IATA Safety Conference -- Keynote Address

Thank you, Mark [Searle]. Good afternoon, everyone. 

It’s good to be back in UAE. I was last here in 2016 for the Global Aerospace Summit. This region continues to be one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for air travel.

Dubai recently unveiled a tribute to the spirit of innovation – the Museum of the Future. I had a chance to see it this morning, and saw stunning displays of what the world might be like 50 years from now – if we see current concepts, technologies, and human skill sets develop further. 
But here’s the thing: The future is happening now. Today. What we once thought only possible in movies and cartoons is coming true. 

And while we are excited about the future, it must be one that shares the high-standard of safety that has come to define aviation today. That’s the challenge of our time: To usher in the next era of aviation safely.  

And the traveling public will expect that high standard of safety – whether they fly to and from Dubai, Mumbai, Miami or anywhere else. 

And we must achieve all of this while building a more sustainable aviation system, and one that can withstand the shocks of pandemics, or new threats, like cyberattacks.

Let me start by discussing ways to ensure safety.

We’ve seen the benefits of Safety Management Systems in driving down safety risk for commercial aviation. Now, the FAA is working on a proposed rule to require charter, commuter and air tour operators, and aircraft manufacturers, to implement SMS. 

SMS has given us significant insight into operations and the ability to spot looming risks. It has also given us mountains of data that hold the keys for us to move from a preventive safety system to a predictive safety system. 

That is our next goal: to become predictive. We’re evolving toward using advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to yield quality, consistent streams of safety data. 

Through these tools, we will more effectively mine the safety data to connect the dots and share risk information with industry stakeholders and international partners.

We are seeing U.S. safety models – like the U.S. Commercial Aviation Safety Team and the Aviation Sharing Information and Analysis System – being implemented around the world. This will enable greater international collaboration through the sharing of safety risk information. We can take the next step by collectively harmonizing our safety analytics and metrics … and working to build a shared risk portfolio.    

And while SMS and data analysis are essential programs to have in place, it’s important to stress that a mature safety culture is what makes these programs successful.

We want to see a Just Culture and a Learning Culture of safety throughout the world – where aviation professionals can openly report unintentional mistakes and safety concerns without fear of punishment.

In a mature safety culture like this, aviation professionals feel empowered to speak up openly and honestly, and are supported for doing that by the entire organization.

This kind of open, supportive culture is essential to address pilot mental health. Our pilots and all aviation professionals should ask for help the moment they begin to experience emotional or mental health challenges. 

They should start treating the underlying problems before they become worse. And we must provide increased support to aviation professionals who ask for help. There should be no stigma, or fears, about coming forward about experiencing mental health challenges. Period.

We must also be proactive and transparent when it comes to mitigating cyber risk in aviation. Cyber threats don’t respect borders on a map and they are continuously in flux. 

The FAA values its participation in ICAO’s work to support aviation cyber resilience, and we’re working with international stakeholders to design the International Aviation Trust Framework. This effort seeks to provide confidence in the integrity of aviation-related digital information and its secure exchange across the global aviation ecosystem.

In all of the areas I’ve discussed, the FAA is eager to expand our safety collaboration and continue sharing best practices with the airlines and other aviation stakeholders.

In fact, we’re developing an ICAO course on aviation system safety … and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority has collaborated closely with us on SMS best practices for the course. We value this partnership and look to build on it.

This kind of collaboration is essential, because this industry is changing rapidly.

And nowhere is that more present than air taxis and eVTOLS. 

We expect to certify the first of these aircraft around the 2024 timeframe, provided safety allows. And we’re looking at how we might align our certification processes and standards globally for AAM aircraft. 

With the kind of growth and innovation we continue to see, and the retirements hastened by the pandemic experience, this industry needs new people, including those with new skill sets.  

Government and industry should continue to work together, and find more creative ways to help build the future workforce, and help them develop the advanced skill sets they’ll need to match the advancements of the industry. 

We’re going to need the best people not just to help us make aviation safer, more efficient, or more innovative, but also to make it more sustainable. Earlier this month, at the ICAO’s 41st Assembly, States adopted a long term, global aspirational goal to achieve net zero emissions for international flight operations by 2050.

This outcome is a tremendous success, and a credit to both the Member States who adopted the goal, and industry who supported it. 

And now we all need to work together to achieve it. 

The Museum of the Future has many exciting ideas, but that’s what they are at the moment. Just ideas. 

Unless, we do the work to make global aviation safer, more secure, sustainable, and resilient, and also recruit a diverse and highly skilled next generation workforce. 

This conference is an opportunity to make progress in these areas. Thank you, and I look forward to working with all of you.

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FAAMA 41st Convention

Hello FAAMA.

I’m honored to speak with you on this, the 41st annual “Gathering of Eagles” Convention. I thank FAAMA and all the FAA managers for the excellent work that you continue to do every day for this agency…and for the flying public. 

While our numbers may be few, we all know that managers can have a tremendous effect on the direction and whether an industry succeeds… or fails. 

Make no mistake, we are at an inflection point in aerospace evolution. We are on the verge of some drastic changes when it comes to automation and innovation. 

We’ve got to evolve and expand the aerospace ecosystem to smoothly welcome all kinds of new entrants—drones, Advanced Air Mobility, commercial space…and new forms of mobility yet to come. 

Think about air taxis—only a handful of years ago the concept seemed like science fiction. But because of a perfect storm of technology, innovation and sensible regulation, we will soon have a new route to the sky for the first generation of clean, electric advanced air mobility vehicles—likely as soon as 2024.

It’s up to us—as managers—to make sure we integrate these innovations into our National Airspace System, and do it safely. Failure is not an option!

It’s also up to us to bring in a diverse new generation of aerospace professionals into the business. 

To ensure the levels of safety the public has come to expect, we can’t afford to have “group think”. There has to be a diversity of thought and opinion, and that means a workforce from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. 

Liz (Barcus), I’m happy that you brought a diversity of thought and opinion to FAAMA as the organization’s first female president, and I wish you the best in future endeavors as you transition out of that role. 

FAAMA is more important than ever. That’s because managers have a starring role, through hiring, employee development and mentoring.

I wouldn’t be where I am now without managers who saw my potential, and mentors, who often helped me simply by setting an example. Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Airlines was one such person, as was David Campbell. David began his career as a mechanic at American Airlines, eventually working his way into senior management. Later he became the CEO of Horizon Airlines. 

Similarly, Peggy Sterling – a Vice President of Safety at American Airlines – joined American Airlines as a flight attendant and worked her way up.

Steve Dickson would also become a mentor both outside and inside the FAA. 

Being a military officer and pilot in the Army taught me a great deal about values and leadership, and I brought all of that over to the civilian world as an airline pilot with American Airlines, and later, a senior manager.

As a pilot, I got to experience the world, but I knew that in becoming a manager, I’d get to change the world. 

Part of my preparation throughout my career was to put my hand in the air as often as I could to volunteer for new challenges. Will Rogers had it right when he said, “You have to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is."

I had a full second career in management when I put my hand up and took on senior safety management roles at Qantas, half a world away, and then at WestJet in Canada. 

But eventually, the clarion call to public service rang out and I came back to the government, first as the head of AVS in January 2022, and a few short months later, as the Acting Administrator.  

I came back because I wanted to give back to a nation that’s given so much to me. And I wanted to give back in the most powerful way—as a manager. 

With everything going on in this industry, there’s never been a more important time for managers to step up, to raise our hands, and to help the FAA succeed. 

The future is bright, and it’s fantastic. And we, as managers, are on the leading edge.

So fasten your seatbelts…. 

Thanks for listening, and have a great convention.

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NBAA Panel with Ed Bolen (NBAA) and Patrick Ky (EASA)

Thank you, Ed (Bolen), and thank you NBAA for inviting me here today. Welcome Patrick (Ky), it’s great to see you again. 

It’s quite extraordinary that we are able to come together from across the world here in Orlando only weeks after a devastating hurricane swept across the state.

The fact that we’re here today speaks to resilience—for the State of Florida and your citizens, for NBAA and all of your members and vendors, and for this industry.

Just hours before Ian came ashore on September 28th, a NOAA P-3 Orion, better known as Kermit, was mapping out the storm’s eye and eyewall. The pilots had to abort the mission early due to the extreme winds and turbulence. According to NOAA, it’s the first time in the history of their program that a hurricane hunting mission had to be abandoned midstream…. That’s how bad it was. 

The FAA’s job was to keep our people and the airspace safe, and that included closing down airport towers and facilities where appropriate and helping first responders by setting up airspace coordination areas, and in some case, TFRs. We also spent a lot of time telling drone hobbyists to stay away, but approved drone operators did—and still are—providing essential surveillance missions in the region.

I know NBAA lent a helping hand through your network of volunteers, and general aviation in general provided much needed support though groups like AERObridge and Operation Airdrop. 

But that’s how we roll in this business. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Aviation makes us all friends when we strive for the same goals—safe and efficient travel that benefits everyone. Oceans can’t separate us—I know Patrick and I agree on this—nor even flight levels to the edge of space. 

Having common goals and bonds is essential as we work to seamlessly integrate the next generation of innovative vehicles into our airspace. 

Evolution in aerospace is fundamental to who we are, and evolution is clearly on display here at NBAA, particularly in the Advanced Air Mobility halls…. Only a handful of years ago these concepts seemed like science fiction. 

But because of a perfect storm of technology, innovation and sensible regulation, we will soon have a new route to the sky with the first generation of electric advanced air mobility vehicles—likely as soon as 2024 here in the U.S.

The roadmap for aerospace evolution is quite basic: We allow innovators to do what they do best—innovate—while we at the FAA create safe certification pathways, not roadblocks. We don’t compromise on safety, because that’s our bottom line. It’s the bottom line for all regulators. 

I’ll end by saying this about the future of aviation and aerospace—fasten your seatbelts. It’s coming, it’s fantastic, and we’re thrilled to be on the leading edge.

Thank you again for the invite, and I look forward to our discussion. 

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