Meet the Administrator

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With extensive feedback from industry and stakeholders we are drafting a rule incorporating safety innovation flexibility. The FAA will define safety and airworthiness parameters, thus giving designers a goal without telling them how to get there. As long as results meet the new Part 23 requirements, industry can make extensive use of the latest designs, materials, and technology.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RTCA: An Indispensable Partner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Knowing the Right Questions

Remarks As Prepared For Delivery

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let me briefly touch on these initiatives.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what do we research next?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Data Communications at Newark Liberty International Airport

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As prepared for delivery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 Years of Progress

As Prepared for Delivery

Thanks Chip. I'm glad to be here.

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

Today, I’d like to talk about:

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

Deregulation / Mergers / 9-11

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

Safety Advancements

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

New Safety Approach

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

Lessons from Colgan: 1500 hour rule

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

Pilot Fatigue

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

Full Stall Training/Simulators

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

NextGen progress

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

Equipage

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

Call to Action: Be Part of the Solution 

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

In closing

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

Wichita Aero Club Luncheon

Thank you for that warm welcome, Jack [Pelton, EAA Board Chairman]– I’m always happy to see a fellow California native. Jack was an important member of the FAA Management Advisory Council a few years back, and he’s a valuable partner to us now that he’s at the Experimental Aircraft Association.

Last week, one of the most diverse collections of World War II aircraft ever assembled flew over Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe. Thousands of people lined the National Mall and crowded onto balconies and rooftops across the city to see these historic planes take flight. It was a special moment to witness, deeply rooted in a love for aviation and its rich history.

Being back in the “Air Capital of the World,” I’m once again reminded of that history. So much of it happened here in Wichita. Let me give you an example.

Seventy years ago, a B-29 bomber rolled off the assembly line at the Wichita Boeing plant. It was called “Doc” – part of a squadron of eight airplanes named after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. After serving in the Korean War, Doc was decommissioned and sent to the Mojave Desert in California. There it stayed for more than 40 years, baking in the sun and occasionally being used for military target practice.

Doc got a reprieve in 2000, when a group of historians rescued it and shipped it back home to Wichita. They dreamed of restoring the old B-29 to its former glory – and eventually getting it back in the air.

Hundreds of volunteers came out to work on Doc – including people who had built the plane in 1944. They painted and installed new skin panels. They replaced every piece of wire and cable. They put in new engines and a modern avionics system.

Thanks to these efforts, Doc is on track to fly again this summer – for the first time since the Korean War.

This is a story that embodies the spirit of Wichita. Aviation pioneers like Clyde Cessna and Bill Lear made their marks here. Planes that fly across the world were built here, by generations of Wichita families.

As much as aviation is a part of Wichita’s past, it’s also an important part of its future. In a factory adjacent to the one where Doc was built 70 years ago, Spirit Aerosystems is using the latest in robotics technology to create fuselage and cockpits for the 787 Dreamliner out of black carbon composite tape – the most advanced aircraft manufacturing technique in existence today.

This type of innovation is essential to keeping up with our evolving industry – not only here in Wichita, but also at the FAA.

Today, I’m going to tell you about how our agency is working to create America’s 21^st century aviation system. Then, I look forward to answering your questions and hearing about the successes and challenges you’re experiencing here in Wichita.

As you know, the FAA is focused on putting the Next Generation Air Transportation System in place. NextGen is using innovative technologies and procedures to make flying safer, greener, and more efficient – and it’s already delivering benefits across the country.

One of the most important developments we’re working on is the shift from radar-based aircraft tracking to satellite-based tracking.

The FAA installed the baseline ground infrastructure for the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system last year. This is exciting technology – especially for the general aviation community.

ADS-B helps controllers determine your aircraft’s location with far greater accuracy. If you operate in remote areas where radar coverage is limited, ADS-B will make flying safer. It helps us take the “search” out of search-and-rescue if you run into trouble – a potentially life-saving benefit.

ADS-B also brings free weather and traffic updates from coast to coast directly to the cockpit. This means you’re getting the most up-to-date information on hazardous weather, temporary flight restrictions, and notices to airmen when you need it most.

The full benefits of ADS-B require 100 percent equipage for aircraft flying in controlled air space. The FAA has set a January 1, 2020, deadline to equip for ADS-B Out in controlled airspace. Many of you have asked about that deadline, and if it might be extended. The answer is no – the date is set – so I want to strongly encourage you to make plans to get equipped as soon as possible. You don’t want to end up grounded in the early months of 2020 because of a parts or installation delay.

I want to thank the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and all of the other industry groups who have encouraged owners to get equipped and helped raise awareness about the 2020 deadline. This support has been invaluable.

The FAA is collaborating closely with these organizations through our Equip 2020 working group. We’re seeking to smooth the transition to ADS-B by identifying and resolving the barriers delaying operators from getting equipped.

I know cost has been a major concern. I’m pleased to report that a number of avionics manufacturers are stepping up to produce equipment that complies with the ADS-B Out mandate. This increased competition has driven costs down considerably. Some units are now available for less than $2,000.

Since our ADS-B Call to Action last October, more than 8,000 general aviation aircraft have equipped – a really promising start. We want to see those equipage rates continue to rise.

So if you haven’t researched getting ADS-B equipment for a while, now is a great time to take a second look.

ADS-B is just one example of how we’re modernizing our national airspace system.

This spring, we delivered on another important foundational element of NextGen. En Route Automation Modernization, or ERAM, is one of the largest technology changeovers in the history of the FAA. ERAM is a faster computer platform that replaces our legacy system, which had its roots in the 1960s. It gives us a much bigger, richer picture of our nation’s air traffic – and allows controllers to better manage flights from gate to gate.

Eisenhower National is the key site for another program we are using to improve air traffic control displays called STARS FUSION. This upgraded software is making it easier for controllers to do their jobs, creating a clearer and more accurate display that pulls in data from multiple radar and ADS-B sites. As more aircraft in the region equip with ADS-B, the full benefits of these upgrades will be experienced.

The FAA isn’t only using new technologies to prepare for the future. We’re also evolving in the way we think and approach our processes – especially when it comes to certification.

When we first started certifying aircraft, it was a pretty simple process. We laid out airworthiness standards for small airplanes, and manufacturers met them. Over the years, this process became much more complicated.

Wichita’s history proves that the aviation industry tends to attract innovative thinkers. As they created new and better aircraft designs, the certification process struggled to keep up.

We knew we needed to find a better way to increase safety, certify more efficiently, and help bring more products to market. We quickly realized that the answer was to change our mindset. Instead of being prescriptive, we needed to be performance-based.

Instead of requiring certain design elements on specific technologies, we knew we needed to define the safety outcomes we wanted to achieve. This approach recognizes that there’s more than one way to deliver on safety – and it provides room for flexibility and innovation in the marketplace.

The FAA is in the process of codifying this change into a rewrite of Part 23 of our aviation regulations. Congress recognized this was a priority when it required a Part 23 rulemaking in the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013, and I’ve asked my team to shorten timeframes wherever possible so we can get this rule done quickly.

It’s a big undertaking. The new rule will touch many different aspects of aviation, so we have to make sure it’s fair, can be enforced, and doesn’t have an adverse impact on safety or airworthiness.

I know you’re eager for this rule to get done – but it’s imperative that we do it right. Your businesses are counting on it, and the competitiveness of the entire U.S. aviation industry is counting on it.

Your contributions as part of the ASTM International Committee and the Aviation Rulemaking Committee on this subject have already been invaluable. The feedback we received from industry and international stakeholders has helped shape the rulemaking we’re currently drafting. We plan to publish it for public comment by the end of this year. We’ll also continue to collaborate as industry develops compliance measures that will meet our new performance-based standards.

In addition to re-thinking our certification process for aircraft, the FAA is also re-thinking our requirements for general aviation pilots.

I know one of the most important issues on everyone’s mind here today is the third-class medical certificate. The FAA is working to define how a person can fly without a third-class medical certificate while maintaining the highest level of safety.

We want to make this a lasting policy change that encourages more people to get their pilot certificates and invest in general aviation aircraft. We also have to acknowledge that a change to medical requirements could introduce risks into the system that we need to understand and mitigate.

Please know: we’re working diligently to get a proposal out so all interested stakeholders have an opportunity to weigh in.

All of these actions we’re taking are born out of a larger shift toward embracing risk-based decision-making. Aviation has long been on the forefront of this kind of thinking in transportation, and it’s unquestionably the future of our industry.

As a result, the FAA is embedding risk management into every level of our business. I even made it one of the agency’s four Strategic Initiatives when I became Administrator – because I knew it was essential to helping us achieve our mission of providing the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world.

Twenty years ago, the FAA operated under the philosophy that 100 percent compliance with safety regulations equaled 100 percent safety. This, however, didn’t go far enough. Not all safety issues are regulated – and several incidents in the 1990s led us to rethink this approach.

We knew that, as aviation became safer, we’d have less accident data to guide our efforts. We needed to focus on identifying areas of risk – and mitigating them before an incident occurred.

Here’s how it works: We collect safety data from air traffic controllers, airway technicians, pilots, other aviation professionals, and a variety of other sources. We then analyze this data to identify potential high-risk areas and target our resources to address them.

Using data and analysis to guide the way we make decisions is common sense – and the aviation industry has been an essential partner in our efforts. We’ve been working together for years to introduce more risk assessments into our decision-making processes.

Thanks to our collaboration with airlines, manufacturers, labor, and others under the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, we reduced the risk of fatal commercial accidents by 83 percent between 1998 and 2008 – a stunning success. Since 2008, we’ve continued to build on that accomplishment.

An important factor contributing to our ongoing improvement is the widespread adoption of Safety Management Systems, which have produced safer, more efficient outcomes for small and large carriers alike.

The FAA recently finalized a rule requiring most U.S. commercial carriers to have Safety Management Systems in place by 2018. It codifies the risk-based decision-making process that we’ve developed cooperatively with industry over the last decade-and-a half. It also puts us in line with internationally-recognized best safety practices.

I’ve laid out a few of the ways that the FAA is preparing our national airspace system for the future. In order for us to continue making progress on these initiatives, we need the proper resources.

The current FAA reauthorization expires on September 30^th. We’re committed to working closely with Congress to pass a long-term bill. While we don’t know what that bill will exactly look like yet, we do know that it has to embrace a few key principles.

First, reauthorization must help us maintain our exceptional safety record by providing more opportunities to use risk-based decision-making.

Second, we must continue the modernization of our air traffic control system with stable funding for our core operations and NextGen investments.

Third, reauthorization should secure appropriate funding for our nation’s airports. The new Eisenhower National terminal that’s about to open is a fantastic example of the kind of project we need to support.

Finally, we must maintain and strengthen America’s global leadership on aviation.  In addition to shaping and harmonizing international aviation standards, this means strengthening the U.S. aviation industry in a competitive global marketplace.

The aviation products we make in America – right here in Wichita – are essential to the health of our national economy. Seeing your planes crisscross the globe are a sign that U.S. innovation is alive and well.

I hope we can count on you to help us call on Congress to take up a long-term reauthorization bill as soon as possible.

Before I wrap up, let me leave you with this. I often think about how lucky I am to be leading the FAA. It’s an organization that’s always done important work in an industry that was born out of American zeal and ingenuity. We are in the midst of a historic time in aviation – and the decisions we make now will define aviation for decades to come.

Look no further than Doc. Thanks to the dedication of the aviation community here, that old B-29 that spent four decades in the desert will soon take flight again. If that’s not a sign of what we can do when we work together, I don’t know what is.

Thank you for the opportunity to join you here in Wichita today. I look forward to answering your questions.

B4UFLY App Release Press Conference

Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us today.

Unmanned aircraft systems have become extremely popular in recent years. With that popularity has come growing concerns – about the safety of these aircraft, and their effect on our nation’s airspace. For example, you wouldn’t have to look far to find a recent headline about an airline pilot seeing an unmanned aircraft while flying.

Technology has made it so that almost anyone can operate an unmanned vehicle without any prior aviation experience. At the same time, technology also provides us with an opportunity – to give these users the tools and knowledge they need to operate safely before they fly.

I’m pleased to announce today that the FAA is unveiling a new smartphone app called “B4UFLY.” It’s a simple, easy-to-use app that answers a very basic safety question: is it safe and legal to fly my unmanned aircraft at a particular location?

Longtime members of the unmanned aircraft community may already know the answer to that question. Someone who got their first unmanned aircraft as a gift under the Christmas tree probably doesn’t.

That’s a knowledge gap we need to fill. The United States has the most complicated airspace in the world. We need to make sure hobbyists and modelers know where it’s okay to fly and where it isn’t okay to fly – because there can be very real consequences if you don’t. The incident on the White House lawn earlier this year is a good example.

We plan to make B4UFLY available to approximately 1,000 beta testers using Apple devices this summer, and we’ll be working on an Android app in the future.

The B4UFLY app is the latest action the FAA has taken to encourage the responsible use of unmanned aircraft. In December, we partnered with the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the Small UAV Coalition, and our friends here at AUVSI to launch the “Know Before You Fly” campaign. This was an important first step in educating operators about the rules of the sky.

The B4UFLY app takes a lot of that information and puts it right in your pocket – available to use anytime, anywhere. It only takes a few taps to find out if you’re cleared to fly. While other resources like this exist, we believe B4UFLY will have the most user-friendly interface with the most up-to-date information.

To tell you more about this, I’m going to turn things over to Jim Williams, the manager of the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Integration Office. He’ll walk you through some of the key features of the B4UFLY app.

Thank you.

UAS Pathfinder Program Announcement Press Conference

Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us today.

The unmanned aircraft industry is changing faster than any segment of the aviation industry. So many bright minds are focused on advancing this technology. People are finding new ways to use these devices on almost a daily basis. The energy here at AUVSI is proof of that.

Today, I’m pleased to announce a new project that will help the FAA harness some of this energy.

We’re calling it the Pathfinder Program. We’re partnering with three leading U.S. companies who have committed extensive resources to perform research that will help us determine if and how we can safely expand unmanned aircraft operations in the United States. These companies reached out to the FAA to work with us on exploring three key types of unmanned operations.

CNN will be researching how visual line-of-sight operations might be used for newsgathering in urban areas.

PrecisionHawk, a manufacturer, will be surveying crops in rural areas using unmanned aircraft flying outside of the pilot’s direct vision.

BNSF Railroad will explore the challenges of using these vehicles to inspect their rail infrastructure beyond visual line-of-sight in isolated areas.

We anticipate receiving valuable data from each of these trials that could result in FAA-approved operations in the next few years. They will also give insight into how unmanned aircraft can be used to transform the way certain industries do business – whether that means making sure trains run on time, checking on the health of crops, or reporting on a natural disaster.

Integrating unmanned aircraft into our airspace is a big job, and it’s one the FAA is determined to get right. Earlier this year, we took an important step forward by releasing a proposed rule that laid out a flexible framework for allowing the routine use of small unmanned aircraft. It included a number of common sense provisions, like not flying near airports, at night, or more than 500 feet off the ground. It also recommended requiring the operator to be able to see the unmanned vehicle at all times.

The FAA received more than 4,000 public comments on the proposal, and we’re working to address them before finalizing the rule.

This, however, takes time – so we’re actively looking for other ways to expand the use of unmanned aircraft in the meantime. We’re receiving valuable information from our six national test sites. We’re also accommodating requests for some commercial operations. The Pathfinder program is our latest step in the right direction – and I’m eager to see the results.

Now, I’d like to invite representatives from each of our Pathfinder partners to share a few words about how their organizations will be using unmanned aircraft during the program:

• David Vigilante, Senior Vice President, Legal for CNN
• Christopher Dean, CEO of PrecisionHawk
• Gary Grissum, Unmanned Aircraft Lead for BNSF Railroad