The Evolving Role of Training in Aviation Safety

Thanks, Chris Lehman. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here at this important gathering – billed as the “world’s largest gathering of aviation training professionals.” It’s great to see such a turnout. Training is such an important part of keeping our system safe. It’s such an important part of our joint mission of keeping aviation safe.

It’s my privilege to be here. This morning, I want to talk about:

• The evolving role of training in aviation safety.
• How the FAA evaluates risk, and how that view has evolved in recent years.
• How the industry itself is changing, and what challenges that presents.
• The importance of all of us working together to keep the system safe.

Let me start by talking about the FAA’s approach to safety, and how that’s evolved.

For most of our history, safety was a function of accident investigation. Safety was forensic. There would be an accident; we would study the causes; then we would implement changes to make sure that accident never happened that way again.

And that was a successful system. We have reduced commercial accidents in the U.S. to a very low rate. The last U.S. accident was the Colgan accident in Buffalo in 2009. While we have learned many things from that accident, and I’ll talk about those today, we had to develop other methods for finding and mitigating risk in the system. Fewer accidents led to a new approach.

Because there still is risk.

• We continue to experience a lot of growth and change in aviation.
• There’s more automation on the flight deck and in air traffic control systems.
• We are also integrating new types of aircraft in the system, like commercial spacecraft and unmanned aircraft.

While these changes are important and welcome, they are also complex from a safety standpoint. They introduce potential sources of safety risk. So how do we manage this risk? We have to spot the unsafe trends before they become accidents.

To do this, we have developed a risk-based decision making system.

Risk-based decision making focuses on finding risk before an accident occurs. We do this by collecting large amounts of safety data from many sources

• Air traffic controllers.
• Airway technicians.
• Commercial pilots.
• GA pilots
• Mechanics
• Dispatchers
• And other aviation professionals, and through other sources.  

We then use this data to conduct risk analysis to identify potentially high risk areas. Then we target our resources to address these higher risk areas.

• Collect the data,
• Analyze the data,
• Identify risks, and
• Mitigate the risks.

Working with all of you is a key to the success of this approach. We need your data, your experiences, and your ideas to make this work.

In fact, engaging with our stakeholders is key. We do that at conferences like this one, and sometimes through a more formal approach, like the rule making process.

In the area of training, we’re engaging stakeholders through the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee, the ACT ARC, which we established one year ago. This effort represents a major commitment by both the FAA and industry to determine voluntary initiatives air carriers can take to improve pilot, flight attendant, and dispatcher training. 

I know many members of this ARC are in the audience today, and I thank you for your commitment and hard work on this. Already the ARC’s work is making a difference. It has recommended ways to improve pilot knowledge and skills to manage the flight path of the airplane. This is helping us to address the risk of pilot skill atrophy as the reliance on flight deck automation grows.

The committee has also made recommendations to improve helicopter air ambulance training, like setting minimum hours for initial and recurrent training, and developing guidance for line oriented flight training, or LOFT – a way to train the crew by simulating real-life scenarios involving accident scenes and danger zones.  

In addition, the committee is looking at ways to develop alternative education, training and experience pathways to qualify for an Airline Transport Pilot, or ATP certificate.

This work is ongoing, and we look forward to receiving additional safety recommendations. Some of these recommendations may become rules, but many of your companies will adopt safety procedures long before the rule becomes final. This early adoption is a result of industry engagement, and allows us to mitigate risk faster than the traditional rulemaking approach.

Risk-based decision making is not the only way we have safety enhancements.

I mentioned the 2009 Colgan accident. After that tragedy, Congress enacted the “Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010” to enhance flight safety. One provision in that law requires all first officers to have an ATP certificate so they have a stronger foundation of aeronautical knowledge and more experience before flying for an air carrier.

It takes 1,500 flight hours to obtain an ATP, and this has caused some to raise concerns about the pilot applicant pool. 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.

The FAA is open to discussing other ways to strengthen the pilot pipeline, but this will require cooperation from across the industry.

While the law passed by Congress in 2010 focused on pilot qualifications, the FAA recognized that we also had to make more targeted interventions to address other areas that the Colgan accident brought to light: including pilot fatigue and basic pilot skill proficiency.

We used fatigue science 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.

We also issued rules targeted at strengthening training for a pilot’s stick and rudder skills. After Colgan, it was understood that pilots should have more experience in recognizing the cues of an actual stall, and reinforce their ability to recover from that stall.

Specifically, the rules require that air carriers must now implement training programs by 2018 to address the recognition, prevention, and recovery from full stalls. Again, we believe these targeted training interventions will drive down these risk factors. 

Simulator Training

Another source of safety innovation is technology. Simulator and related technologies have improved dramatically in recent years. Training simulators are a key part of pilot training. We looked at what changes should be made to rules that apply to simulators. We saw that 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. 

We’re working to address another factor in the Colgan accident – icing conditions. We’re proposing to require that industry incorporate more accurate aerodynamic icing models. Our plan is to issue a final rule in 2016, so that industry has time to modify their simulators by March 2019, which is the deadline for the air carriers to implement full stall and upset recovery training programs.

These changes will enable us to mitigate many of the factors that contributed to the Colgan accident.   

Aviation Training Devices      

Technology advances also hold promise for general aviation. We are enacting new opportunities for use of aviation training devices, or ATD’s, to enhance GA safety.

ATD’s are an effective, safe, and affordable way to obtain pilot experience. The technology has come a long way. They’re more realistic and capable of simulating all kinds of weather conditions.

We’re in the process of issuing a rule that would increase the number of allowed credit hours in an FAA-approved ATD to count towards a pilot’s minimum 40 hours of instrument time required for the instrument rating. This change will relieve some of the burdens on GA pilots seeking to obtain aeronautical experience.   

Flight Attendant and Dispatcher Training Guidance

Similar safety advances are being made in flight attendant and dispatcher training. The FAA will be issuing some specific guidance to improve training in these areas.     Many of you are familiar with our Advance Qualification Program, or AQP. In pilot training, AQP provides a way for trainers to conduct a task analysis of the pilot’s duties. They can collect data on pilot performance, and then focus the training toward tasks that need more reinforcement. For instance, if the data shows that a pilot is highly proficient at performing ILS approaches, then training resources can be focused more toward other kinds of skill reinforcement.

The FAA will be issuing specific guidance on how to develop these kinds of data-driven training programs for flight attendants and dispatchers. We’ll do that through a revision to the AQP Advisory Circular later this year.   

Professionalism

Let me close by saying safety is our mission at the FAA, and certainly rules and policy guidance are essential to achieving our goal of providing the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world. An equally vital component is the professionalism we expect from pilots, cabin crew, dispatchers, mechanics and trainers. Your participation in this conference is a result of your professionalism.  

Everyone here has a unique set of expertise when it comes to flying. Let’s continue to bring this expertise together, so we can bring about even better, more targeted training solutions to ensure safety. The FAA looks forward to continuing our collaboration with industry. With your continued engagement, and your expertise, there’s no doubt we’ll be successful. 

Thank you.

Before the Senate Commerce Committee concerning FAA Reauthorization

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

It seems like not long ago, we were united with a shared sense of urgency to provide the necessary framework and structure to support our nation’s aviation system, as part of the FAA reauthorization of 2012. And now we are here again to continue that work. Government and industry have a shared responsibility to create the aviation system that will carry this nation well into the 21^st century.

The FAA has made major progress in transforming our airspace system through NextGen, and that progress continues as we speak.

I am very proud to announce that we achieved a major milestone last month by completing one of the largest automation changeovers in the history of the FAA. We have completed our new high altitude air traffic control system – known as ERAM. This system will accommodate the technologies of NextGen, giving the United States a more powerful air traffic system.

ERAM, or En Route Automation Modernization – is not just a faster computer system, it’s a network that replaces our legacy system, which had its roots in the 1960s. ERAM processes data from nearly three times the number of sensors as the legacy system. It can track and display more high altitude flights and enable controllers to handle additional traffic more efficiently.

This upgrade is complete now because we introduced a great deal of discipline and structure to the way we do business at the FAA. In 2012, we created a Program Management Organization to better manage the deployment of this and other technology. We also worked closely with our employees – those who will use the system – to gain insight and to make alterations ahead of time for a smooth transition. The fact that we turned ERAM around, and that it is now operating nationwide, is a testament to what the FAA can accomplish as an agency when it sets milestones and pulls together as a team to make fundamental changes.

ERAM links seamlessly with another complementary system that makes up the foundation of NextGen. This system is called Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast, or ADS-B. Last year we finished the coast-to-coast installation of the ADS-B network that will enable satellite-based air traffic control. ADS-B provides a more precise and efficient alternative to radar and will create a sea change in how we manage our nation’s air traffic.

With this highly flexible NextGen foundation in place, the FAA has fulfilled an important commitment. We are working with the industry and the general aviation community to help them meet their requirement to equip by 2020.

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

We have accomplished all of this despite a very challenging fiscal backdrop. Prior to 2012, the FAA faced 23 short-term extensions for reauthorization, as well as a lapse in spending authority and a partial furlough. Two years ago, like other federal agencies, we slashed our budget under the sequester and furloughed employees. Later that year, we continued to operate our nation’s air traffic control system and regulate industry safety despite a complete shutdown of the federal government.

What the FAA needs in reauthorization is stability and predictable funding. We also need the flexibility to identify priorities and match our services and infrastructure with the needs of our users.

It bears emphasizing that the FAA is a 24-seven operation, singularly focused on safety. I think everyone has acknowledged that the funding piece has been challenging in the last five years. There is talk about restructuring the FAA as part of this reauthorization. I am all for having that discussion, but the discussion needs to be based on facts. We need to be sure that any governance changes would work to solve the challenges faced by the FAA.

Our aviation system is a valuable asset for the American public that contributes 12 million jobs and $1.5 trillion to our economy. We should use the upcoming reauthorization to provide the FAA with the tools necessary to meet the demands of the future. A lot is at stake, and we need to get this right.

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

Harmonized Integration”

Good morning and thank you, Nancy, for the kind introduction.

We are here this week to talk about the newest entrant into our airspace, the remotely piloted aircraft, as it is called in Montreal. Or unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, as we call it in the U.S. regulatory system. Or drones, as they are widely known in the general public.

But whatever we choose to call them, these aircraft are rapidly changing the face of aviation. They are being already deployed around the world in a variety of commercial activities, from agriculture, pipeline inspection, oil exploration, wildlife monitoring, movie making, photography, and construction. The list seems endless.

This is not a theoretical exercise: these aircraft exist now. And as with any new technology, it is impossible to predict what commercial uses may lie ahead. In fact, that is not our role. Our role is to build a regulatory structure that allows their introduction into the airspace in a fashion that is both safe and efficient. We need to ensure that we maintain the same levels of safety that we have achieved in the current system, while allowing this rapidly developing technology to flourish and integrate into the airspace.

This is the balance we must strike, and we are all approaching the task somewhat differently – from what we call these aircraft, to how we categorize them. But at the end of the day, we have to come up with a harmonized system, which is where ICAO plays such an important role.

This morning I would like to talk a bit about how the FAA is approaching the integration of UAS into our airspace, and then talk more about the importance of harmonization.

The U.S. Approach

In looking at the U.S. regulatory approach, we began with a comprehensive road map, which we published two years ago and which constitutes our plan to safely integrate unmanned aircraft. This roadmap addresses the policies, the regulations, the technologies, and the procedures that we will need to integrate unmanned aircraft on a routine basis.

In addition, the Department of Transportation released a Comprehensive Plan that details the multi-agency approach to the safe and timely integration of unmanned aircraft. That plan establishes goals to integrate both small and larger aircraft.

Effectively, the U.S. approach divides UAS into two categories: small UAS, meaning under 55 pounds, or 25 kilograms, which operate at low altitudes, and large UAS, which would operate in busier controlled airspace. We are also considering the possibility of a third category – devices that are less than two kilos.

Small UAS

In February we issued a proposed rule for regulations that would govern small UAS, and that rule is now available for public comment. The proposed rule is designed to create a flexible framework that balances our goal of accommodating innovation in the industry, while ensuring that we protect other aircraft by maintaining separation, and that we protect people and property on the ground.

I’d like to share some of the highlights of our proposed rule, which is similar to the framework that EASA has proposed for what it calls the low risk or “Open” category of unmanned aircraft.

The FAA’s proposed rule accommodates aircraft operating up to 500 feet above ground level, and restricts operations near airports and other restricted airspace unless air traffic control gives permission. This provides a buffer between manned and unmanned aircraft.

This proposal would allow operations during daylight hours, at speeds of up to 100 mph, and would require the operator to be able to see the unmanned aircraft at all times.

We propose that operators obtain a newly created operator’s certificate by passing a knowledge test focusing on the rules of the air, but they do not need to obtain a traditional pilot’s license. The operator would need to renew that certificate every two years by passing a written proficiency test.

These small unmanned aircraft pose the least amount of risk to our airspace and therefore, consistent with our risk-based approach, the proposed rule would allow these aircraft to operate without the need for an airworthiness certificate. A traditional certificate can take three to five years to obtain. An unmanned aircraft could very well be outdated by the time it obtained a certificate following the traditional approach. Therefore, we have proposed that no airworthiness certificate is needed. Rather, these aircraft must operate within the specified parameters to maintain safety.

In addition to mitigating risk, the rule opens the door to many potential benefits. The small unmanned aircraft may be used to conduct higher risk activities, such as inspecting utility towers, antennas, bridges, power lines and pipelines in hilly or mountainous terrain. Small unmanned aircraft could also support wildlife conservation, or be used to monitor crops. They can help with search and rescue, shoot scenes for films and television or take aerial photographs for real estate purposes. In many cases unmanned aircraft can do these tasks with less risk than manned aircraft that might have to fly in dangerous terrain or in bad weather. And, in some cases, an unmanned aircraft could conduct inspections more safely than a worker who might need to climb a tower, or repel down the side of a building.

The proposed rule is also relevant for what is not covered. The rule does not affect those who want to fly model aircraft as a hobby or for recreation. They already can do that – they simply need to fly according to our model aircraft guidelines.

As part of this rule, we are also asking the question of whether there should be an additional category and special rules for “micro unmanned aircraft” – those that weigh less than 4.4 pounds, or 2 kilograms. We will consider public comment on this issue.

Finally, the rule does not address privacy. Rather, President Obama last month issued a memorandum on privacy that will guide how the U.S. Federal Government uses unmanned aircraft in our domestic airspace. The presidential memorandum also outlines how the Administration will engage with industry to develop best practices to protect the privacy of the public.

Rulemaking of course takes time, but meanwhile we have moved forward with approving the first commercial use of unmanned aircraft in the Arctic. In both cases, the FAA issued a restricted type certificate for these unmanned aircraft, which means we deemed them airworthy for restricted operations.

• Our first commercial approval was in 2013 for Conoco-Phillips to use the InSitu Scan Eagle for marine mammal and ice surveys.
• And last summer we approved our first commercial use of an unmanned aircraft over land. British Petroleum began using the Puma AE to survey its pipelines, roads, and equipment at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, which is the largest oilfield in the United States.

More recently, we have provided exemptions for applications to operate small unmanned aircraft in the continental United States.

• We have granted almost 70 exemptions for tasks such as shooting video for movies, real estate photography, railroad inspections, insurance disaster claims and agriculture. We are increasing our efforts to authorize more commercial uses, and are also working to streamline this approval process.
• And last week, we issued an experimental airworthiness certificate to Amazon Logistics for an aircraft design they are working on for research and development and crew training.

Large UAS

With respect to large unmanned aircraft, different challenges remain as we look at the technology necessary to integrate those aircraft into our busier controlled airspace. There are operational and regulatory challenges that still must be met:

• Similar to the “see and avoid” obligation of pilots, how do we ensure adequate detect and avoid capabilities for unmanned aircraft?
• How do we mitigate risk and ensure recovery from a loss of link with the operator?
• What specific training programs and procedures will be necessary for pilots of large unmanned aircraft?

We have a large body of work ongoing with other government agencies and researchers to find solutions to these challenges. The FAA, NASA and industry are collaborating on research and have successfully demonstrated a proof of concept for an airborne detect and avoid system. This was a major milestone in the development of a collision avoidance system for unmanned aircraft.

We are also working with universities, states and airports across the country for research on unmanned aircraft. Last year, we opened six research test sites, in conjunction with approximately 150 members representing research institutes, private industry, and partners in the U.S., Canada, Norway and Iceland.

Harmonization

Like other jurisdictions, we are working to integrate these aircraft into our airspace in a way that maintains our level of safety and allows innovation to continue with this important new technology. And as we do that, it is important that we all work together to ensure that our efforts are harmonized.

The United States will continue to support ICAO and work together to create the safe integration of unmanned aircraft. As we all learn more about unmanned flight, we will be well served to share that knowledge and harmonize standards, as we have done for so long with manned aircraft.

The FAA is working with 25 other countries that are part of the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems, which was founded in 2007. The United States co-chairs this organization, which is working toward a single set of technical, safety and operational requirements for the certification and safe integration of unmanned aircraft.

Also, the FAA is committed to ensuring that experts from several fields will support the new ICAO Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Panel. This panel, which represents more than 30 member states and international organizations, will look at issues like airworthiness, operator certification, licensing of remote pilots and other operational issues. They will work through many of the same topics that we’re discussing at this symposium this week, and focus on creating standards and recommended practices for adoption by the ICAO Council in 2018.

This is the start of a years-long process for creating a worldwide framework for integration of unmanned aircraft. We support ICAO as the forum and process where we can achieve international harmonization.

ICAO Manual

Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate all who were involved with achieving a significant milestone in harmonization with the publication this month of ICAO’s Manual on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. A significant amount of work from many experts in many fields contributed to this manual. It includes input from operators, manufacturers, inspectors, pilots, accident investigators, air traffic representatives and many others.

The manual provides guidance on technical and operational issues applicable to the integration of UAS in non-segregated airspace and airports. This is an important achievement.

Conclusion

In closing, all of us are trying to harness the potential of this new technology. The applications are limitless, and our job is to ensure that innovation can happen, while at the same time, ensuring that we maintain a safe system. I look forward to hearing the ideas of my colleagues here today. I also look forward to working with all of you to create the kind of regulatory framework that will allow unmanned aircraft to reach their full potential and operate seamlessly around the world.

Thank you very much.

We’re listening to You

Thank you, Sarah [MacLeod]. I always look forward to meeting with ARSA for at least a couple of reasons. One, you do things that matter—even though the average passenger doesn’t even know you’re there. And two, you do things that make a real difference in the system—and trust me on this, every passenger reaps the benefits of the professionalism ARSA members display each and every day.

As you’re aware, the FAA is working hard at becoming more nimble, more responsive to our stakeholders as this industry evolves. The Administrator has put four top initiatives in place, and he’ll be talking more about this tomorrow. But there is one of those initiatives—risk-based-decision-making—that I’d like to drill into a bit today.

Any discussion of how we’re learning to adapt has got to involve risk-based decision-making. This approach allows us to put our resources in the places where we’ll get the biggest reduction in risk. You’ll hear the phrase risk-based decision making many, many times in the future. We want to make use of the safety data available, determine areas of greatest safety risk, and prioritize our safety efforts accordingly.

Through our Risk-Based Decision Making efforts, we’re putting measures in place to be able to share safety data among all the players. This includes people inside the different lines of business at the FAA, industry, and our international peers.

This will lead to a broader spectrum of available data and put us in the place to make smarter decisions, be more informed. The more you use it, the more you realize that using data is a good thing, a smart thing.

The bottom line here is that risk-based decision making portends to be a game changer. It will help change how we oversee carriers. Flight Standards will be able to do more delegation. Certificate holders will be able to take responsibility for safety management. This will be a new day for all of us.

Now, with that as a backdrop, let me drill down into the impact of risk-based decision-making on safety audits. I’ve been thinking quite a bit about the overabundance, the duplication of effort, that I’ve been seeing with audits.

There’s little disagreement that safety audits can be an important safety tool, but there’s also little disagreement that the pendulum has swung too far.

Carriers are utilizing more contract MRO facilities to take care of their maintenance needs. Traditionally, surveillance of MROs has been conducted by both part 121 and 145 FAA certificate management offices, resulting in multiple inspections at some MROs—almost weekly. Regrettably, we’re faced with a queue conducting the audits: regulatory agencies and air carriers, internal audits conducted by repair facilities within the United States and regulatory agencies and air carriers globally.

Let me bring it home with an example, and, unfortunately for some of you, this won’t be as hypothetical as you wish it were. Let’s say I own ACME repair station. I have an FAR 145 certificate. I do heavy maintenance for United, for Delta, for American, for JetBlue and for Southwest. I’m a busy guy who’s running a busy shop.

Here’s where things get really busy. The FAA FSDO that oversees my 145 certificate has a schedule for conducting audits of my facility to ensure I am compliant. No argument there. I want my operation to be flying right. But, in addition to this, the CMO for each of the airlines I listed before also comes in and does separate audits equally of their own. Equally rigorous. Equally comprehensive. In addition to the FAA audits, the MROs conduct a series of their own internal safety audits.

And now, here comes another layer. I also do work for foreign operators. And naturally, their CAAs also come in and do audits. Equally rigorous. Equally comprehensive. You can see where this is going. Everyone wants to follow the rules, and this is how they follow the rules. And keep in mind that virtually all of these audits look at the same things, consideration of the results of any other audits.

If you were ill, and you had a cardiologist, a general practitioner, a rheumatologist, a nephrologist and a podiatrist, and they all ordered the exact same blood test a few days apart, well, you get the idea.

That’s a compelling example, and still, I can’t emphasize enough that auditing is an essential method for assessing compliance with aviation safety standards. Audits are foundational when it comes to providing a level of confidence that regulations and processes are being adhered to.

Audits are a good, but you can have too much of a good thing. The number of audits that you’re being asked to handle is going up, with no risked-based data decision-making to support safety or efficiency. We can’t have that. Multiple audits are more than just redundant. At a time when we’re all trying to do more with less, redundant audits are an inefficient use of resources. There’s an argument going on, and I think it has merit about whether these redundant audits are productive, or if they even have the desired effect of enhancing safety through oversight.

That example illustrates the FAA’s move to a more risk-based approach to system safety. When fully implemented, the FAA will be able to make smarter, risk-based decisions to improve safety in the aviation system within the United States and internationally. My hope is that these redundant audits will be removed just like you get rid of excess branches from a tree. You see what you don’t need, what’s just getting in the way, and you cut it off.

We’re developing and harmonizing the process and procedures to conduct streamlined auditing of MROs nationally and globally. We continue to meet with ICAO and the aviation industry to jointly establish common regulatory acceptance of oversight standards between regulators for audits. This is improvement on a global scale.

I’d be remiss not to mention that we’re also focusing on a safety oversight model for MROs called Safety Assurance System—SAS. It’s evolved into a risk-based, data supported decision-making process. As such, we will focus on risk-based inspections supported by data, in lieu of random or calendar based inspections.

We continue to work with industry and trade associations like ARSA to streamline the process and enhance the oversight based on the supported data. The end-game here is to put an end to an auditing philosophy that is based on the principle that we do it this way because we’ve always done it this way. I think that’s how we got to the place we’re at.

In point of fact, the safety oversight model used by the FAA’s Flight Standards Service is evolving into a risk-based, data supported decision making process. You work on what’s important, which makes your work much more focused and much more efficient. Flight Standards now is focusing on risk-based inspections supported by data, in lieu of random or calendar based inspections. It’s like those stickers you get in your car that tell you to change your oil every three months. Everybody knows that the calendar isn’t the best measurement to use in situations like that.

So Flight Standards is putting an inspection concept in place that will result in a process of sharing inspection data and reducing the number of unnecessary or repetitive inspections. This will support risk-based decision making for part 145 repair stations and the aviation safety inspectors with oversight responsibility of MROs.

One thing is clear, and that is this isn’t going to happen on its own. In a nutshell, we need you. We need MRO participation in the sharing of audit data. And we have to define how to quantify cost savings the program concept will generate, and how best to gather the information required to document the savings. You will play a big role there.

Arguably, the most important move we can make with all of this information comes in the form of data sharing. The mantra here is that there can be no secrets in safety. Not disclosing safety information is just like hiding a “bridge out” sign. You might be saving someone else’s life just by disclosing an issue that’s popped up on your hangar floor.

We get a lot of input from ASAP, but much of it comes from the airlines. We have 46 airlines participating in ASIAS sharing their ASAP data, but only three MROs. I’d really like to know why. Maybe the airline techs see success from the pilot side, and the MRO technicians don’t always have the opportunity. But I firmly believe that there is a wealth of professionalism, experience and wisdom on the shop floors of ARSA members, and we need to tap into that. The best risk-based decisions are made with a full understanding of the risk. Without your data, we don’t have that.

I’ve covered a lot of ground, and raised a number of points. Steve Douglas, manager of AFS’s Aircraft Maintenance Division, will sit on the 9:30 Maintenance panel, and he will be speaking about this in much more detail. The takeaway for today is that we’ve heard what you’ve had to say about audits, and we’re doing something about it. We’re moving toward a risk-based decision-making model, but that model depends on data input. And we need your help on that. Given the professionalism for which this organization is known, I think the best is yet to come, and I’m confident that we’re going to make a big leap in safety when it does. Thank you.

Before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, concerning FY 2016 Budget

Good morning, Chairman Diaz-Balart, Ranking Member Price and members of the subcommittee. And thank you for the opportunity to discuss the Administration’s fiscal year 2016 budget request for the Federal Aviation Administration.

This request of $15.83 billion will support the FAA’s mission to run the safest and most efficient aerospace system in the world while transforming our airspace through NextGen. Our budget reflects a set of principles that the Administration has developed for the FAA’s reauthorization. These principles promote safety, modernization and the alignment of our resources to better match our users’ needs, while maintaining America’s standing as a global leader in aviation.

In the 2016 Operations budget request we are asking for $9.92 billion to operate our nation’s aviation system on a day-to-day basis. This will strengthen our safety and security programs through hiring additional safety inspectors, engineers and others to address the increased demand for certification of aircraft, operators and pilots. It also addresses our increased focus on integrating new users such as unmanned aircraft and commercial space vehicles.  Furthermore, we want to enhance our security for personnel and facilities, which we reviewed extensively after an act of sabotage and resulting fire at the Air Route Traffic Control Center near Chicago last fall. Finally, we are actively working to protect the FAA from cyber attacks.

Our Facilities and Equipment request of $2.85 billion will help us continue to bring the benefits of NextGen to users now, while at the same time addressing the backlog of needed repairs and maintenance of our infrastructure. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Committee for its continued support of the En Route Automation Modernization program, which we plan to complete at the end of this month.  This new automation system will accommodate the technologies of NextGen, and is one of the largest automation changeovers in the history of the FAA. We introduced a great deal of discipline and structure to this ongoing program, and now it’s just a matter of turning off the old system at the last two centers to complete the nationwide transition to ERAM. The new program creates a more powerful air traffic system that can handle the challenges of the coming decades.

We are also upgrading the automation system in our terminal airspace, where we control traffic approaching airports. The Terminal Automation Modernization and Replacement program is well underway at our largest TRACONS. The Committee’s strong support of these foundational NextGen programs will prepare us for continued growth and provide the infrastructure for a healthy economy.  

Our 2016 request of $166 million for Research, Engineering & Development allows us to boost funding for research into sustainable jet fuels, as well as research for integrating commercial space transportation and unmanned aircraft into our airspace system. The Committee has significantly bolstered unmanned aircraft research this year with strong financial support.

Finally, in the Airports budget, we are requesting $2.9 billion to ensure the continued safety, capacity, and efficiency of our nation’s airport network. As in years past, the Administration is proposing to eliminate passenger and cargo entitlement funding for large hub airports. In exchange, the budget requests an increase in the Passenger Facility Charge from $4.50 to $8.00, which will provide large hub airports with greater flexibility to generate their own revenue for projects. At the same time it would allow us to restructure the airport grant program to better respond to the needs of smaller airports.

The FAA continues to face many challenges. America’s leadership in aviation is facing competition on a global level with the growth of foreign markets.  Domestically, we have had to navigate a constrained and challenging fiscal environment in recent years. In this budget request, we are asking for the flexibility to transfer funds across accounts to be able to prioritize resources, to leverage new technology, and respond nimbly to evolving challenges. The FAA needs to realign today’s airspace system with current demands. We need the flexibility to make investment choices that further the health of our airspace system so everyone can benefit.

Civil aviation contributes $1.5 trillion to our economy and generates nearly 12 million American jobs. The FAA’s fiscal year 2016 budget request will enable us to continue to protect and expand this vital economic engine and to create the right environment for further innovation and global leadership.

Thank you, and that concludes my opening remarks. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation concerning “Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization: Enabling a 21st Century Aviation System”

Chairman LoBiondo, Ranking Member Larsen and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to speak today about the reauthorization of the FAA.

It seems like not that long ago we were united behind the FAA reauthorization of 2012 with a sense of urgency to provide long term funding to support our nation’s aviation system. And now we are here again to continue that work. We have a joint responsibility – government and industry – to pull together to create the air traffic system that will carry this nation well into the 21^st century.

In the last five years the FAA has made major progress in transforming our airspace system through NextGen, and that progress continues as we speak. 

The FAA has delivered on its commitment to build the foundation that will support the many applications of NextGen. In 2014, we completed the coast-to-coast installation of a network of radio transceivers that will enable a satellite-based air traffic control system that provides a more precise and efficient alternative to radar. With this foundation in place, we have fulfilled our end of the bargain. We are working with the airline industry and the general aviation community to help them do their part to meet their requirement to equip by the 2020 deadline.

By the end of this month, we will finish the upgrade of our en route air traffic control automation system. This system will accommodate the new technologies of NextGen. Again, we met our commitment. This is one of the largest automation changeovers in the history of the FAA. It results in a more powerful air traffic system that can handle the challenges of the coming decades.

Through our collaboration with industry, we have identified key priorities in implementing NextGen, and we have followed through. We now have more satellite-based procedures in our skies than radar-based procedures. We have created new NextGen routes in cities across America that are saving millions of dollars in fuel burn, shortening flight paths, decreasing carbon emissions and cutting down on delays. All of this means airline schedules are more predictable and travelers face fewer delays.

The United States stands as a leader in aviation internationally, and we intend to remain the gold standard. Our manufacturers produce innovative aircraft and avionics that help maintain our nation’s positive balance of trade.  We are truly unique in that we have the most diverse aviation community, which includes new users like unmanned aircraft and commercial space vehicles. Civil aviation contributes 12 million jobs and $1.5 trillion to our economy.

America’s leadership in aviation is being challenged on a global level, however, with the growth of foreign competitors and the shifting dynamics of supply chains. Domestically, the FAA faces challenges that I think we can all acknowledge: We have competing priorities among our stakeholders – one of the byproducts of a healthy, diverse system. And, we have had to navigate a constrained fiscal environment in recent years, with nearly two dozen short term extensions prior to our 2012 reauthorization.

The FAA needs to prioritize its resources to leverage new technology and to respond nimbly to evolving challenges. To maintain our global leadership and to continue to reap the economic benefits of this industry, we should use the upcoming reauthorization to provide the FAA with the tools necessary to meet the pressing demands of the future. A lot is at stake, and we need to get this right.

To that end, the Administration has developed a set of principles that we believe will improve our nation’s airspace system and set the course for future progress.

First, we need to maintain our excellent safety record and foster the use of data and analysis to focus our precious resources on the areas of highest risk in our aviation system.

We must continue the modernization of our air traffic control system. Part of that effort is to ensure stable funding for core operations and NextGen investments. Collaboration with industry is absolutely essential. We need to deliver benefits, and industry needs to equip to use these improvements.

FAA Reauthorization should secure appropriate funding for our nation’s airports. It should also enable the integration of new users into our airspace system and support the agency in fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.

The FAA also needs to realign today’s airspace system with current demands. We need the flexibility to make investment choices that further the health of our airspace system so everyone can benefit.

And finally, we need to maintain our position of aviation leadership on the world stage. This means the FAA needs to remain at the table to shape and harmonize international aviation standards that promote seamless travel around the world.

We are extremely proud of America’s aviation heritage and the innovation and inspiration that our strong and diverse system has always provided. I look forward to working together to make sure that the United States continues to lead the world as we create the right conditions for further innovation and achievement in the second century of flight.

FAA Report

Introduction 

Welcome to Richard Anderson

Thank Dennis Roberts:

• It is my pleasure to announce Dennis Roberts as our new Southern Regional Administrator, based here in Atlanta.
  
• Many of you already know Dennis from his tremendous work in the Performance Based Navigation arena.
  
• Since December 2010, Dennis has been serving as Director, Airspace Services for ATO’s Mission Support.
  
• He worked closely with many of you as the key FAA representative on several PBN-related NAC taskings.
  
• He was also instrumental in developing the PBN blueprint for success and in helping industry identify both FAA and industry barriers – and possible solutions – to successful usage of PBN procedures. 
  
• Edie Parish will be Acting Director of Airspace Services.  But I want to thank and acknowledge Dennis for his very significant contributions to our NextGen efforts.  

NextGen Priorities 

• A lot has happened since our last NAC meeting on Oct. 8^th.
  
• We delivered the NextGen Priorities Joint Implementation Plan to Congress on October 17..
• The plan incorporated the NAC’s NextGen Integration Working Group Final Report as an appendix.
  
• We have participated in several Congressional briefings – with the NAC by our side.
  
• We have also developed and implemented an oversight process for monitoring these priorities.
  
• I am pleased to announce that the FAA delivered on 11 out of 11 commitments in calendar year 2014.  We completed wake recat in Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Houston, and completed feasibility assessments for PBN and surface initiatives. We also completed a final investment decision for initial en-route services for Data Comm.
  
• We are on target to deliver on three out of three commitments at the end of the first quarter of this calendar year, making us 14 for 14.
  
• Industry also met their commitment in calendar year 2014.
  - The Performance Based Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC) completed their review of the data link recording rule and delivered recommendations in November of last year. 
  - I am very pleased to report that we completed our review of their recommendations, and on Wednesday, February 25, our new policy went on display in the Federal Register. The new policy applies the recorder rule only to new aircraft, manufactured after the effective date of the rule, and to those aircraft which did not have any data link solutions available before the effective date. 
  - This new policy will allow the rule to be applied in a consistent and predictable manner, and it enables thousands–of older aircraft to affordably access the safety and efficiency benefits of data communications.
  
• This work on NextGen Priorities has been very rewarding for the FAA and sets a new standard for how we are working together with the NAC to move NextGen forward.
  
• You will hear more details on all of these accomplishments this afternoon from the leads of the working groups and our FAA subject matter experts.
  
• I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Steve Dickson for his outstanding leadership of the NAC Subcommittee – Tim Campbell has a tough act to follow.

ADS-B Equip 2020 Mandate

• Eleven days after filing our report to Congress on the NextGen Priorities, FAA hosted an industry Call to Action.
  
• This was designed to bring all industry stakeholders together to assess how we’re doing toward being fully equipped with ADS-B Out by January 1, 2020.
  
• It was a very well attended event.
  - Identified a number of issues.
  - Created working groups to roll up our collective sleeves and problem solve.
  - This was led by General Hoot Gibson from the NextGen Institute, and the effort was called Equip 2020.
  
• I’m pleased to report that this initiative has resulted in quite a bit of progress.  I’ll mention just three areas where we’ve made significant progress.
  - In general aviation, we are seeing a marked uptick in equipage – 3,000 aircraft have equipped since October: A 50 percent spike.
  –More significantly, competition amongst avionics manufacturers has led to a dramatic cost reduction in equipage – over a 50 percent price drop since October.
  –Several sources now exist for units at prices lower than $2,000.
  
• In support of airline equipage, the Equip 2020 team reached an agreement that allows air carriers with first and second generation receivers (SA aware) to continue to use these until 2025. This recognizes their dedication in adopting early and it provides time to upgrade to the best available receiver technology. 
  
• It also recognizes that we want to reward – not punish – early adopters of technology.  We want to ensure earlier equippers have flexibility in compliance with final standards.
  
• This has been an unresolved issue for three years … but after the Call to Action, we got an agreement in about 60 days.  It’s a good example of what can be accomplished when experts work together as a team.
  
•  I also want to credit Equip 2020 for producing an equipage tracking database.
  
• With this effort, you’ll be able to capture data from suppliers (the solutions and products they’re offering) … and you’ll be able capture data from the air carriers (what are they buying, when are they buying it, etc.). 
  
• With this information, you’ll be able to track the equipage trends … specifically, by comparing supplier plans with air carrier plans and spot potential risks to achieving equipage compliance by the deadline.
  
• This way, we’ll know if we’re on track for 2020 … and if not, we can redouble our efforts accordingly.

McKinsey Benefits Study 

Like I said, it’s been a busy few months

• In addition to the Priorities and Equip 2020, FAA engaged the consulting firm McKinsey & Company to better understand the benefits NextGen is providing to the aviation industry.
  
• The FAA worked with McKinsey to conduct carrier-specific NextGen benefits evaluations, including the benefits of equipping with ADS-B Out. 
  - This McKinsey study covered major categories of carrier benefits, including:
  –Savings in direct operating expenses
  –Savings in crew time
  –Overhead savings
  –Benefits of added capacity
  –Benefits of increased predictability
  - The consultants used a replicable analysis based on the FAA’s system-wide model, with added elements that can be included in future modeling.
  
• We presented a business case to carriers in their language based on carrier-specific details, including:
  - Flight schedules and
  - Fleet projections and
  - The Net Present Value investment case for ADS-B Out and partial DataComm equipage by 2020, which in each case has a positive NPV.
  
• We held discussions with the six major passenger carriers:
  - Delta, Alaska, United, Southwest, American and jetBlue
  - We have also met with UPS and are scheduled to visit FedEx and Republic in the coming weeks.
  
• Key themes we heard from the airlines:
  - Appreciation of, and need for, an open, airline-specific dialogue with FAA on NextGen.
  - Perceived challenges with previous programs.
  - Commitment to equip for the ADS-B 2020 mandate.
  - Excitement over NextGen and the promise of future benefits.
  - Specific, near-term improvements each airline would like to see to maximize benefits.
  
• Next steps for the FAA’s work on NextGen benefits and carrier alignment:
  - Follow-up discussions with airlines.
  - Update to the FAA’s NextGen strategy.

 Houston, North Texas and DC Metroplex 

• Finally, just before the last NAC meeting, we implemented the latest Metroplex in North Texas, and subsequently we implemented new procedures in DC.
  
  - Lynn Ray is going to provide an overview of those projects.

Lynn:

• I would like to share a few highlights from our successful Metroplex initiatives in Houston, North Texas and Washington, D.C.
  
• In the spring of 2014, we launched 61 new routes for flights into and out of Houston area airports. At the same time, we also used a Time Based Flow Management capability along with the Houston Metroplex enhancements to help match capacity and demand, and increase throughput and capacity.  Post-implementation data analysis shows an annual savings of $6 million from reduced fuel consumption.
  
• Now in December, as part of NextGen priorities, we added the wake recat capability into Houston Intercontinental and Hobby airports, giving Houston a suite of fully integrated tools and capabilities.
  
• Last September in North Texas, we increased safety by procedurally separating departure and arrival flows to the two major airports serving Dallas with 80 new NextGen procedures. This was the North Texas Metroplex initiative. We continue linking North Texas to the rest of our nation’s airspace with the same repeatable and predictable methods of optimizing TBFM that were used in Houston. We are currently conducting post-implementation analysis of North Texas and will make sure the efficiency of the airspace compliments its increased safety.
  
• In Washington, D.C. our Metroplex initiative employs safer and more efficient procedures throughout the region. The D.C. Metroplex will implement 50 new procedures staged over eight publication cycles. These procedures will be completely implemented by June 25 and have projected savings of $6.8 million in fuel costs, 2.5 million gallons of fuel saved, and a reduction of 25,000 metric tons of carbon. The D.C. area will be more efficient and more green because of Metroplex.
  
• With various NextGen technologies, policies, and procedures coming to fruition and our ability to deliver on our promise to implement NextGen priorities, we are climbing that “mountain of challenges” Bill Ayer so often referred to. 

ERAM 

• Looking forward, I am very pleased to report that we are on the verge of finishing all ERAM sites.  Teri Bristol, ATO’s COO, will provide a few more details.

TERI:

• ERAM is considered the backbone of the nation’s airspace system.  Replacing the 40-year-old Host system, ERAM processes flight and radar data, provides communications, and generates data for controllers' screens—functions that enable air traffic control across the nation.
  
• The transition to ERAM represents one of the largest automation changeovers the FAA has ever undertaken.
  
• ERAM is a flexible and expandable system designed to accommodate the new technologies being implemented as part of the FAA’s NextGen initiative.
  
• To date all 20 En Route centers have reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC), a milestone met when the system is deemed acceptable to be introduced into the operational environment at an Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and a local and national plan exists that can support the facility’s goal to move toward extended and continuous operations.
  
• 16 of the 20 centers have declared Operational Readiness Date (ORD) which is the commissioning of a new system into the National Airspace System (NAS).
  
• ORD is the culmination of a series of events and milestones that demonstrate confidence and operational suitability of a system.  ORD occurs prior to decommissioning of a legacy system, and is a separate activity from decommissioning.
  
• By the end of March we anticipate marking the completion of the ERAM deployment as the four remaining centers declare Operational Readiness (ORD).

FACT 3 Report

• Also since our last meeting, the FAA has issued its latest FACT report.  FACT stands for the Future Airport Capacity Task and details the long-term airport capacity needs of domestic airports.   Eddie Angeles, our Associate Administrator for Airports, will share the highlights of this important work

Eddie Angeles:

• As Mike stated, in late January, the FAA published the third edition of its report on long-term airport capacity needs. 
  
• The report identifies airports that are at risk for significant delays and congestion through 2020 and 2030.
  
• For the rest of this decade, much of the U.S. hub airport system has sufficient capacity – except for several high-demand airports that have consistent delays: NYC area airports, ATL, PHL, and SFO to a degree.
  
• New runways have helped to improve capacity at many formerly congested airports.  Going forward, both new runways and NextGen improvements are needed to improve efficiency at capacity-constrained airports.

Small UAS Proposed Rule

• Also, as I’m sure you are aware, earlier this month, we issued a UAS proposed rule as the next step in our continuing efforts to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into our nation’s airspace.
  
• We’ve made a lot of progress in our task to integrate UAS. Last year, we published a comprehensive plan and road map to safely integrate unmanned aircraft; we opened six test sites across the country for research on unmanned aircraft; we approved the first ever commercial operations in the Arctic; and we have granted more than two dozen exemptions for commercial use of unmanned aircraft in domestic airspace.
  
• The proposed rule is a big step forward in outlining the framework that will govern the use of small unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds. This proposed rule offers a very flexible framework that provides for the safe use of small unmanned aircraft, while also accommodating future innovation in the industry.
  
• Safety is always our number one priority. This proposed rule makes sure that we are protecting other aircraft, as well as people and property on the ground.
  
• The unmanned aircraft industry is expanding greatly and this technology has the capability to dramatically change the way we use our nation’s airspace. 
  
• We are doing everything that we can to safely integrate these aircraft while ensuring that America remains the leader in aviation safety and technology.

Catex 2 Decision

• Continuing on our theme of recent accomplishments, I am pleased to share our most recent decision on Categorical Exclusions.
  
• In the fall of 2012 we asked the NAC to provide technical suggestions for determining ways to measure reduction in noise on a per flight basis. 
  
• The NAC approved their Catex task group’s recommendation to implement a system for noise analysis in the summer of 2013.
  
• The FAA has decided that we will use the NAC’s recommended net noise reduction methodology to implement the Categorical Exclusion that is called for in the 2012 reauthorization, with a couple of technical modifications:
  1. We’ll evaluate net changes in noise, instead of net changes in the affected population.  This is more consistent with the statute, which requires a determination of measurable reductions in noise.  A net day-night average sound level reduction would support this determination.
  2. We’ll rule out using the categorical exclusion if noise increases are significant. Instead of the NAC’s add-on significant test, this will be embedded in FAA’s interpretation of what constitutes a measurable noise reduction.  We won’t make a reduction determination in situations where there are significant noise increases.
  
• Our noise staff tested these modifications using the same data at two airports that the NAC Task Group used to test the NAC’s recommendation, and we got the same results.
  
• The FAA will provide a detailed debrief at the March 11 subcommittee meeting for those who are interested.
  
• I do want to call to your attention that industry provided the only positive comments on this categorical exclusion and this net reduction methodology. 
  
• All other comments were negative, and highlight the problem we’re experiencing with opposition to PBN procedures that shift noise over communities.  One of the expressions of community concern is to demand more detailed and participatory environmental reviews than occur when we implement a procedure using a categorical exclusion. The opposition to using categorical exclusions to bypass environmental reviews is a symptom of the larger issue of noise.  We’ll be discussing this in more depth at the June NAC meeting when we review the Blue Print for Success to Implementing PBN.

SESAR

Moving to the international scene, Ed and I made a trip to Brussels two weeks ago to meet with SESAR, Eurocontrol, the Commission, and the new Deployment Manager.

Ed, you want to provide a brief update on that?

• Since the NAC last met, the FAA and European teams have continued their harmonization work on many fronts.
  
• We've also had constructive discussions on how we are working together, and how we will do so going forward, especially as the new SESAR Deployment Manager section takes shape. 
  
• This was included in our discussions during our recent visit to Brussels. 
  
• One major accomplishment in the trans-Atlantic partnership that I would like to highlight is the recent completion of the Joint Harmonization Report that we have noted at previous meetings.  This document was written by a team of representatives from SESAR, EuroControl, and the FAA's NextGen and Air Traffic Organizations. 
  
• The report provides details of major initiatives and accomplishments made via the FAA-Europe agreement on harmonization over the last few years.  The report was presented to the High-Level Committee that oversees the trans-Atlantic agreement, and this committee approved the document and its public release. 
  
• And, I'm happy to report that the document has been printed and we've got a few copies here today.  The report will also be posted on the FAA and SESAR websites, and we'll have many more copies available at World ATM Congress in a few weeks in Madrid. 
  
• I think you'll find it a useful document that showcases the important work being done in partnership across the Atlantic.

Reauthorization and Capital Investment Plan

• The work on reauthorization progresses, we have a hearing before Congress scheduled for March 3. This hearing will cover our progress in implementing NextGen and areas where Congress can help us to create a more efficient system. With the current FAA authorization set to expire at the end of September, passing a new bill that helps lay the groundwork for the future of U.S. aviation is a top priority. 
  
• And finally, I’ve asked Mark House, our Chief Financial Officer to be here today to provide some highlights on our current capital investment plan.  In the interest of transparency, Mark is here to share our capital investment process and challenges we have in funding NextGen multi-year programs without multi-year funding. 

Mark House:  Presented Brief from a Slide Deck

Thank you, and that concludes the FAA remarks. 

Small UAS NPRM Press Call

As Delivered

Thank you, Mr. Secretary.  Today’s proposed rule is the next step in our continuing efforts to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into our nation’s airspace.

As you heard from the Secretary, we’ve made a lot of progress. Last year, we published a comprehensive plan and road map to safely integrate unmanned aircraft; and we also opened six test sites across the country for research on unmanned aircraft; we approved the first ever commercial operations in the Arctic; and we have granted more than two dozen exemptions for commercial use of unmanned aircraft in domestic airspace.

Today’s proposed rule is a big step forward in outlining the framework that will govern the use of small unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds. This proposed rule offers a very flexible framework that provides for the safe use of small unmanned aircraft, while also accommodating future innovation in the industry.

As you heard from the Secretary, this technology offers many potential benefits to society. Due to the size of a small unmanned aircraft, we envision that these aircraft could be used for a wide variety of activities, particularly those that might be considered dangerous.

Under this proposed rule, these aircraft could inspect utility towers, antennas, bridges, power lines and pipelines in hilly or mountainous terrain. Academic institutions could use them for educational purposes or to pursue research and development. Small unmanned aircraft could also support wildlife conservation, or be used to monitor crops.  They can help with search and rescue and they can be used to shoot scenes for films and television.  And of course there is a lot of interest in using them to take aerial photographs for real estate purposes. In many cases unmanned aircraft can do these tasks with less risk than a manned aircraft that might have to fly in dangerous terrain or in bad weather. And, in some cases an unmanned aircraft could conduct inspections more safely than a worker who would need to, for example, climb a tower.

As a reminder, what we are releasing today is a proposed rule. It is not a final rule. Today’s action does not authorize wide spread commercial use of unmanned aircraft. That can only happen when the rule is final. In the meantime, operators must still go through the current process for a waiver or exemption to fly.

Also, this proposed rule does not affect those who want to fly model aircraft as a hobby or for recreation. They already can – you simply need to fly according to our model aircraft guidelines. The FAA’s unmanned aircraft website has a lot of good information on how to fly your model aircraft safely.

As the Secretary said, safety is always our number one priority. This proposed rule makes sure that we are protecting other aircraft, as well as people and property on the ground. I’d like to go over these safety provisions.

The proposed rule accommodates aircraft up to 55 pounds, operating at speeds of up to 100 mph and up to 500 feet in altitude. This keeps these small unmanned aircraft away from manned aircraft that usually fly at higher altitudes. Also unmanned flights would be restricted near airports and in certain airspace unless air traffic control gives permission. This is to provide a buffer between manned and unmanned aircraft.

This proposal would allow operations during daylight hours and would require the operator to be able to see the unmanned aircraft at all times.

Rather than requiring a private pilot’s license, we propose that operators obtain a newly created FAA unmanned aircraft operator’s certificate by passing a knowledge test focusing on the rules of the air. The operator must renew their certificate every two years by passing a written proficiency test.  And before each flight, operators would conduct a preflight inspection, just as pilots do with manned aircraft today.

These small unmanned vehicles pose the least amount of risk to our airspace and therefore, the rule would allow these aircraft to operate without the need for an airworthiness certificate. Such a certificate could take a manufacturer between three and five years to obtain.  With the pace of innovation in the market, an unmanned aircraft could very well be outdated by the time it obtained a certificate. Therefore, no airworthiness certificate is needed. However, these aircraft must operate under a clear set of parameters to maintain safety, as I mentioned.

The proposed rule also invites comments on a number of provisions so that we can determine the appropriate standards.   Particularly, we ask the question of whether there should be a category and special rules for “micro unmanned aircraft” – those that weigh 4.4 pounds, or 2 kilograms, or less. We are asking the public to comment on whether such a category – and different rules governing them – should be included in the final rule.

The proposed rule will be on the FAA’s website and goes into greater detail on all of these provisions.

The unmanned aircraft industry is expanding greatly and this technology has the capability to dramatically change the way we use our nation’s airspace. We have been working tirelessly to address all the special characteristics of unmanned flight so that we can safely expand the use of these innovative aircraft in routine operations across the country. Today’s proposed rule is a milestone in that effort. We are doing everything that we can to safely integrate these aircraft while ensuring that America remains the leader in aviation safety and technology.

So thank you for joining us today, and I’d like to pass it back to Secretary Foxx.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

NextGen Helps FedEx Deliver Valentine’s Day Gifts on Time

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Good morning, everyone. 

As you know, the FAA is putting in place the Next Generation Air Transportation System.  NextGen includes innovative technologies and procedures that are making flying more efficient and greener, while ensuring that all safety needs are met.  And all of this is in real time, as you’re about to see.  NextGen is very clearly, very definitely happening now. 

We’re in Memphis today, because NextGen is making a difference, and for companies like FedEx—for whom being on time is the coin of the realm—NextGen is just what they’d hoped it would be. 

In the water, big boats cause big wakes.  In aviation, it’s the same thing, except the wake is an unseen, turbulent wave of air that can disrupt anything that gets too close.  This can create a flight hazard, and it’s especially a concern if a smaller aircraft is following a larger one.  Ask any air traffic controller, and they’ll tell you that they’re always keeping an eye out to make sure trailing aircraft are at a safe enough distance.  

Now, because of NextGen air traffic technology, we're able to more efficiently separate aircraft and still avoid wake turbulence.  It's a process we call Wake RECAT … and it means that aircraft can safely land and depart – one behind another – slightly closer than before.  Wake RECAT more narrowly and accurately defines safe wake turbulence separation standards based on the performance characteristics of aircraft.  This eliminates conservatively long separation standards that are necessary under current broader wake-turbulence classifications, which are based primarily on aircraft weight classes.

We’ve implemented Wake RECAT here at Memphis … and several other major airports like Atlanta’s Hartsfield … Louisville … Cincinnati … and Houston’s Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.  And soon, we'll add JFK … LaGuardia … Newark … and Teterboro to that list. 

So that’s what it is and where it’s going.  Let’s talk about what it’s doing. 

Because of Wake RECAT, FedEx gets 20 percent more planes in and out of Memphis every hour. 

Simply put, this means that Wake RECAT is helping FedEx deliver all of your packages on time.  That includes your Valentine’s Day flowers … chocolates … and teddy bears too!  You know, I never used to think of NextGen and Valentine’s Day at the same time, but I do now.    

Passenger carriers are seeing the benefit too.  At Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport, Delta Airlines is reporting a 14-24 percent reduction in departure queue delays.  Delta projects to save $15-38 million dollars in fuel costs over a one-year period.   

In a moment, Captain Paul Cassel [Castle] from FedEx will say more about their flight operations, and the specific benefits they’re seeing from Wake RECAT.  Then, Paul Rinaldi, President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, will share his thoughts about what Wake RECAT means for controllers. 

Before turning over the microphone, let me emphasize that Wake RECAT is just one of many innovations that the FAA is putting in place all around the U.S. as part of our NextGen modernization effort.  Through NextGen, our nation is fundamentally evolving from a radar-based air traffic control system to a satellite-based system.  In doing so, we'll continue to make flying more efficient and greener.  And we’ll continue to reduce delays and aircraft fuel consumption.  This means less carbon dioxide emissions. 

So NextGen is good for the parcel shippers …

… good for the passengers … and

… good for the planet.

Now, let me turn it over to Captain Cassel …