NextGen Advisory Committee Meeting (NAC)

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Introduction
It’s great to see all of you again. Thanks to our host Honeywell Aerospace.

A lot has happened since we last met – I have a feeling I will be saying that at each NAC meeting from now on!

I want to cover a few topics today:

• the budget situation;
• the NAC prioritization recommendations;
• an update on some major NextGen programs;
• Administrator Huerta announced his strategic initiatives for the FAA for the next four years;
• and my meeting with some of our European counterparts last month.

Budget
In October we had a 16-day government shutdown. This of course caused the suspension of many NextGen activities.  But beyond the actual 16 days of delay, we do not anticipate any knock-on delays to the NextGen programs.

Congress then passed a compromise spending bill in December that provides a framework that lends stability for the next two years. This compromise has still left us at historically low funding levels. We are in an extremely tight fiscal environment, though we anticipate we will have adequate funding to remain on track with NextGen and provide focus to the priorities identified by the NAC – as we will be discussing today.  But we are still in a situation where we need to find ways to operate more efficiently.

Two years from now, it will be time to reauthorize the FAA again. We are beginning to look at what changes we want to allow us to operate more efficiently. 

We rely upon Congress for a substantial portion of our budget and that is a fundamental challenge. With that reliance, we are subject to politics and gridlock, which is especially challenging when trying to run a complex endeavor like NextGen. Providing air traffic service is a fundamental and important job for our economy, and modernizing our system is a critical investment for our future. We can best do both with stable funding so that we can predictably plan and build our nation’s infrastructure.

NAC Prioritization
Since our last meeting we continue to engage with the NAC subcommittee on the NextGen priorities. I want to again thank everyone who worked on the recent NextGen prioritization task. I know it was very challenging, and a lot of work and thought went into that project in a very short time frame. Going through the entire NextGen Implementation Plan, and giving recommendations for what work we should prioritize is not easy, but it’s very useful. We want and need industry feedback. Coming from a career in the airline industry, I understand that we need to align our efforts to obtain the maximum benefit, so thank you again.

Today we’ll hear from Ed Bolton and Paul Fontaine with more details on the FAA’s response to this prioritization work. Also:

• Dennis Roberts will share our response on PBN priorities.
• Carl Burleson will share our response on categorical exclusions.
• And Nancy Kalinowski will share with you our fuel data sharing response and plans going forward.

Update on Major NextGen Programs
I am also pleased to report that we continue to make substantial progress on key NextGen foundational programs – including ERAM and ADS-B. As Bill has said in the past, we are reaching a tipping point with many NextGen programs, and we are starting to see the final stages of some key initiatives.

Right now, 18 of our 20 en route centers have started running ERAM. More than half are using it exclusively to control air traffic, instead of the legacy system of the 1960s. All 20 en route centers are expected to be running ERAM exclusively by March of 2015, which will allow us to pull down the legacy host system.

As for ADS-B, we have installed nearly 90 percent of the ground transceivers needed to track airplanes using satellite-based information. As you know, ADS-B will transmit aircraft location to controllers with a dramatically faster update than radar. It provides surveillance where radar cannot, such as in mountainous regions and over water. All of this enhances safety and saves operators time, fuel and money.  We’ll complete the nationwide deployment of the ground transceivers this year. 

Also, this year we plan to make some important investment decisions on the next stages of DataComm, SWIM and NAS Voice System. We are on track to validate the business case and make a final investment decision, which means that the FAA will plan to roll out the next phases of these technologies and use them in our everyday work.

For SWIM, we’re planning to go from sharing limited surface and weather data information to providing full flight data publication services. For NVS, we’re going from the demonstration phase to full production of dynamically reconfigurable voice services, with the new internet protocol voice system for air traffic. For DataComm, we’re going to the second phase, from tower departure clearances to using DataComm for en route services.

We have a lot to look forward to in 2014.

Strategic Initiatives
Yesterday, Administrator Huerta announced four strategic initiatives for his tenure. These are the areas where we can make the most impact and will focus our efforts in the next few years to shape the FAA and aviation for years to come. These are:

• Deliver benefits through technology and infrastructure
• Make aviation safer and smarter
• Enhance FAA’s global leadership
• Empower and innovate with FAA’s people

This first initiative – what we call the NAS initiative – is one that I am leading. It involves three areas of work.  First is delivering the benefits of NextGen.  This involves keeping NextGen on schedule and on budget, but also encompasses the delivery of benefits to users – the work that the NAC has been engaged in with us.

The NAS initiative also focuses on the integration of new users into the NAS – specifically UAS and Commercial Space flight.  Both of these growing technologies present technological and process challenges for us.

The NAS initiative also acknowledges that we remain in a constrained budget environment, so we’re taking a serious look at the services that the FAA provides. We will look at streamlining and becoming more efficient.

We need to match the services we provide and the facilities we maintain with the demand from our stakeholders—an effort that we are calling right-sizing the NAS.

Right now, there is a mismatch. The aviation industry as a whole is going to have to have a thoughtful conversation about what it makes sense for the FAA to continue doing, and what we might be able to stop doing, or do differently. 

We have traditionally provided a variety of services to our airspace users in addition to air traffic control. We are increasingly being asked to do more with less.

Our industry has many segments and interest areas. Each segment promotes the parts of the system that are most important to its constituency, of course. But what we have seen with the sequester, and what we have seen with the government shutdown, is that we need to have a comprehensive view of our priorities. And that conversation needs to involve all of us. We must come together to decide what kind of system we want and need. The NAS initiative is an important one and I look forward to working with all of you on this.   

That is a summary of the NAS initiative.

Our second initiative builds on safety management principles to proactively address emerging safety risk. We want to make smarter, system-level, risk-based decisions.  This initiative is being led by our Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, Peggy Gilligan.

Third, it’s important for the FAA to play a leadership role globally. We want to improve safety, air traffic efficiency, and environmental sustainability across the globe. We’ll do this through shaping global standards and enhancing collaboration and harmonization. This initiative is being led by our Acting Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs and Environment, Carl Burleson.

And finally, we need to prepare for the future by improving how we recruit and train our workforce. We need the leadership, technical, and functional skills to ensure the U.S. has the world’s safest and most productive aviation sector.  This initiative is being led by our Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management, Carrolyn Bostick.

These are the areas where we feel we can make the greatest contributions in the next four years, and where we can best serve the public and improve our nation’s airspace.

Brussels
Finally, and speaking of the global leadership initiative, I’d like to say a little about meetings we had with our European counterparts last month. (January 21-24, 2014)

Ed Bolton and I met with our government counterparts and industry representatives in Brussels to get a sense of where we are in our cooperative efforts with SESAR, Europe’s modernization program.  We were pleased to see that many of our joint modernization programs are working well under the existing agreement between the FAA and Europe.  We also discussed areas where we can conduct further cooperative efforts, and we pledged to continue to engage at senior levels across the Atlantic.  Ed, Teri, and David Batchelor, SESAR’s representative based in Washington, will give a more detailed review of the trip later this morning. 

This concludes the FAA report. I’m happy to answer questions.

Before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation concerning FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 – Two Years Later

Chairman LoBiondo, Ranking Member Larsen, Chairman Shuster and members of the Subcommittee, it’s a pleasure to be here to talk about what we have accomplished since the very important reauthorization of the FAA two years ago.

We are grateful that everyone came together to reauthorize the FAA and support the work we do in running the largest and safest aerospace system in the world.

We also appreciate the compromise spending bill that Congress passed in December. It provides a framework that lends stability for the next two years during what may still be an uncertain budget environment.

The reauthorization of the FAA was truly comprehensive in nature and contained more than 200 deliverables from the FAA. We have either completed, or are on track to complete, more than 80 percent of those requirements. I’d like to highlight a few areas where Congress gave us direction, and where we have made considerable progress.

First, we have strong leadership in place for NextGen. Last time I appeared before you we had just named Mike Whitaker as Deputy Administrator of the FAA and Chief NextGen officer, a role that was mandated by the reauthorization.  Now, General Ed Bolton has joined the FAA as Assistant Administrator for NextGen. He is a retired Air Force general with many years of experience as an engineer and manager of large, complex programs.

We want to be sure that the modernization of our nation’s airspace is creating benefits. As part of reauthorization, Congress asked us to track 12 metrics – things like arrival and departure rates; system capacity; and gate-to-gate travel times, to name a few. These metrics can help determine the impact our work is having on airlines and passengers. We are collecting these data and posting them every month on our public website.

And we are close to finalizing the software and hardware updates to our air traffic control system that will form the foundation of NextGen and will allow us to deliver those benefits.

One essential program is ERAM – the En Route Automation Modernization. This modern computer system will control aircraft at cruising altitudes. We are making great progress and right now, 18 of our 20 en route centers have started running ERAM. More than half are using it exclusively to control air traffic, instead of the legacy system of the 1960s. All these en route centers are expected to use the new system exclusively by March of 2015.

I’d like to turn to another mandate in the reauthorization – namely unmanned aircraft systems. This class of vehicle is truly a game changer. The FAA released two documents in November to set the stage:  A comprehensive plan to integrate unmanned aircraft into our nation’s airspace and a detailed roadmap for how to do it.  The roadmap addresses the policies, the regulations, the technologies, and procedures we will need to integrate unmanned aircraft on a routine basis. To accomplish this, we must change the way we do business. 

In December, we announced six test sites across the nation that will conduct essential research into the safe use of unmanned systems.

Safety is our priority. We need to address operational issues, such as ensuring that unmanned aircraft can detect and avoid other aircraft; and that unmanned systems operate safely if they lose the link to their pilot; and this is why developing additional research data from the test sites is so important.

Agencies across the government are coming together to address privacy concerns that may arise with the increasing use of unmanned aircraft. We recognize there has been a great deal of public concern about privacy. For the test sites, we have issued a privacy policy that requiresoperators to comply with all local, state and federal laws concerning privacy and civil liberties.

The FAA has successfully brought new technology into the aviation system for more than 50 years, and I have no doubt we will do the same with unmanned aircraft.

Finally, we’ve completed work on a range of other important reauthorization provisions. Last fall, we created the Center of Excellence for alternative jet fuels and the environment. This research will help developand deploy alternative jet fuels, which will provide supplemental supply and help to cushion petroleum’s price volatility. We’ve also completed reports on a number of safety related matters, such as staffing for safety critical positions. And wedelivered a report to Congress, as requested, reviewing the agency’s operations, and ensuring that we take every opportunity to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible. 

Two years ago, reauthorization gave our agency needed predictability and stability, as well as guidance on priorities. Next year, we will be considering FAA reauthorization in the context of a challenging fiscal backdrop, with increasing demands. I look forward to continuing to work with you on creating that vision as we work on the next reauthorization.

Thank you very much and I am happy to answer any questions.

Policy, Research and Operations

Thank you, George [Nield].  Good afternoon.  I am relatively new to the FAA – actually, anyone with less than 20 years is considered “new” at the FAA!  I have been here eight months now – but I am not new to aviation.  I spent over 20 years in the airline business before joining the FAA.

I have a lot of experience with aircraft that fly horizontally … and rarely venture above 38,000 feet.  I confess to not having had much experience in commercial space – and I rarely used terms such as suborbital or geosynchronous.  But I can say now that it is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and interesting areas of my work at the FAA. And one of the fastest growing.

There is a lot going on.  From a policy perspective – the President recently issued an important new policy concerning commercial space transportation.  From a research perspective – there is a lot of interesting research underway.  And first and foremost, operationally – there is a lot happening in the marketplace as we work to keep up with fast changing technologies and a dramatic increase in space launches.     

So this afternoon I would like to talk about these three aspects of commercial space – policy, research and operations – from the FAA’s perspective.

Operations
First, operations … and some context.  There were three commercial launches in the U.S. in 2012.  There were that many commercial launches just in the second week of January this year:

- SpaceX launched at the Kennedy Space Center …

- Orbital Sciences at Wallops Island, Virginia …

- and Scaled Composites conducted a suborbital flight test of SpaceShipTwo  at the Mojave Air and Space Port.

Space-X alone has nearly 50 launches on its manifest, over half of which are with commercial customers.  This represents a significant resurgence in American competitiveness in the international launch services market.

Commercial space tourism is just around the corner. This is a big new market that has been talked about for a while, and is now about to come to fruition.  It too will be fueled by private industry.  Space tourism will be possible because of recent advances in both composite structures and innovative propulsion systems.

Finally, the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation has more than two dozen ‘pre-application consultations” – new ideas that have been proposed, including proposals for new vehicles, new spaceports, safety approvals and requests for payload reviews. 

This is all very exciting but it presents challenges for the FAA – an agency whose operational focus has always been to regulate and operate a safe National Air Space (or NAS).  And the NAS is by its nature a horizontal system! 

How do you balance these competing business models and operating systems?  We have always focused on safe and efficient operations of this horizontal system: minimizing delays in the system. 

How do we balance that against the important economic benefits of the vertical operations of commercial space?  This is not an apples-to-oranges problem.  This is apples-to-rhubarb! And we are not always sure what to do with the rhubarb!

As you know, we currently approve commercial launches on a case-by-case basis.  But as the commercial space industry expands, we need to be able to regularly and consistently integrate this traffic into the national airspace system. In the horizontal system we use file-and-fly.  I am not sure we will get there very soon for commercial launches, but we have to make the process more routine. 

We have to equitably and efficiently balance the needs of commercial space users with traditional airspace users, such as commercial and general aviation. The FAA’s Air Traffic Organization and our Office of Commercial Space Transportation are working to establish the processes and procedures for this integration.  That’s Operations.

Research
In the new budget that just passed, Congress allocated one million dollars of research funds specifically to support and maintain the FAA Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation.  This is a great demonstration of support and recognition of the importance of this emerging industry.

The Center’s most important research area is safety: the safety of space transportation, the safety of humans, and the safety of vehicles.  For example, there is research on the health of space flight candidates.  Traditional research has focused on the safety of adult astronauts, mostly young to mid-life, healthy individuals.  But as commercial space tourism may include children and older people, we’re supporting research focused on these demographic groups as well. 

As a secondary goal, we have a research area dedicated to the viability of this industry.  This area addresses questions about the industry’s structure, economics, law, governance and regulation. 

The Center includes nine universities, which combined, bring more than 50 government, industry and academic organizations together as research partners.

There is also significant research going on elsewhere in the government.  DARPA, the Defense department’s research agency, is developing a new program called the Experimental Spaceplane, or XS-1.  DARPA hopes to demonstrate the viability of a low-cost launch vehicle for taking small payloads into low earth orbit.  This would be a reusable vehicle that could be manned or unmanned and serve both government and commercial markets.  Like other DARPA research, this work could lead to later development of similar commercial capabilities that could be operated by private companies. 

And there is constant research and innovation taking place in the private sector, in addition to the two dozen pre-applications consultations that are underway between FAA and industry.  Last year, we granted an experimental permit to Scaled Composites, authorizing it to conduct rocket-powered flights of SpaceShipTwo to suborbital altitudes. So far, the company has completed three tests in Mojave, California.

Eventually, the system will be operated by Virgin Galactic from Spaceport America in New Mexico.  Two other companies, XCOR and Blue Origin, are also making progress on developing new suborbital vehicles to carry tourists. 

Last month, NASA received proposals from industry for the next phase of their Commercial Crew program.  The goal of this program is to develop vehicles to transport astronauts – in addition to cargo – to the space station by the end of 2017, an impressive time frame for this type of endeavor.  Again, an example of public-private partnership. These crew missions will be licensed by the FAA.

Which brings us to Policy
In November, the President signed a new “National Space Transportation Policy.”  The document, signed as a Presidential Policy Directive, provides comprehensive guidance to all federal departments and agencies on national priorities, and roles and responsibilities in space transportation.  The President’s policy is significant in a couple of key ways.  First and foremost, the policy recognizes the contribution that commercial space makes to the U.S. economy – in the ways I previously mentioned. The policy explicitly recognizes the importance of industry in the space industry.

Second, the new policy tasks government agencies to work together to support the industry.  This is a point worth emphasizing: the need for agencies to work together and with industry to support commercial space.  A great example of this cooperation is found at the Kennedy Space Center, a national landmark that is undergoing a transition as assets are transferred to the private sector.  I visited the Space Center last month and was struck by the degree to which it has changed. I toured Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, which had just been used to launch a Space X Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Thaicom 6 satellite the week before.

SpaceX completely repurposed the facility into a streamlined launch facility that can quickly be cycled for re-use.  But I also visited the Air Force launch control center, NASA facilities, and the FAA offices.  Collaboration between these government entities – and between these agencies and industry – is key to making the transition to the type of successful public-private partnerships envisioned in the President’s policy.

The new space policy also directs all departments and agencies to cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship through the use of nontraditional acquisition arrangements. This includes the use of fixed price acquisition instead of the traditional cost plus arrangement.  The goal here is to encourage the expansion of commercial space transportation beyond the role of government by using commercial style contracts.  The government assumes less of the risk of development of new technology, and private companies are incentivized to innovate and operate more efficiently … and potentially see greater profits.

In addition the policy facilitates the sharing of databases containing valuable lessons learned from human space flight. These data, held by NASA and the FAA, will be made available to support commercial development of space transportation.

The new policy also supports continuation of the current indemnification risk-sharing regime.  As part of the recent budget agreement, Congress extended the regime for three years.  Keeping this risk-sharing regime in place helps U.S. companies remain competitive with foreign launch providers that have similar support from their own governments.

The new policy also reinforces the Department of Transportation’s authority to address orbital space debris mitigation practices for commercial launches. 

And finally, the new policy advocates internationally for the adoption of U.S. government safety regulations to enhance global interoperability and safety of commercial space transportation activities. 

This is just a snap shot of the many things that are going on in commercial space.

The FAA is committed to supporting the new commercial space era in three key ways.  First, through safe integration in the airspace system.  Second, by supporting commercial space transportation research … and third, through the President’s new National Space Transportation Policy.  As we do that, we look forward to working with all of you, so we can all realize the great benefits of commercial space.   

Partnership for Production

Thank you,Steve (Csonka,Executive Director of CAAFI), for that introduction.  And good morning to everyone. I am delighted to be here today.

Anyone who works in aviation knows that how you deal with the cost of fuel and how you deal with conserving fuel is one of your central problems. At the FAA, we are lending strong support to developing the next generation of sustainable fuels, and to producing them on a mass scale.

Everyone here today is a pioneer of the second century of flight. And the decisions we make today will affect aviation for decades to come. We are transitioning to NextGen and to satellite-based navigation and surveillance. And we’re also embarking on the creation of a whole new jet fuel system that is sustainable and draws from a variety of sources. We are launching a new energy industry. 

Visionary thinking is what is needed. And also close collaboration across government and industry. I am encouraged that we will hear from a variety of leaders today. This includes CAAFI industry sponsors Airlines for America and the Aerospace Industries Association, as well as a representative from the airlines and leaders from the Departments of Energy, Agriculture and the Navy.

We all need to work together to create the framework for what will be a sea change in how we fuel aviation. This year’s meeting is focused on commercializing alternative fuels. It is a very real challenge that requires collaboration. We need to scale up for the challenge of producing these amazing new sustainable fuels.

At the turn of the 20th century, mom and pop stores started selling gasoline to owners of new “horse-less carriages” that rolled off Henry Ford’s assembly line.  As the number of automobiles grew, the technology for producing and distributing gasoline grew. The petroleum industry was not built over night. It took more than 100 years of investment. We are not going to replace petroleum overnight, so we need to be patient.

But there is no denying the future. And it takes courage to make big changes.  Winston Churchill switched the British Navy from coal to oil. It was a strategic decision. It was a forward-looking decision. It was controversial at the time for a country with large supplies of coal and no oil. But it was a bold step towards the future because oil was superior to coal for naval power.

We find ourselves at a similar point now. We have plenty of oil, but the times require us to think strategically and look for cleaner, more secure sources of energy to power our daily lives and commerce.  

We’re at an historic time where we can work together to make that happen in aviation.

Innovation has always been the hallmark of aviation. Each generation of aviators and engineers has moved the world of flight forward in ways that were not thought possible.

The work of CAAFI is indispensable in this effort. CAAFI has formulated a strong coalition, and it is thanks to this hard work on the part of many, that we are moving forward.

The FAA is committed to enabling development and use of alternative jet fuels.

These fuels have the potential to save the industry a great deal of money.

Fuel represents as much as 40 percent of an airline’s total expenses, on average.

Consider that last year U.S. airlines spent about $49 billion on jet fuel. That’s $32 billion more than in 2000 even though the airlines consumed almost three and a half billion gallons less.   

Even a decrease of 10 cents per gallon could mean an industry savings of $1.7 billion per year.

If we are successful, aviation will benefit because alternative jet fuels will provide supplemental supply and help to cushion petroleum’s price volatility.

Sustainable fuels are also greener, and are crucial to meeting the environmental goals that we have set for NextGen.

Airlines used about 17 billion gallons of jet fuel last year.  The FAA’s goal by 2018 is for U.S. aviation to use 1 billion gallons of alternative jet fuel per year. I would be the first to admit this is ambitious.  On the other hand, we’ve come a long way in the seven years from CAAFI’s first meeting.

We have proven that drop-in alternative jet fuels are technically feasible and we have a number of additional pathways that may be approved for use very soon. So the challenge we face now is to scale up production. And we need government and industry to continue to come together to make this happen.

We’re starting to see some very positive progress and many airlines are taking a lead.

In June, United Airlines announced a three-year deal with Seattle-based AltAir Fuels. United will buy alternative jet fuels to be delivered to Los Angeles International Airport. The deal involves retrofitting a petroleum refining facility. It was creative in that it shared the risk. This partnership will result in 15 million gallons of alternative jet fuel coming into the fuel supply very soon. The fuel will come from waste oils and will reduce air pollution around LAX. This is great news.

Also this year KLM Airlines conducted regular biofueled flights between John F. Kennedy Airport and Amsterdam’s Schipol. Key support for this effort came from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, JFK Airport and Delta Airlines.

And Alaska Airlines, United, Lufthansa, Finnair, Thomson, Interjet, Aeromexico and others around the world have conducted revenue flights with alternative jet fuels.

These flights are educating the public and furthering our understanding about how to integrate these fuels into the fuel supply. They represent the beginning of the industry reaping the benefits of these fuels.

Currently there are seven new alternative jet fuel types that are under evaluation for possible approval by the international standards association – the ASTM International. And a strength here is that these different fuel types can use a diversity of resources as feedstocks. They can use fats and oils, sugar, cellulose, solid waste, and even carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide waste gases from industry. This is exciting! This is hopeful!

The FAA supports performance and operability testing of alternative jet fuels in partnership with industry. We’re doing this through our Continuous Lower Energy Emissions and Noise program (or CLEEN). The testing develops data that advances evaluation of these fuels for approval by ASTM International.

In the past year about a half dozen alternative jet fuels have been tested with FAA support, including alcohol to jet fuels; sugar to synthetic kerosene; direct sugar to hydrocarbon; renewable oil to jet fuel; and jet fuel blended with renewable diesel. We anticipate a number of approvals to occur later this year.        

This kind of innovation is happening across the world and is really a global effort. The FAA is working with international partners to further our joint success. In the last couple of years we have signed a number of bilateral cooperative agreements—with Spain, Germany, Australia, and Brazil—to exchange best practices and coordinate our efforts.

Jet fuel initiatives are also underway in the Netherlands; Indonesia; China; and the United Arab Emirates. Some of these initiatives have government sponsors. Some are privately led. Some are public-private coordination efforts. And others are developing a supply chain to produce fuel.

Because of the diversity of conditions in different countries we don’t believe that there will be just one solution. Similarly there is a diversity of possible alternative jet fuel technologies, but they won’t work in all places.

So as we each address the challenges to making this happen, there is a tremendous opportunity to learn from, and support each other. And in the end, as a global industry, anywhere sustainable alternative jet fuels are produced is a benefit to global aviation—so the hope is we will all be successful.

Key to CAAFI’s success thus far has been an unprecedented level of partnership. Partnership between the public and private sectors, between academia and industry and between federal agencies.

Last year, the FAA took a prominent role alongside seven other federal agencies in an interagency working group to develop a national alternative jet fuel R&D strategy for the federal government. Many of you in this room are providing input to that group.

We are grateful for the tremendous efforts of our colleagues across the U.S. Federal government. Here are a few examples of the work that’s going on across government agencies.

·      The U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Defense are leading a $510 million effort to develop first-of-a-kind bio-refineries that will produce alternative diesel and jet fuel through the Defense Production Act.

·      The FAA is partnering with the Air Force and the Navy to test novel alternative jet fuels in  development.

·      NASA is conducting projects to measure the air quality and climate benefits of alternative fuels.

·      The National Science Foundation is supporting alternative fuel R&D, and Department of Energy is funding alternative jet fuel conversion projects in the testing stage.

·      The Department of Commerce supports standards development. And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is examining greenhouse gas benefits of these fuels and including them in Renewable Fuel Standard production incentives.

As I said, earlier, the next big challenge is enabling significant production of alternative jet fuels. And it looks like this will be lead at a state and regional level.

In April former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack signed the Farm to Fly 2.0 agreement. Associations representing U.S. airlines, U.S. airports, aerospace manufacturers and business aviation also signed

Farm to Fly 2.0 represents a commitment by the agricultural and aerospace community to combine efforts to build a supply chain to meet our goal of 1 billion gallons of alternative jet fuel in use by military and civil aviation by 2018.  That’s about 5 percent of annual fuel use in the U.S. To be successful this will require a farm bill that funds energy efforts.

Last year, FAA established a new university Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuel and Environment --The Aviation Sustainability Center, or ASCENT. It is led by Washington State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This innovative partnership with academia and industry will help us take environmental and alternative jet fuel technology to the next level.

I’d like to close by offering some words of encouragement.

All this progress would not have been possible but for the hard work of many of you in this room.

These steps in creating and using alternative fuels are important not only to the FAA–they are important to our nation and are a key priority for our President.

Sustainable alternative jet fuels offer benefits for both our environment and our economy.  The creation of a new industry – what you are trying to do – is not easy. Innovation on this scale takes time and support. We at the FAA and across the government are committed to stand with you in this.

We need continued collaboration among government, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports, researchers and the energy industry.   It’s going to take a lot of work from everyone at CAAFI and all stakeholders to move aviation into a new era of fuel efficiency and sustainability.

You are the people who are making this happen. I can’t thank you enough for your hard work and dedication.

Cultivating Innovation

Thank you, George. Good morning, and welcome guests and Advisory Committee members. Thank you for your service on this important committee. This is a very dynamic time for those of us in the space business.              

On the policy front, the President signed the new National Space Transportation Policy last month. It recognizes the increasingly important role of commercial space in supporting both our civil and national security missions.

The new policy recognizes the contribution that commercial space makes to the U.S. economy. This sector is growing rapidly. In 2012 there were three commercial launches. Last fiscal year that number grew to 18 – a six-fold increase.

The new policy comes at a key point in our nation’s space program. Let me give you a quick tour of what’s happening now in commercial space – and how much has changed.

·      After 30 years and 135 great missions, the U.S. Space Shuttle program has ended. The last shuttle launch was in 2011.  

·      In September, industry completed the last launch under the innovative Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. The COTS program successfully demonstrated the ability of private industry to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.

·      Now cargo is delivered under contract between NASA and commercial providers. Space-X with, the Falcon 9, and Orbital Sciences with the Antares, use their launch vehicles to transport this cargo according to NASA’s requirements – a fundamental shift in how these missions are met.

·      Space-X also just launched its first customer satellite into geosynchronous orbit – that’s more than 22,000 miles into space. The company has announced that more than 60 percent of its customers are private companies, as opposed to governments. This success demonstrates the growth potential for American companies in this market.

·      Last month, NASA published a request for proposals for the next phase of their commercial crew program. The goal of this program is to develop vehicles to transport astronauts – in addition to cargo – to the space station by the end of 2017. These crew missions will be licensed by the FAA.

·      Meanwhile, DARPA is developing a new program called the Experimental Spaceplane, or XS-1.  DARPA hopes to demonstrate the viability of a low-cost launch vehicle for taking small payloads into low earth orbit. This kind of new, reusable vehicle could be manned or unmanned and serve both government and commercial markets. This work could lead to later development of similar commercial capabilities that could be operated by private companies.

Commercial space tourism operations are just around the corner. This is a big new market that has been talked about for a while, but has not come to fruition until now. It too will be fueled by private industry. Space tourism will be possible because of recent advances in both composite structures and innovative propulsion systems.

Finally, earlier this year, the FAA granted an experimental permit to Scaled Composites, authorizing it to conduct rocket-powered flights of SpaceShipTwo to suborbital altitudes. So far, the company has completed two tests in Mojave, California.  Eventually, the system will be operated by Virgin Galactic from Spaceport America in New Mexico. Two other companies, XCOR and Blue Origin, are also making progress on developing new suborbital vehicles to carry tourists. It’s possible that private industry could fly these tourist space vehicles as early as next year.  The FAA will continue to work closely with these and other suborbital companies as this new market emerges.

So, the president’s new National Space Transportation Policy is coming at an important time, and will support the expanding capabilities of commercial companies. The White House has continued to emphasize the importance of commercial space transportation in achieving our national goals.

I’d like to mention a few highlights in the new policy that are of particular interest to the Department of Transportation and the FAA.

·      The new space policy directs all departments and agencies to cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship through the use of nontraditional acquisition arrangements. This includes the use of fixed price acquisition instead of the traditional cost plus arrangement.

·      The goal here is to encourage the expansion of commercial space transportation beyond the role of government. By using commercial style contracts, the government assumes less of the risk of development of new technology and private companies potentially see greater profits.

·      In addition, more than ever before, the policy facilitates the sharing of databases containing valuable lessons learned from human space flight. These data, held by NASA and the FAA, should be made available to support commercial development of space transportation.

·      The White House policy asks all government agencies to work together to pursue policy, regulatory, and other measures that foster the emerging commercial human spaceflight market. DOT Secretary Foxx has a key role in working with other agencies to achieve this.

·      Stemming from this new direction, the DOT will have exclusive authority to address orbital debris mitigation practices for commercial launches. Debris in orbit is a serious challenge. The recent movie Gravity shows an extreme example of the problems of space debris whirling around the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour. While this is a dramatic, fictional portrayal of debris, the threat is real. If we manage it responsibly, we can mitigate these risks, consistent with FAA’s safety mission.

·      The new policy also supports continuation of the current indemnification risk-sharing regime. This will expire at the end of 2013 unless Congress acts to extend it. Keeping this risk-sharing regime in place helps U.S. companies remain competitive with foreign launch providers that have similar support from their own governments.  

·      And finally, the new policy advocates internationally for the adoption of U.S. Government safety regulations to align global standards. 

Conclusion
So, commercial space transportation is growing at a volume and pace never before seen. This new presidential policy emphasizes the critical importance of commercial space in achieving national goals. At the FAA, we’re working to safely integrate commercial space operations into our airspace. It’s one of our top priorities.

COMSTAC plays a key role in these efforts – facilitating dialogue and collaboration with industry. You help us foster innovation, enhance safety and promote business expansion.  We are looking forward to working with all of you—our partners in government, our colleagues in industry, and international stakeholders to create a bright new future for commercial space transportation.

We Still Have More to Do

As Prepared for Delivery

Thank you all for coming today.

We have made significant progress in improving flight crew training over the years, especially with the new pilot training rule that we published this month. It was a long time in the making, and it represents one of the most significant updates of air carrier pilot training in the last 20 years.

With the technology now available in flight simulators today, we will be able to greatly enhance training.   

But even as this rule covers a lot of ground, we still know there’s more that we can and should do to move to the next level of safety and improve training for all of the aviation professionals involved in flight operations.

We have published a number of significant safety rules over the past several years, and we are proud of those accomplishments. But during that time, a lot of very talented people have worked collaboratively with the FAA to produce many additional recommendations for pilot training on stalls, upsets and flight deck automation issues.  And there are still areas where we can improve, including training for flight attendants and dispatchers.

Today, I am announcing the creation of an Air Carrier Training Steering Group. This group is composed of industry and government representatives who will study training issues and advocate for voluntary adoption of the best practices that we have identified together.

In order to help this group, we are asking you today to sort through about 25 recommendations on training and come up with the five top priorities that the Air Carrier Training Steering Group should first pursue – because it makes sense and it’s in our best interest.  

In particular, I would like you to specifically discuss the best recommendations for how to improve training for flight attendants and dispatchers.

Today, I am also going to reach out to the airlines, including smaller carriers, as well as organizations providing training to air carriers, to ask them to support their trade associations and the people those associations nominate to serve on this steering group.

We want to identify additional areas for improvement in training, and make voluntary efforts to address these. We live in a world today where we cannot regulate every aspect of safety.  One of the most successful safety engagements we’ve had between government and industry is CAST – the Commercial Aviation Safety Team. We are sharing data and looking at trends. When we do this, it’s obvious to all of us where we need to act.

Our system is so safe that we have been moving from a system of forensic review to a system of pre-emptive actions. Proactively instituting safety management systems and identifying and mitigating risks is how we can act smarter about safety and take our system to the next level.

The pro-active work you are starting today is very valuable. So I want to thank you again for coming out today, and for your thoughts on how to make the best voluntary improvements to air carrier training.

I look forward to stopping back later to hear about your discussion and conclusions.

UAS Roadmap

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Good morning, Marion, and thank you for that introduction. It’s great to be here today.

Aviation and aerospace hold a special place in the American consciousness. They are a symbol of American innovation. And innovation is what makes this country grow and prosper.

As we move into the second century of flight, we are transforming our airspace to take advantage of technological breakthroughs, and to maintain our position as a global leader. Through NextGen, we are transitioning from a system of ground-based radar and navigational aids, to a system that uses satellites and GPS for greater precision, more direct routes, greater fuel efficiency and better predictability.  

NextGen is about taking the enormous advances that are taking place today in communications, computing and navigation, and incorporating these advances into our nation’s aviation system.

With the growth of the Internet, of data-sharing, and of precise mapping, we have no choice but to leverage these benefits in the world of flight. NextGen is bringing these advances to aviation and allowing us to create the airspace of the future. And in that airspace of the future, we will have new users. We will have more commercial space launches and we’ll have more unmanned aircraft systems. As you know, it requires significant work to build consensus on how to safely integrate game-changing technologies such as these. 

I’m pleased to say that we have made solid progress. Today I would like to announce that the FAA has released its first Unmanned Aircraft Systems roadmap. This document, developed with key stakeholders, outlines what we need to do to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into our national airspace. It provides a five-year outlook and will have annual updates.

The roadmap addresses the policies, the regulations, the technologies, and procedures that we will need to integrate unmanned aircraft on a routine basis. To accomplish this, we must change the way we do business. We have operational goals as well as safety issues that we must consider when planning to expand the use of unmanned aircraft.

As the provider of air traffic services, we must ensure the safety and efficiency of the entire airspace, including all aircraft, people and property – both manned and unmanned – in the air and on the ground.

Unmanned aircraft are inherently different from manned aircraft. They run a very wide range, with a number of different physical and operational characteristics. Some are the size of a fist, and fly at low altitudes. Others have glider-like bodies with the wing span of a 737 and can fly above 60,000 feet.  Many can fly longer and hover longer than manned aircraft. They are also lighter and slower than traditional aircraft and have more lift and not as much drag. What unites them all is that the pilot is on the ground and not on board the aircraft.

Our FAA forecast estimates that we can expect 7,500 small unmanned aircraft in our national airspace in the next five years, provided the regulations are in place to handle them.

Right now, almost all of the unmanned aircraft operations we approve for public use and research purposes are on a case by case basis.

For the last two decades, the FAA has authorized the limited use of unmanned aircraft for important missions in the public interest. These include firefighting, disaster relief, search and rescue, law enforcement, border patrol, military training, and testing and evaluation.

About 80 law enforcement agencies operate unmanned aircraft now under special certificates of authorization. Universities also use unmanned aircraft for research into weather, agriculture, and industrial uses.

And more recently, in September, the first commercial flight of an unmanned aircraft took place in the rainy skies above the Arctic Circle. A Scan Eagle completed a 36-minute flight to view marine mammals and survey ice. These surveys are needed to meet environmental and safety requirements before drilling on the sea floor.

This flight was coordinated by ConocoPhillips, the FAA, the manufacturer of the Scan Eagle, and other federal and international agencies. This Arctic region is the only area to date where we have authorized the use of small unmanned aircraft for commercial purposes.

In moving forward, we recognize that the expanded use of unmanned aircraft presents great opportunities, but it’s also true that integrating these aircraft presents significant challenges.

There are operational issues that we need to address, such as pilot training. We also need to make sure that unmanned aircraft sense and avoid other aircraft, and that they operate safely if they lose the link to their pilot.

This is why developing more test data is so important. By the end of the year, we plan to choose six test sites for civil unmanned aircraft. Congress required us to do so, and we need to make sure we use these sites to obtain the best data that we can.  The test sites will provide invaluable information to help us develop policies and procedures to ensure safe, responsible and transparent integration.

Today, we are also releasing the privacy policy that will apply to the UAS test sites. This policy requires operators to comply with all local, state and federal laws concerning privacy and civil liberties. We’re requiring the test site operators to create a privacy policy that is available to the public. And they must require anyone operating unmanned aircraft at the test sites to have a written plan for how they will use and retain any test data acquired. On a broader level, agencies across the government are coming together to work on privacy issues that may arise with the increasing use of unmanned aircraft beyond these test sites.

Our airspace system is not static. And it’s important for industry to understand that unmanned operations will evolve over time.

In addition to the roadmap, the Department of Transportation is releasing a Comprehensive Plan that dovetails with the FAA’s roadmap. This Comprehensive Plan details the multi-agency approach to the safe and timely integration of unmanned aircraft. The plan establishes goals to integrate both small and larger unmanned aircraft, and to foster America’s leadership in advancing this technology.

All three of these new documents – the  Comprehensive Plan, the Roadmap and the privacy policy for the test sites – are available today on our web site at FAA.GOV.

We are dedicated to working with stakeholders in this growing industry and with our government partners – the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, as well as NASA and the Joint Planning and Development Office – to define parameters to safely integrate these very diverse systems into the world’s most complex airspace.

Rest assured the FAA will fulfill its statutory obligations to integrate unmanned systems.  But we must fulfill those obligations in a thoughtful, careful manner that ensures safety and promotes economic growth.   

While aviation is unquestionably an industry known for innovation, it is also an industry with a strong history of collaboration between government and industry. This collaboration has enabled us to achieve a position of international leadership. The U.S. is recognized as the “gold standard” for aviation safety, efficiency and technology. 

And we need to keep it that way.

Together, we need to address the many areas where we need standards for these new unmanned aircraft. This includes standards for manufacturing and standards for pilot training.

We have a challenging task ahead and we all have a stake in this goal.

For us to be effective, funding for the government needs to happen in a predictable and reliable way so that we can consistently work towards the greater good.  Short-term, stop-gap funding is no way to run a government or an aviation system.

We must move forward with NextGen and the rollout of new technologies, such as modern communications, navigation, and surveillance systems for our nation’s airspace. The integration of unmanned aircraft relies on these kinds of NextGen advancements.  We are building a complex and inter-related airspace. We need to join together again and vocally support the priorities that we have established.

By working together, government and industry will overcome the challenges that face us, and open the door to a more diverse and dynamic aviation future.  

Thank you.

Pilot Training Rule

Thank you for joining us today.

As the Secretary said, this rule will give our pilots the most advanced training available to handle emergencies they may encounter.

We are focusing on pilot training for events which – although rare – can be catastrophic.  Focusing on these events will provide the greatest safety benefit to the flying public.

The FAA has consistently issued strong training guidance to carriers. But this rule represents one of the most significant updates of air carrier pilot training in the last 20 years. With the technology now available in flight simulators today, we will be able to greatly enhance training.  

We want pilots to have extensive training so that they have the skills and confidence to appropriately handle any situation. This includes more emphasis on manual flying skills, and how to prevent and recover from stalls and upsets. We also want pilots to have more experience with crosswinds and gusts. And more experience with how to handle the loss of reliable airspeed data.

At the FAA we are becoming smarter about safety and moving towards a system where we collect and analyze data to see patterns. We want to address issues long before there is a problem. This rule will allow airlines to view a pilot’s training performance over time. And airlines will have the data to evaluate whether a training program is effective.

Airlines will be able to better track a pattern of deficiencies in a pilot’s training performance. If the same type of failure occurs again, or if a similar failure occurs, the airline and the pilot will need to take additional steps to demonstrate the pilot’s capability. Changes can be made – based on the data – that improve both the training program and pilot performance.

We always expect that the pilot who is not flying the aircraft will monitor the pilot who is flying the plane, during all phases of flight. This rule requires airlines to train pilots on how to effectively monitor the pilot who is flying. The pilot who is not flying has an active job to do. He or she must act as a second set of eyes and ears to assure situational awareness and to intervene when necessary.

And finally, the rule requires training to enhance runway safety precautions. It will reinforce that pilots need to confirm the assigned runway as part of their pre-departure briefing. They will also need to confirm that the correct runway is loaded into the aircraft’s flight management system.

This rule has been a high priority for the Colgan families and for the Secretary and myself. We made a promise that we’d get this rule out this year, and we have kept that promise. As the Secretary said, the families of Colgan Flight 3407 have been of great help not only with this rule, but with rules to reduce pilot fatigue and improve pilot qualifications.

Today’s rule is a tremendous achievement for safety. But, I also want to call on the industry to continue to embrace voluntary initiatives to make air carrier training programs as robust as possible. I will meet with airline safety leaders later this month to determine how we can best move forward to constantly enhance safety in a collaborative way.

Finally, I would like to thank our safety team at the FAA who have worked tirelessly to get this rule across the finish line.  You do great work every day on behalf of the traveling public.

Mr. Secretary?

Portable Electronic Devices Presser

Good morning. Thank you for joining me today.

As you may know, in January of this year, when I became Administrator, I wanted to take a thoughtful look at the rules governing the use of portable electronic devices in flight – rules that have been in effect for nearly 50 years. I assembled a team of industry and aviation experts to explore the issue and today we want to share the conclusion.

After reviewing the report and the committee’s recommendations and consulting with agency specialists, I am pleased to announce that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices during all phases of flight. Today, the FAA is providing the airlines with implementation guidance to do so.

The committee determined that most commercial airplanes can tolerate radio interference from portable electronic devices. It’s safe to read downloaded materials like e-books and calendars and to play games. But, the committee found that in some instances of low visibility – about one percent of flights – some landing systems may not be proven to tolerate the interference. In those cases, passengers should be asked to turn-off devices. We agree with that recommendation and our guidance to airlines reflects that.

It’s important for everyone’s safety that passengers obey all requests to store such devices if need be. The committee recommended that heavier devices be safely stowed under seats or in the overhead bins during takeoff and landing. This is something we’ll ask airlines to implement.

This was not our typical aviation rulemaking committee. While the team was made up of representatives from the airlines, aviation manufacturers, pilots and flight attendants, we also included organizations that represent passengers and the mobile technology industry. This diverse group assured that we protected aviation safety while addressing the passenger desire to use their portable devices. I commend the detailed and thorough work of the group, which represented all of the stakeholders. The report can be found on our website, at FAA.gov.

These changes won’t take effect immediately. But we will be working with the airlines to get it done as quickly as we can, and to maximize consistency across the industry.

Cabin safety is extremely important and each airline will evaluate its fleet and may need to change the rules for stowing carry-on items and passenger safety announcements. Each airline will also need to revise manuals, checklists for crewmember training materials, and passenger briefings before expanding the use of portable electronic devices. Each airline will determine how and when it will allow passengers the broader use of tablets, e-readers and smartphones at all altitudes. We’re committed to working with carriers to review their plans expeditiously and to promote consistency for passengers.

I want to be clear that you still cannot talk on your phone during a flight. The Federal Communications Commission governs cell phone use during flights, and the committee did not consider that issue. All devices should be in airplane mode. However, you will be able to connect through Wi-Fi to an airplane’s wireless network if the airline provides the service. And you will be able to connect to Bluetooth accessories like a mouse or keyboard.

There’s one thing that won’t change. Passengers must take a break from their devices, their music, or whatever they’re doing, and listen to the safety briefing before each flight. It could save your life in the event of an emergency.

In closing, I want to commend the dedication and excellent work of all the experts who spent the past year working together to give us a solid report. It has allowed us to move forward with a science-based decision on expanded use of electronics on airplanes during all phases of flight. And while it will take some time for each airline to verify that its fleet is PED tolerant, I expect expanded use will come soon.

Thank you again for joining me today. I’ll take some questions.

Building a Seamless Global Airspace

Thank you, Henry, (Steingass) for that introduction. It is a pleasure to be here today, and to see so many of my colleagues from industry and government. And, I extend a special welcome to our friends from India.

I would first like to say a sincere thank you to both the U.S. Trade and Development Agency for sponsoring this event, and to the American Association of Airport Executives, for coordinating this week’s meetings. Events like these are crucial to expanding business and trade, and for improving cooperation across borders.

We are here during a time of rapid change in aviation. I frankly am in awe of how far aviation has come over the past several decades. Safety has made great leaps. New aircraft are smarter and more energy efficient. The latest technologies are transforming the way we manage air traffic. And, we now enjoy expanded aviation networks across the globe that link us to one another, and to the far reaches of the world.

Because of these increased aviation connections, the link between Asia and the United States continues to grow stronger. Our 2013 Forecast Report shows that air travel between Asia and the United States is anticipated to remain one of the healthiest markets. And, as Asian economies expand, we’ll likely see this increase in air traffic continue. In India, in particular, it is projected that you will see aviation grow by leaps and bounds in the coming decades. With this strong growth and a world that is evermore linked, an open dialogue is important.

As two of the world’s major democracies and large economies, it is vital that we have strong connections. Despite challenging economic times, trade between the United States and India grew substantially between 2009 and 2012, and we expect it to continue to increase. This growth is due in part to positive aviation links.

And, as we strengthen our ties, we must involve both government and industry. It is vital that government understands from industry how changes in the public sector can affect operations. And, it is crucial that industry hears why governments make the decisions we do.

The Aviation Cooperation Program that we have in place between the U.S. and India is a positive mechanism for expanding this public – private relationship. I’m pleased that it remains an active vehicle for communication between our governments and businesses. This helps support aviation modernization and trade.

I would also encourage both government and industry to capitalize on existing groups to share safety information and best practices. ICAO, of course, remains an important piece in the safety of aviation, and its technical groups are making tremendous progress in certain areas of the world. Thanks to the ICAO Regional Aviation Safety Group for Asia, safety harmonization and coordination is reaching a new level across the Asian continent.

Safety is not a competitive business. Sharing information that could potentially affect the safety of flight in any country is crucial, and we need to invest time and effort in forums such as the regional groups that support this collaboration. And, this will all be enhanced by the recent endorsement at the ICAO Assembly of the Global Aviation Safety Plan. This multilateral effort allows us to approach safety on a global basis.

An effective and solid safety oversight program is paramount for the success of any country’s aviation system. The culture of effective safety oversight starts at the very top of an organization, and filters down to every level. Each aviation authority must maintain a strong safety structurewithin the global context.

We will also enhance safety by changing the way we manage air traffic control, and by taking advantage of new technology. Here in the United States, we are transforming the way we manage air traffic through NextGen. We are evolving from ground-based radar to a satellite-based system of tomorrow. This will help us move more air traffic efficiently, while reducing flight times and emissions.

This upgrade to satellite-based technology is beginning in many locations across the globe. And a way to help further that progress is the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan that was endorsed at the ICAO Assembly. This plan helps to harmonize and advance air traffic management globally. It provides a framework for countries to improve the capacity of their air traffic systems.

With the tremendous growth in air traffic around the globe, we must make these upgrades and modernize our system. If we don’t, the price we will pay in lost efficiency and economic productivity will outweigh the costs of the upgrades and changes. Let’s not miss out on economic expansion because of equipment that is no longer compatible or usable with the rest of the world. And, economic growth is also bolstered by airports that have invested in long-term planning with the objective of meeting the growing aviation demand of the future.

We all share the common path of continuously improving aviation. The United States seeks to partner more with other countries and regions as we all develop new technologies. These systems must be interoperable, even as we maintain technological independence in our own countries.

Of course, all of our growth and upgrades must be done in the context of responsible environmental policies. We owe it to one another, and to future generations, to ensure that expanding or changing the airspace and airport infrastructure is done prudently while minimizing the impact to our environment. We need to continue to research and develop alternative fuels. The way of the future is to invest in equipment and aircraft that create more efficient routes and fewer emissions.

Collaboration with one another is the key to success on environmental issues. Since 2006, the FAA has worked with other governments, regional groups, and industry partners to research, develop, and deploy alternative jet fuels through the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, or CAAFI. And, countries across the globe have made great strides in developing, producing and using alternative fuels in other modes of transportation. We can all learn from this work. Efforts to create a sustainable, alternative jet fuel, as well as development of new aircraft bodies and more efficient engines, will protect the environment for generations to come.

And, as we seek to ensure aviation is environmentally sustainable, it is once again vital that we continue to work through the multilateral process to find practical and collaborative solutions.

As we celebrate the inherent international connection in aviation, let us acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments we have seen in flight throughout the world. And, by agreeing to move forward collaboratively, we will continue to see growth, trade, and expansion across the globe, linking us all even closer.

The solid partnerships between countries like India and the United States will not only lead the way for more trade, investment, and development in aviation, but will also serve as a model for other countries around the world to work across borders.

Thank you, again, for inviting me here today, and I wish you much success for the Summit.