamlined regulatory posture going forward. 

That said, it’s important that safety continues to guide each step we take.

I’ve said on more than one occasion that safety is the key to the front door of the National Airspace System.  Our goal for unmanned aircraft remains full, complete and total integration.  But the cautionary tale from well-established aviators is, as I said a moment ago, one simple word:  safety.

Safety is our top priority, but it is everyone’s shared responsibility.  The U.S. national airspace system is the envy of the rest of the world.  It runs well, but it runs that way because safety guides everything we do. 

Other challenges warrant our attention.  Despite our success with the Part 107 small UAS rule—the world’s first comprehensive framework for UAS regulation—we’ve much more ahead of us.  We’re working to expand small UAS operating parameters while making sure we appropriately consider security and privacy issues.

The FAA, the Department, and the White House are all on the same page in this respect – working well both inside and outside the government is key to getting things done.  You’ll be hearing more about this in the near future.

As the regulator, we’ve got to adopt an attitude of “regulatory humility.”  We’ve got to get things done faster.  The U.S. Government is a behemoth – it doesn’t adapt very well to change. So while a big change like unmanned aircraft is happening as I speak, the FAA cannot make the mistake of thinking we have all the answers, all the time. We have to work with industry to develop technology and solutions to our common problems.

Ultimately, it’s the responsibility of the FAA to ensure we have the appropriate standards in place to assure the NAS is safe for all users.  Likewise, we mustn’t lose focus of the safety of the people on the ground.  Working together, we’ve begun the iterative process of UAS integration while maintaining safety.

We also continue to evaluate remote identification for unmanned aircraft.  For this industry to flourish commercially and be of public service, all aircraft—unmanned or otherwise—must be identifiable.  You wouldn’t expect to see unlicensed vehicles on the highway.  Dirt bikes are fine for the woods, but when you see one on the beltway, there’s a problem—a problem for them and a problem for everyone around them.

We’re committed to moving very quickly to establish remote ID requirements.  Civil aviation in the United States has become the symbol of safety because of situational awareness.  If you want to fly in the system, you have to be identifiable and follow the rules. 

The provisions excepting model aircraft in the FAA Modernization Act of 2012 from any regulation must be revisited—soon—to address ongoing concerns related to security, law enforcement and integration.  Reasonable steps should be taken to ensure accountability without overburdening the public, and collaboration between government and stakeholders, as mentioned before, will be critical to meeting these challenges.  

I’d be remiss not to mention the need to mitigate risks to national security and public safety posed by people who aren’t playing by the rules--whether by intent or ignorance.  If you think about it, a malicious act could put a hard stop on drone integration.  And in that case, we’d lose the true safety benefits to people like powerline and mine inspectors who would have to put themselves back into harm’s way without the use of drones. 

Obviously, we can’t let that happen.  We can’t lose traction, nor can we jeopardize public safety or national security.  We’re working with partners across the government to find ways to address security issues.  We must ensure that the United States remains a global leader—and that we benefit from this rapidly developing sector of the economy.   Make no mistake that public safety and national securityremaintoppriorities. 

Congress has given DOD and the Department of Energy the authority to counter UAS that threaten sensitive facilities.  From where I stand, that’s the right move.  We support enabling other security partners such as the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to protect assets and operations critical to national security. By enabling Federal security and law enforcement agencies to detect and mitigate risks posed by errant or malicious UAS operations, the United States will continue to offer the safest and most efficient aviation system in the world.  As you can imagine, there’s considerable churn over this subject, and the public discourse needs to be robust—which is why I highlight it here. 

Congress is heavily involved with the drone issue, which I view as a positive sign.  As an agency, we appreciate some of the provisions in both Reauthorization bills.  The details of the provision in each bill are different, but both bills take the issues head on, particularly related to accountability and risk.  

There are a number of provisions regarding UAS safety.  As I said, Congress is leaning in here, and that’s helpful for all of us.  We look forward to Congress getting a long-term FAA bill finished so the FAA will have the appropriate tools to continue our work advancing safe drone integration.

I believe the next 12-18 months are critically important to integration.  If you’re an innovator or an operator, the FAA wants to work with you.  We’re heavily invested.  Drones are new to our airspace, but we’re in the business of handling the next big thing.  We’re used to new technology.  We have the best controllers, the best inspectors and the best technicians.  Other industries have asked us for insight on safety:  automotive; power; finance.  We’re good at connecting the dots, and we are equal to this task. 

I’m encouraged by the energy in this industry and the willingness of everyone in this room to work together. We’ve raised the collaboration bar to a new height—and we’re just getting warmed up.  We have obstacles, but none of them are insurmountable.  And in truth, I think the best is yet to come.

A Hot Streak

Remarks as Delivered

Commercial aviation is on a hot streak, but so is commercial space.  And we can do better.  We all want to see more launches.  We want more spaceports.  But what we need is streamlined regulatory processes.  FAA can’t be a rubber stamp; nor can, or should, we be a hurdle.  Time waits for no one, and I think that’s true of commercial space.

Let’s get to it.  We need to license launches faster.  But, Industry must improve its safety performance—just like the airlines.  I expect more from FAA.  I expect more from industry.

Before we move too far along, I think more talk about safety is time well spent.  The importance of safety cannot be overstated—especially in what I consider still are our early days. 

As exciting and promising and attractive as commercial space may be, we must take caution not to get ahead of ourselves.  This industry can ill-afford the barnstorming reputation that affixed itself to aviation a hundred years ago. 

Space flight was no stranger to missteps in its infancy, some catastrophically so.  Thankfully, those days are mostly behind us, but they are instructive these many decades later. 

Now, in our zeal to punch through and make commercial space a viable and reliable enterprise, we can’t overlook the importance of safety. 

Safety is the key to the front door of the national airspace system.  I’m optimistic about commercial space transportation—as long as safety is its cornerstone. 

What I see is a positive indicator, a very positive indicator.  We set a record for licensed commercial space launches last year you set a record– and we’re on track to surpass that in 2018.

But the numbers don’t tell the whole story.  Innovation is changing what’s possible in commercial space on an almost daily basis.  If you think about it, that’s how it is in the U.S.  We know that economic prosperity and world-class leadership begins with innovation.  The unrivaled prosperity and quality of life that our country enjoys has almost always begun with some kind of innovation. 

And that’s true, of course for commercial space.  Without sacrificing safety, we must act with the urgency and agility to match pace with the speed of innovation. 

The idea of reusing boosters was just a pipe dream a few years ago. Today, it’s routine. Well, 2 out of 3, but I think that’s still impressive, if you ask me!

History’s going to remember this one.  It was a day the entire the aerospace industry took a giant step forward.  And the best part; an American company, on American soil, an American car will be circling the sun. 

Neil Armstrong took that one giant leap for humankind.  The next step is here in this room, and it’s time to take it.  America has always been the world’s leader in space.  That can – and must – continue. It’s essential to both our economic and national security interests.

NASA relies on commercial space launches to support the International Space Station.  DoD is increasingly using them for national security missions and technology demonstrations.

These operations also have the potential to support countless new industries that will transform the U.S. economy.

President Trump made space a priority by reconvening the National Space Council last summer. I attended the first meeting last summer at Udvar-Hazy.  Vice President Pence has officials at the highest levels of government working together to clear the way for companies that want to do everything from build space stations to mine asteroids.

The FAA has an important role to play in this process.  Our job isn’t just to ensure the safety of America’s airspace.  It’s to ensure equal access to it.

We’re committed to balancing the needs of all airspace users. This means moving from a system where we accommodate commercial space operations to one where they are fully integrated into our system.  That’s how it will be for drones, and that’s going to be the lay of the land for commercial space transportation as well. 

We chartered an Airspace Access Priorities Aviation Rulemaking Committee. It’s going to help the FAA develop criteria that can be used to consider competing requests for airspace access.  Many of you have been invited to participate in this Committee.  Thank you in advance for your input as we begin this process.

We’re also using technology to help manage increased airspace demands.

The FAA is testing the Space Data Integrator, a tool that reduces the amount of airspace that has to be blocked off for commercial space operations. Once deployed, it will automate procedures for air traffic controllers.  It more efficiently releases blocked airspace so it’s available for other users.

These are important steps forward. But we know more still needs to be done.  As the industry grows, so does the number of license applications.  If the size of this audience is any indication, that’s not going to change.  We need to keep up—which is why we’re committed to transforming the way we do business.

We’ve developed a plan to streamline the steps a company needs to take to secure a license. Our goal is to create a consolidated, performance-based system that will maintain safety while speeding up the review process.  But it’s still going to take some time. So the FAA is also taking steps that will provide more immediate relief to commercial space operators.

We’re going to eliminate the most frequent sources of waiver requests.  We’re going to improve license planning and application development.  We’re going to reduce administrative paperwork and costs for industry and the agency.  And there’s more, much more.  Stay tuned. 

Ingenuity and innovation have always fueled our nation’s success at home and abroad.  We don’t want a rocket tethered to a launchpad with red tape.  We can’t let burdensome government regulations get in the way of America’s thriving commercial space industry.  We must exercise “regulatory humility.”  We must avoid being the government of arrogance.  Government does not always know best.  We believe that when enabled and allowed to do what they do best, American ingenuity will provide the best answer.

As I look around this room, I see academics… engineers… policymakers… and the most visionary technology and aerospace companies in the world.  Each of you has an important role to play in shaping the future of commercial space in America.  And the FAA looks forward to keeping it safe … and collaborating with you to continue taking bold steps toward that future.  Together, we can get there. 

Thank you.