President Biden, Federal Aviation Administration Deliver Historic Investments to Airport in Augusta, Kansas

Bombardier Celebration Remarks

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Thanks, Tonya [Sudduth]. Good afternoon, everyone. It’s a great day for me.

I love getting outside of the Beltway, and seeing the tremendous innovation that’s happening in aerospace all over the country.

As the FAA’s Deputy Administrator, it seems like every day I receive an invitation to see something great – a drone flight, a rocket launch, an air taxi demo, an infrastructure project – the kinds of things that will change the way we live and work. 

That’s what aerospace is all about -- always looking to innovate, to evolve, and to reach greater heights. 

And that is what is happening here today with you making Wichita your U.S. Headquarters for your defense, flight testing, and aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul businesses.  

Despite the setbacks of the pandemic, the aerospace industry is booming. And there’s going to be a lot of job positions to fill. 

We’re going to need new pilots, air traffic controllers, airway safety specialists, aviation maintenance technicians, safety inspectors, drone pilots and engineers.

And that’s just scratching the surface. We’re going to need cybersecurity specialists, data analysts, social media specialists and countless other professionals. 

Aerospace didn’t need all of these kinds of skills one or two decades ago, and certainly not six decades ago when Bill Lear came to Wichita. 

But we do now. So the FAA is helping to build a highly skilled and diverse future workforce for aerospace.

We’re reaching out in an equitable way, so we can attract the best and brightest people from all walks of life. 

When an organization has people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, they can look at things from every angle, make better decisions, innovate at greater rates, and solve problems faster. 

In January, the FAA awarded $10 million in grants to develop the next generation of pilots and aviation maintenance technicians. And we’ll be accepting applications for another round of these grants later this year.  

Also, we have a robust STEM and space education program. Through the FAA’s Adopt-A-School program, we have teamed up with several schools from underserved and underrepresented communities across the country, introducing 4th graders to aerospace topics and concepts.

And we’re reaching out in countless other ways too. 

For me, a high school internship started my career in transportation. For others, maybe it’s an apprenticeship, or a job fair, or the military. 

As an aerospace community, let’s work together – industry, government, non-profits, and academia – and develop creative pathways so that more people can seize career opportunities in this exciting field. 

I’m pleased that Bombardier will be hosting an open house for the U.S. Headquarters here next week so that job applicants can meet with recruiters.

And I look forward to seeing Bombardier build on its innovation here in Wichita in the years ahead.

Thank you!

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FAA Awards $4.4 Million in Drone Research Grants to Seven Universities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced $4.4 million in drone research, education and training grants to seven universities. Research will focus on three areas: electromagnetic compatibility, detect and avoid classifications, and cybersecurity oversight. 

The universities receiving grants are University of North Dakota, University of Kansas, Drexel University, The Ohio State University, Embry-...

FAA Levies Largest Fines Ever Against Two Unruly Passengers

Register for the FAA Drone Symposium

READOUT: Alaska’s 2022 Spring Air Safety Meeting Wednesday, March 30, 2022

WASHINGTON— The FAA held its 2022 Spring Air Safety Meeting in Alaska Wednesday with more than 80 pilots, operators and mechanics in attendance. Participants discussed lessons learned from the 2021 season, and recommendations and reminders ahead of the Spring air tour operation season.

“Like all of our efforts in Alaska, this is truly a collaborative event to hear the good, the bad and the ugly. It doesn’t work without our partners,” said Jacki Holzman, acting regional...

Charlotte-Douglas Tower Dedication Remarks

Remarks as prepared for delivery.

Thank you, Michael [O’Harra]. Good morning!

I’m happy we’ve come together to celebrate this new tower at Charlotte-Douglas airport.

Here we are, nearly 120 years later after that famous first flight in North Carolina. Aviation continues to be an invaluable part of this state, American life and our national economy.

That’s why the FAA is committed to investing in our nation’s aviation infrastructure, including at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

This is one of the busiest airports in the nation. And the new, taller air traffic control tower will allow it to grow in the future.

Rising to a height of 370 feet, Charlotte-Douglas Control Tower is now the second-tallest one in the country.   

It gives air traffic controllers an unobstructed view of the entire airfield, and they have the latest satellite, communications and weather technology.  

We built it with design innovations to withstand shaking in the case of seismic events. And the new tower has dual-fed commercial power and dual-engine generators to limit interruptions to air traffic service during maintenance.

Also, the new tower was designed using the Guiding Principles for High Performance Sustainable Buildings. It has several green features including energy-efficient lighting, heating, cooling, and plumbing. 

So, in addition to providing safe, efficient air traffic service, we’re one step closer to the Administration’s 2050 net-zero emissions goal. 

I want to thank the entire project team – including our engineers and technicians who completed the job from start to finish.

COVID-19 created a big challenge for the construction schedule. 

We had to take special care to minimize health risks to crew members. We had to separate installation teams to complete various aspects of the project.

Despite these challenges, they ensured a safe cutover from the old facility to the new one. 

This is just one example of the kinds of investments we’re making at Charlotte-Douglas.

In fact, next year, we’ll be implementing new software that calculates the best time for aircraft to push back from the gate at busy hub airports, so they can roll right to the runway.

And through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that President Biden signed last year, and through the FAA’s annual grants to airports, we will continue to support aviation infrastructure here in North Carolina.   

Through all of these efforts, we’re taking aviation to greater heights than the Wright Brothers could have envisioned. 

The FAA is committed to making flying more efficient and environmentally sustainable, while ensuring that all safety needs are met. 

Thank you, and now I’d like to introduce the FAA’s Vice President for Air Traffic Services, Jeffrey Vincent. He has a video message for everyone.

FAA Commissions New Air Traffic Control Tower at Charlotte Douglas International Airport