A Success Story in the Making

Good morning, everybody.

I know what you’re thinking: Oh, jeez…the regulator’s here. He’s probably going to tell us he’s “here to help.”

You laugh. But I get it – there’s a certain degree of skepticism when the fed shows up at an event like this.

I don’t know that I blame you. After all, the old government philosophy of “If it ain’t broke, let’s fix it anyway” is the ultimate buzzkill.

Well… that’s not who I am. And that’s absolutely not what the Department of Transportation or this Administration is all about.

Believe it or not, we all want the same thing. We all know unmanned aircraft aren’t a novelty – some expensive toy that needs to be accommodated. And we’re ready for the day when drones are a fully integrated, everyday player in our nation’s airspace.

So how do we make that happen safely – and faster?

Well…to start with, we all need to acknowledge: Remotely piloted aircraft are a disruptive technology.

In this room, that’s almost always a good thing, right? Drones are reinventing industries… creating new ones. They’re going to do for aviation what the internet did for information.

I’ve been a pilot most of my life. But when I look around at some of the things you’re working on here at InterDrone… the possibilities blow me away.

But as exciting as this all is… it can also make people nervous.

Safety… security… access… privacy…The public has very real and justified questions about these aircraft. And their concerns can’t just be swept under the rug.

If we want this technology to take hold, we’ve got to take these questions head on.

Opinions about drones are still being formed. That’s in our favor. And we can make the most of that opportunity by being responsive.

The recent event in Venezuela reminds us: All it takes is one bad actor… one unfortunate incident… And this industry could be grounded before it ever really takes off.

That’s not hyperbole. Sky-high expectations are just part of the world you’re operating in.

The national airspace system doesn’t have room for error. When something goes wrong up there, it shakes people’s confidence down here. And the entire industry feels the impact.

Fortunately, incidents like that are extremely rare. Airplanes are safer and more resilient than at any point in history. The people operating in the system take safety so seriously that they self-report mistakes. And that voluntary data reporting allows us to root out areas of risk in the system long before incidents occur.

The result? Aviation is the gold standard. The safest form of transportation in the world. That’s not a position we’re about to take a step back on.

I’ve heard this argument a few times: Back in Orville and Wilbur’s era, people were willing to risk their lives for the birth of a new form of transportation. Now that we’re on the cusp of aviation’s next great era, shouldn’t we be willing to accept some of the same risks in the name of progress?

Folks, there’s a really simple answer to that question: No.

Manned aviation already learned those lessons. We paid that price. We’re not going to do it again. And the public wouldn’t let us, anyway.

Now, this insistence on safety isn’t some limitation on unmanned aircraft. On the contrary… it’s a leg up.

Because you’re not starting from scratch, like the Wright brothers. The FAA has spent six decades working with airlines, manufacturers, and countless others to get where we are now. And we’re ready to use everything we’ve learned so that the drone industry can reach its full potential as quickly as possible.

Let me tell you a quick story.

A TV company was using a drone to film exteriors out in Louisville, Kentucky a couple weeks ago. And they just so happened to set up in the parking lot of the FAA’s local Flight Standards office.

Our folks naturally got curious about the drone flying in their parking lot, and struck up a conversation with the production manager. Turns out, an uncertified pilot was flying an unregistered drone.

So what do you think the inspector did…confiscate the drone? Issue a fine?

No. Our guys didn’t write them a ticket, or start talking about fines. They sat down with them, and helped register their drone right there in the FAA’s conference room. Walked them through the rules and next steps.

The crew couldn’t believe it. That we wanted to help them get back to filming – the right way – as quickly as possible.

You know…if there’s one thing I want you to take away from this conference, it’s this: the FAA is open for business.

For folks who are committed to doing the right thing… we’re not your adversary. We’re as invested in integrating unmanned aircraft into the system as you are.

Innovation is one of Secretary Chao’s top priorities for the Department of Transportation. And we’re building flexible, responsive regulatory processes that can keep up with all your creativity while ensuring safety isn’t compromised.

We’ve automated how drone operators get permission to fly in controlled airspace.

We’re laying the groundwork for a comprehensive Unmanned Traffic Management System.

We’ve authorized low-risk small drone flights, and created a performance-based waiver and exemption process to allow more advanced operations.

And Secretary Chao recently launched the UAS Integration Pilot Program to let us work with local governments and private industry to figure out how best to expand unmanned operations beyond what’s allowed by current regulations.

That’s a Cabinet-level official who’s leaning in, and saying “Let’s move our efforts into the fast lane.”

The first test under the pilot program happened a few weeks ago in Blacksburg, Virginia. A Project Wing drone delivered a popsicle to a two-year-old boy, just six minutes after the order was placed.

It was historic – the first beyond visual line-of-sight residential drone delivery in the United States.It was the “Mr. Watson, I want to see you” for the 21st century.

But to Little Jack, it was just cool. In his words: “Airplane brought me a Popsicle!”

These are important steps forward – steps that bring drones closer to just being a routine operator in our airspace.

But there are still critical hurdles that need to be cleared before that’s a reality. And they are issues the FAA cannot tackle alone.

Everyone’s interested in drone operations at night and over people. But we need to address the concerns that our national security and law enforcement partners have first.

Chief among them: we – and that’s a collective ‘we,’ not just the FAA – have to be able to identify every drone in the airspace, and who’s operating it. The National Airspace System is no place for hide-and-seek.

This is common sense stuff. No one’s okay with the idea of people driving down the highway without a license in their pocket and a tag on their vehicle. Why should operating a drone be any different?

But right now, the FAA’s hands are tied by a law that says we cannot require remote identification on model aircraft.

This isn’t a sustainable situation. Until we can set remote ID requirements that will be universally applied to every drone… until we can make sure everyone is following the same rules inside the system… full integration just isn’t possible.

Now, Congress knows this is an issue. And I’m hopeful we’ll see a legislative fix soon – maybe even as part of the FAA’s next reauthorization.

As soon as this gets resolved, rest assured: we’re ready to move forward as quickly as possible.

That’s not the only question hanging out there.

How are drones going to interact with each other? And with other users flying in the system?

How can we make sure unmanned aircraft don’t interfere with critical infrastructure? Or emergency response efforts?

Remember “dull, dirty, and dangerous”? Drones shouldn’t be impediments – they should be first responders at events like the California wildfires. That’s what we should be working toward.

I’m not going to stand up here and claim I’ve got the answers. I’m not a tech guy – and the FAA is not a tech company.

Our business is safety. So when we look at an aircraft, we want to know two basic things: Is it reliable? And does it play nicely with others?

That’s it. Don’t fall out of the sky, and don’t crash into other aircraft. It sounds simple. But the execution can be a lot more complex. Especially when it’s an entirely new class of users coming into a system that already includes jumbo jets, helicopters, balloons, rockets, and everything in between.

The fact is, a lot of safety problems require technological solutions. And that means we need buy-in from all of you. The innovators. The inventers. The out-of-the-box thinkers.

Nobody knows how to tackle tough tech challenges better than the folks in this room. That’s what got you here. The advancements being highlighted this week are proof of that.

So here’s my advice: If you share the FAA’s goal of fully integrating drones into our airspace as soon as possible… don’t just make the business case for your products or operations. Start making the safety case, too. They go hand-in-hand.

And don’t be afraid to take on the problems that are bigger than your individual companies. Go after the issues that are affecting the unmanned aircraft community as a whole – and share what you’re doing at events like this one.

I truly believe you’re going to find the most success – more quickly – if you work together.

Some of you are already doing this. And it’s probably the single biggest lesson we’ve learned over the years in aviation.

If a company develops a new safety enhancement, they don’t keep it to themselves. Or use it to sell more aircraft than the other guy. They share it with everybody else.

Over twenty years ago, the FAA actually put together a team specifically designed to share safety information, and then do something with the safety information that’s being shared.  

It’s called CAST – the Commercial Aviation Safety Team. It’s a mix of safety professionals from industry and government – a group of about a thousand that shares data and safety ideas.

In a world where it’s hard enough to get two people to agree on anything, this group is a stark exception to the rule.  

CAST is responsible for implementing about 200 safety enhancements that are largely responsible for commercial aviation’s historic safety record.  

One more thing you need to know about those safety enhancements: they’re voluntary. This industry doesn’t wait for a rule, or a government mandate, or a call to action.

Safety is a race we run together, and CAST wants everyone in the system to finish in a tie for first. And that, I say with a certain amount of awe and not a little bit of pride, is what happens.

That’s why we went over nine years without a single fatality in commercial aviation. Safety is not a table for one.

And all of this is not just for the big guys … the airlines, the manufacturers, who dominate the system.  It’s about general aviation just as well – the private pilots. For them, we formed the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee for the same purpose. 

In October 2016, we launched a similar effort designed just for this community – the Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team. Given the success we’ve seen with CAST, and the growing success we’re seeing with the general aviation community, I have no doubt that, in time, we’ll see more of the same with you.

It sounds strange, maybe even a little weird, but the concept works, and the numbers prove it.  

I know you guard your trade secrets and proprietary technologies, as well you should. We’re not looking for the keys to the cabinet that holds your secret plans.  

But we do want to know about safety mistakes that can end in tragedy.  

That’s the thing about sharing this kind of information: we can’t spot trends if the cards aren’t face up on the table.  

What you think is a fluke – a one in a million, an event that’ll never happen again – might very well be happening on this coast, that one, and at a number of cities in between. But we won’t know that, and you won’t know that, unless you share the information.  

This is the reason for aviation’s unprecedented record. We don’t compete on safety.

That’s the business we’re in. Now it’s your business, too. And I’m really happy to welcome you into the fold.

For the last few years, at events like this, we’ve had a tendency to spend too much time reassuring each other.

Industry tells the FAA what drones are capable of, and that what you’re doing isn’t some kind of fad. And guys like me come here and tell you… We get it. We’re on top of the issue.

I think it’s time to end the therapy sessions.

You’ve proven that unmanned aircraft are here to stay.

And I think – I hope – the FAA has proven that we’re 100 percent committed to making you a regular part of our national airspace.

Look…we’re not strangers anymore. We’re partners. In innovation and safety.

This is more than a work in progress. This is a success story in the making. I am confident of that. And you are giving me all the reasons in the world to keep it that way.

Thank you.

Pillars of Safety

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Good afternoon, everyone. It’s been a few years since I was last here. So this feels like a bit of a homecoming to me.

As you just heard, I know what it’s like to be sitting where you are.

Now I find myself back at the FAA, which is a real honor.

And I’m not sure if many of you know this, but we’re hitting a big milestone this month.

The FAA is turning 60.

And it’s had me reflecting on how far we’ve come – not only as an agency, but as a community.

Aviation didn’t start out as the safest form of transportation in the world. Far from it.

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

But today, we’re the gold standard. Over the last twenty years, commercial aviation fatalities in the U.S. have decreased by 95 percent.

So how’d we do it?

Now, I’m not going to stand up here and claim that everything good that’s happened in aviation safety over the last few decades is thanks to the FAA. It’s just not true.

My colleague from PHMSA, Skip Elliott, said it yesterday: regulation alone can’t achieve the kind of results we demand for aviation.

We’re as safe as we are today because we collaborate. Airlines… pilots… manufacturers… mechanics… and yes, the FAA.

It’s old news to everybody here. ASRS reports, ASAP reports, VDRP, FOQA… This is the culture we came up in. In a lot of ways, it’s all we know.

But every decade or so, this catches the attention of folks who aren’t in the aviation business. And it makes them scratch their heads.

What do you mean, the government is working with the airlines? Aren’t you supposed to be regulating those guys?

And I get it. I get that thought process.

But the relationship that exists between the FAA and the industry it regulates is the driving force behind our unprecedented safety record.

I’m sure some of you have been following the developments in the automated vehicles world. It’s hard not to.

Just about every week, there’s a new story about which company will be first to market. Who’s got the best tech. The safest systems.

We don’t do that in aviation. We don’t compete on safety.

When an incident occurs in the system, it doesn’t just happen to one airline. It happens to all of us. It shakes the public’s confidence in the entire industry.

So we all know safety isn’t just good for business – it’s our only business.

That’s why the FAA and the aviation industry have worked together to create a safety culture that’s built on three key ideas.

The first is voluntary reporting.

In order to keep improving our procedures, we need good data. And the best way to get it is directly from you – the people working and flying in the system.

We’ve set up programs that allow aviation professionals to share critical safety data without fear of punishment. And the information we’ve received has been invaluable.

That leads me to the second pillar of our safety culture: risk management.

Once we’ve collected all of this data, we analyze it and look for trends to emerge. Then we identify areas of risk that can be addressed before incidents occur.

And that’s the third piece of the puzzle: effective mitigation.

Once we find an issue, the question becomes: how do we deal with it?

Inadvertent mistakes can often be traced back to flawed processes or a lack of understanding. In those circumstances, we work with the airlines to develop safety enhancements that will mitigate the risk. Then we monitor the situation to make sure the solution works.

This is the most effective way to allow for an open exchange of information while still ensuring compliance.

Now, this doesn’t mean strong enforcement isn’t still a tool available to the FAA. It absolutely is. Voluntary reporting isn’t some kind of get-out-of-jail-free card.

When we find intentionally reckless behavior, flagrant violations, or simply a refusal to comply with corrective actions, we levy fines and take legal actions. Even revoke a company’s ability to operate.

But that’s extremely rare. In most cases, airlines adopt our safety measures voluntarily. Because everybody operating within the aviation industry shares the same goal: making our system as safe as possible.

And that’s allowed us to build an environment of mutual trust.

Let me give you an example of what this safety culture looks like in action.

Last year, a commercial airline crew landed on a taxiway instead of a runway at an airport without a control tower.

The crew voluntarily reported the incident to the FAA. And since they knew they could speak freely without fear of reprisal, they were comfortable discussing exactly what happened.

Turns out, the only lights they saw were coming from the taxiway.

Thanks to the crew’s report, we found that a flooded electrical box had extinguished the runway lights. And the problem was fixed before another flight crew could make the same mistake.

Voluntary reporting. Risk management. Effective mitigation.

Now, it’s important to note: this system only works if each one of those three prongs is functioning properly. Without any one of them, the whole thing falls apart.

So I think it’s pretty clear: Working with industry doesn’t lower the bar on safety. It’s what allows us to raise it even higher.

We’re going to need these partnerships more than ever if we’re going to tackle the challenges heading our way in the future.

We have entirely new classes of users asking for airspace access. Drones and commercial space vehicles are here – and they’re not going away.

A lot of these companies don’t have experience working in the aviation business. They don’t understand the culture we’ve built, and how important it is.

So it’s incumbent upon us to welcome them into the fold. And to share the lessons we’ve learned. Especially the lessons written in blood.

We also need to make sure we’re ready for the dramatic increase in air traffic we’re going to see in the coming decades.

Last year, IATA forecast that the number of air passengers traveling will nearly double by 2036. That’s 7.8 billion passengers worldwide.

I don’t know how else to say this, but: we’re going to need a lot of pilots to fly those folks around.

Now, I know there’s some skepticism out there about whether there is a real problem with the pilot supply pipeline. But we can see the trends – and they don’t look promising.

In the last ten years, the number of private pilots holding active airmen certificates has decreased by 27 percent. The number of commercial pilots in the same period has decreased by 21 percent.

The military, which used to be one of our best sources for new hires, isn’t turning out as many pilots as it used to.

College aviation programs don’t have enough instructors to teach new students, because they’re taking jobs with the airlines as soon as they log enough time.

Only about 40 percent of commercial airline pilots are under the age of 45. And the huge bubble of B-scale hires in the 80s – of which I am one – will create a tsunami of retirements in the next 5 to 10 years that’s going to further deplete the ranks.

Some of your employers are already starting to take action on this – with in-house training programs and increased salaries.

But this something we all need to pay attention to.

Ensuring an adequate pilot supply doesn’t fall under the FAA’s jurisdiction. But it is our responsibility to ensure the pilots we do have receive the best training, and are held to the highest standards.

We’re not going to compromise on this.

So if there aren’t enough qualified pilots to meet the demand we know is coming, it’s going to reduce the potential growth of the industry – and impact our national economy.

Nobody wants that.

We also can’t assume the way pilots learn and gain experience should remain static. We don’t rest on our laurels. Just like on safety, our work here is never really finished.

We have to look at data. We have to address emerging risks. And we have to consider how advancements in technology should be factored in to how we measure a pilot’s qualifications.

The FAA has been improving our training program standards across all categories for a number of years. And we’re going to continue looking at the tools and options available to us so that America’s pilots remain the best in the world.

But we know this is a shared responsibility.

That’s why the FAA is holding an Aviation Workforce Symposium at Reagan National Airport on September 13^th.

We’re going to be bringing together a wide variety of stakeholders to discuss how we can attract more young people to the aviation industry, improve the quality and efficiency of training, and build better partnerships to support our next generation of pilots and aviation technicians.

Now, I know this is a topic that a lot of people care about. And I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of passionate discussions. I welcome it. This is a conversation we need to have – as a community.

Because the importance of pilot qualifications can’t be overstated.

We all prepare for the worst-case scenario – while praying it never comes. And for most of us, it doesn’t.

But when it does, good training can make the difference between life and death.

Look at what happened with Southwest 1380. If any of us got a situation like that in a simulator, we’d call it a dial-a-disaster.

Catastrophic engine failure, explosive depressurization, passenger medical emergency… But this was real life.

And Captain Shults, First Officer Ellisor, and their crew exemplified grace under pressure. They got that plane back on the ground.

It was a near-perfect application of excellent training by an experienced team. It probably saved a lot of lives. And I can’t thank them enough for their heroism that day.

That’s the real reason for aviation’s safety record. All of you. Our pilots. Our controllers. Our mechanics. Our manufacturers. All professionals.

The United States went more than nine years and two months without a passenger fatality in commercial aviation.

That’s about 90 million flights. And one life lost.

A lot of people look at that record and say, “Wow, that’s incredible.” And it is.

But I also look at it and think: “It’s not good enough.” It can’t be.

Jennifer Riordan. 43 years old. A wife. A mom. On her way back home to her family.

I think about her a lot. I think we all do.

Aviation is the only form of transportation on the planet where the idea of perfection actually seems within reach.

We always have the opportunity to do more. To be better.

We can’t – we won’t – stop reaching.

Thank you.

Out Front on Airline Safety: Two Decades of Continuous Evolution

International Aviation

General Aviation Safety

EAA AirVenture

Remarks As Delivered

Good morning, everyone.

It feels so good to be back at AirVenture.

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

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

And it still does, to be honest.

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

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

Le Bourget is… champagne. And chalets.

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

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

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

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

Twenty or more?

Wow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But here’s the rub.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, speaking of safety…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thankfully, all fourteen people aboard that warbird survived.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’ve got something bigger on my mind.

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

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

But the numbers don’t lie.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But what I can do is pay it forward.

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

Thank you.

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

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

A Shared Language

Thank you, Eric. Good afternoon, everyone.

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

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

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

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

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

The language of safety.

Aviation is the safest form of transportation in the world.

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

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

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

So how’d we get here?

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

We don’t compete on safety.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, we’re looking to go further.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And we continue to build on this work today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What we need now is focus and clarity.

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

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

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

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

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

But that doesn’t mean our work is done.

We can’t get complacent.

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

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

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

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

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

Aviation doesn’t have borders, or boundaries.

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

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

International Aviation Club Luncheon

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you for the invitation to be here today.