Bubba-J News Feed

The FAA Air Traffic Report provides a reasonable expectation of any daily impacts to normal air traffic operations, i.e. arrival/departure delays, ground stoppages, airport closures. This information is for air traffic operations planning purposes and is reliable as weather forecasts and other factors beyond our ability to control.

Always check with your air carrier for flight-specific delay information.

Today's Air Traffic Report:

Flying conditions are mostly favorable in the Northeast, Midwest and Mountain States today. Low clouds may delay flights in Houston (HOU, IAH), San Francisco (SFO) and Seattle (SEA) this morning, and a military exercise in Florida could affect traffic in the Southeast and over the Atlantic.

For up-to-the-minute air traffic operations information, visit fly.faa.gov, and follow @FAANews on Twitter for the latest news and Air Traffic Alerts.

October 25- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began issuing Part 107 waivers and airspace authorizations to drone operators starting August 29, 2016, the effective date of the new rule. As of October 24, 2016, the agency has approved 81 authorizations for flights in Class D and E airspace, and has issued 36 waivers of Part 107 provisions to drone operators who applied after the rules effective date.

However, the agency has found that many applications have incorrect or incomplete information. Many applicants request too many waivers or request waivers for flights in types of airspace for which the FAA is not yet granting approvals. As a result, the agency has had to reject 71 waiver requests and 854 airspace applications.

Its important for applicants to understand the information needed to make a successful safety case for granting a waiver. Refer to the performance-based standards on our website.

For example, we clearly spell out the information required for a waiver to fly at night one of the most common requests:

• Applicant must provide a method for the remote pilot to maintain visual line of sight during darkness.
• Applicant must provide a method for the remote pilot to see and avoid other aircraft, people on the ground, and ground-based structures and obstacles during darkness.
• Applicant must provide a method by which the remote pilot will be able to continuously know and determine the position, altitude, attitude, and movement of their small unmanned aircraft (sUA).
• Applicant must assure all required persons participating in the sUA operation have knowledge to recognize and overcome visual illusions caused by darkness, and understand physiological conditions which may degrade night vision.
• Applicant must provide a method to increase conspicuity of the sUA to be seen at a distance of 3 statute miles unless a system is in place that can avoid all non-participating aircraft.

The other performance-based standards also list exactly what the FAA needs to consider a waiver. Operators must make waiver requests at: https://www.faa.gov/uas/request_waiver/

Without a detailed description of how the applicant intends to meet these standards, the FAA cant determine if a waiver is possible. Operators should select only the Part 107 regulations that need to be waived for the proposed operation. Applicants also should respond promptly to any request we make for additional information. If the agency does not receive a response after 30 days, it will withdraw the request.

Operators must apply for airspace authorizations on the same web page. The required information is spelled out in the waiver/airspace authorization instructions document.

As the FAA previously announced, operators who want to fly in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace dont need FAA authorization. The agency is currently processing requests to operate in Class D and Class E airport surfaces. We will begin to consider requests for Class C drone flights after October 31 and for Class B airspace after December 5. Applications to fly in those areas before the indicated dates wont be approved.

The Part 107 regulations provide a flexible framework for unmanned aircraft operations. Waivers and airspace authorizations are an important part of making the new rule work as intended. Applicants can help speed the process by making sure they make a solid, detailed safety case for any flights not covered under the small drone rule.

October 24- The Federal Aviation Administration will hold public information briefings this week and next week on upcoming airspace changes in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County.

The changes are part of the Southern California Metroplex project, which will replace dozens of existing conventional air routes with new satellite-based routes. The FAA undertook the project to improve airspace safety and efficiency.

The FAA will implement the project in phases between November 2016 and April 2017. Please note that these public briefings will focus only on changes that are occurring in November 2016. We will conduct additional community outreach in early 2017 for the subsequent implementation phases of the project.

All of the briefings will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The briefings will be open-house format, where people can attend anytime during the three-hour window to learn about the changes. FAA representatives will provide information on the project and be available to answer questions.

Free parking, as well as street parking, will be available at all locations. Spanish interpreters also will be present.

The briefing dates and locations are as follows:

Tuesday, Oct. 25: Griffith Middle School, 4765 E. 4th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90022

Will address routes for LAX and Santa Monica Airport.

Wednesday, Oct. 26: Palms Middle School, 10860 Woodbine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Will address routes for LAX and Santa Monica Airport.

Thursday, Oct. 27: Corky McMillan Conference Center, Main Foyer Room A, 2875 Dewey Road, San Diego, CA 92106

Will address routes for Lindbergh Field, McClellan-Palomar Airport, Brown Field and Navy North Island.

Tuesday, Nov. 1: La Presa Middle School, 1001 Leland Street, Spring Valley, CA 91977

Will address routes for Lindbergh Field, McClellan-Palomar Airport, Brown Field and Navy North Island.

Wednesday, Nov. 2: El Modena High School, 3920 East Spring Street, Orange, CA 92869

Will address routes for John Wayne Airport, Long Beach Airport, Fullerton Municipal Airport, Zamperini Field and Los Alamitos Army Airfield.

To learn more about the project, please visit: http://www.metroplexenvironmental.com/socal_metroplex/socal_introduction.html

October 21- People are captivated by the limitless possibilities the drone industry offers, but with them comes a host of safety challenges, as hundreds of thousands of drones take to the sky. At the Federal Aviation Administration, we realize we cant solve these challenges alone. We need the expertise and collaboration of key industry and government stakeholders.

Enter the Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team (UAST), which held its first meeting October 18-19 in Washington, DC.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced the creation of the UAST at the White House Drone Day on August 2. The group, which includes a wide variety of stakeholders from the drone and aviation industries, as well as the government, will gather and analyze data to enhance safety and operations of drones in the nations airspace.

The UAST is modeled on the highly successful Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) and General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC). CAST and the GAJSC use a data-driven, consensus-based approach to analyze safety data and develop specific interventions that will mitigate the root causes of accidents. Recommendations from both groups have significantly improved traditional aviation safety, and we expect the UAST to do the same for unmanned aircraft.

Although this first meeting was primarily organizational, team participants were enthusiastic about participating on the UAST and advancing the safe integration of UAS into the nations airspace.

The Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are hosting an educational Open House on Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) aircraft procedures on October 27, 2016, at Lindale Middle School, 415 Andover Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

FAA officials are participating in the Open House to listen to concerns from the public about aircraft noise and to provide information about changes to approach and departure flight paths at BWI as part of the agency initiative known as the DC Metroplex project. The DC Metroplex includes BWI, Washington Dulles International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Joint Base Andrews.

The Open House is part of the FAAs ongoing work with the MAA and Howard County officials to address noise concerns in the communities surrounding the airport. The FAA is sensitive to these concerns and is focused on developing ways to mitigate aircraft noise in the congested, complicated airspace over this densely-populated area.

The evening will be structured to allow attendees to drop in at their convenience and talk one-on-one with FAA subject matter experts at workshop stations. These stations will provide information on specific issues including departures on runways 15R and 28, arrivals on runway 33L, and the comprehensive environmental process the FAA is required to follow. Feedback forms will enable residents to express their comments and concerns in writing.

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Thank you, Pete. Its great to be here at ATCA. These conferences are always a great place to catch a broad cross-section of the industry and to see some of the latest technologies being showcased.

But you know, I sometimes wonder about whats NOT being showcased.

In other words, whats still being conceptualized that we might see in the coming years?

What advanced projects are under development that could foster the next set of innovations for aviation?

Im reminded of Lockheed Martin Co.s Skunk Works, which many of you know something about. The Skunk is the companys official advanced project unit that started during World War II.

Or so were told thats when it started. After all, it was pretty secret.

The Skunk Works is where they came up with the designs for famous aircraft such as the U-2, SR-71 Blackbird, and the F-22 Raptor.

Skunk Works engineers were successful because they had the freedom to be creative and to pursue futuristic ideas. Many times, they started a project before the contract was even awarded. There was just a request from the customer, followed by a handshake.

The idea was that with less bureaucratic red tape, they could create an environment where innovation could thrive. And thrive it did!

In fact, in 1943, the Skunk Works designed and produced the first American jet fighter, and it was completed in only 143 days-a week before the deadline.

Today, the term skunk works is a widely used nickname in many sectors of industry.

Like Lockheeds real unit, the term refers to that group within an organization that, to put it simply, is working on a lot of cool stuff-stuff that has the potential to change our lives.

So I wonder what projects are being developed in all of the skunk works-like groups that exist across America, and what well see coming out of them in the future.

If theres one thing Ive learned in this job, its this: the future is a lot closer than most people think it is. Aviation is making technological leaps forward that are making a difference today.

One thing is clear industry is moving at the speed of innovation. We cant afford to move at the traditional speed of government.

And thats not just a call for us at the FAA. Its a call for all of us as an aviation community. Because so much of what the FAA does now is in collaboration with all of you.

Our collective success is a function of how well we can work together, and how nimble and flexible we can be, in this rapidly changing time.

I dont think there is a better example of changing times than what were seeing with drones. Theyre being used in so many industries like filmmaking, agriculture, search and rescue operations, inspections of rail tracks and pipelines, and many others.

The FAAs Small UAS rule went into effect in late August. And within six weeks, about 19,000 people had applications either completed, or in process, for their Remote Pilot Certificate.

And one forecast estimates that there could be as many as 7 million drones sold in the United States by 2020. Thats about 1 million more than the population here in the state of Maryland.

We are only beginning to see some of the ingenious uses of new and miniaturized technologies developed for drones.

Moreover, theyre thinking the product life cycle for drones might be a mere 4-6 months. Thats how fast things are changing.

But this new industry is not without its growing pains.

Safely integrating drones into a system that already includes everything from crop dusters to commercial rockets is a big challenge.

At last years convention, you may remember me talking about the FAAs work to set up a drone registry.

Secretary Foxx had asked us to set it up before Christmas, because we knew a lot of people were going to get drones in their stocking.

We only had two months, which was a pretty ambitious timetable. I heard from a number of people who thought wed made a promise we couldnt keep.

But we got to work. We werent going to let traditional processes or assumptions determine what we were capable of. We had to think outside the box.

We took advice from experts in the aviation and technology industries.

We held daily meetings between employees at every level of the agency. This helped us to improve coordination and troubleshoot issues more efficiently.

We succeeded in getting the drone registry up and running before Christmas. And in the ten months since then, more than 576,000 UAS users have registered. This far exceeds the nearly 320,000 manned aircraft we have registered. And it took us 100 years to reach that number!

The success of the drone registry is a testament to how much can be achieved when government and industry work together.

Now is not the time to get comfortable, because we expect this industry to evolve rapidly. Today, were talking about small-sized UAS operating within the pilots visual line of sight.

In the months and years ahead, well be transitioning to larger UAS, flying over populated areas, and traveling beyond the pilots visual line of sight.

Our goal is that any sized drone can operate safely in virtually every type of airspace. We have to ensure the safety of traditional aircraft, and ensure the safety of people and property on the ground.

Were making several efforts here. Were looking at research being conducted by Assure, the FAAs UAS Center of Excellence, which includes more than 20 universities.

We will also be watching the progress of the FAA-NASA UAS Traffic Management initiative. How can we use emerging technologies to help solve potential airspace conflicts in such a way that the aircraft can predict and avoid a problem long before the operator sees it?

Ill tell a little story on us here.

A few days ago, as part of our agency wide Combined Federal Campaign to raise money from workers for worthwhile charities, the FAAs Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City held an agency fair to highlight some of the things we do at the center.

One of the employees had proposed conducting a recreational drone flight at the center to highlight our UAS work.

Well, the aeronautical center is on the grounds of Will Rogers World Airport, which means its clearly inside the magic five-mile circle.

The employee did everything right to obtain the necessary approvals including earning his Part 107 pilot certificate!

But because of built-in geo-fencing software, the drone wouldnt even leave the ground unless the employee entered a special code from the manufacturer.

Thanks to the industry, this software is on tens of thousands of drones, providing one more defense against an unwanted conflict.

As we move forward, well be working closely with industry experts and stakeholders to mutually solve challenges like this.

Last month, the FAAs Drone Advisory Committee, or DAC, held its first meeting.

The DAC includes representatives from the technology and aviation industries, labor organizations, and state and local governments. It will help us prioritize our unmanned aircraft integration activities, including the development of future regulations and policies.

Now, we didnt start from scratch when we came up with the idea for the DAC. Its closely modeled after our NextGen Advisory Committee another collaboration with industry that has been essential to the FAAs work modernizing our air traffic system.

One thing thats abundantly clear is that you need buy-in from a wide variety of stakeholders if you want to get a big project like NextGen right.

I know Teri Bristol gave you an excellent recap of how we are hitting all of the major milestones with NextGen. What Id like to do is highlight how weve been successful. And its been because of this buy-in.

Let me give you an example.

As many of you know, Data Communications, or Data Comm, is a NextGen technology that allows air traffic controllers and pilots to exchange information using digital data exchange, in addition to voice communications.

When we started working on Data Comm several years ago, one of our first priorities was to engage with stakeholders. We wanted them to see the benefits, and we wanted their input.

Ultimately, pilots and controllers have to want to use it. They have to buy in.

We started off by conducting trials at Newark and Memphis International Airports to test equipment and develop flight deck and tower procedures. And we worked closely with partners like United Airlines, FedEx, and UPS to measure the fuel and time savings Data Comm could provide.

The industry immediately started to see the benefit.

In fact, our airline partners on the NextGen Advisory Committee asked us to make Data Comm a priority so they could take advantage of its capabilities more quickly and in more locations.

And we listened. We initially envisioned rolling it out in three years. But we took what we learned from the trials, and accelerated the plan.

At the start of the year, Data Comm was operational at five airports.

Today, its up and running at 48 air traffic control towers nationwide. The program is two years ahead of schedule.

But NextGen is not without its challenges.

Performance Based Navigation has certainly made flights more efficient, which saves money and reduces pollution. And while the more precise navigation paths expose fewer people to noise, it can potentially concentrate noise on a smaller geographical area directly beneath those flight paths.

As a result, weve seen an increasing level of public debate, political interest, and even litigation.

The FAA has stepped up its public engagement across the United States in response to these trends. Its an effort we believe in. Because we need to make sure that all voices are heard when we are doing something that affects a community.

Truly engaging the community may mean more time spent on a project upfront, but we believe the savings on the back end and our ability to use PBN to make things better for people are well worth it.

To support this effort, we recently named an ATO Community Involvement Manager. Her name is Julie Marks, and she will help us engage with citizens. We want to understand their concerns, so we can consider ways to address them.

For instance, we can try to place flight routes over less populated areas, where possible, or there may be an ability to have a steeper climb that reduces the noise footprint.

Weve talked about what we called the 80% solution.

If we can get an 80% improvement in flight operation efficiency, well take it instead of pushing for a higher percentage of efficiency with a resulting cost of greater noise impact.

But the FAA cant solve this problem alone. All aviation stakeholders, from local airport authorities to the airlines, must take an ownership stake on noise issues.

We have to continue to address these issues, more creatively, more flexibly and more collaboratively than ever before.

We cannot be shackled by past processes that may no longer make sense, or are simply too inefficient to keep up with rapidly changing conditions.

The pace of change is only going to keep accelerating. That means we need to get comfortable with always being a little uncomfortable.

In the skunk works labs of America, great new products are being developed. Things with the potential to change our lives-things that can make aviation even safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

We at the FAA, along with the aviation community, must match their speed. We have to tackle our mission with ingenuity and urgency.

Our ability to do that will determine our success in the 21st century.

Thank you.

Thank you, Pete. Im glad to be here. I have some news to share with all of you. And this might come as a really big surprise.

No one talks about this.

And its never on the news.

But, we have a national election coming up. I know that wasnt on your radar. Its a big shock. But trust me, I looked it up, and its happening on November 8th.

And whether its a race for President, Congress, state, local, PTA, condo association, every campaign is trying to answer the exact same question, How do we get our message out?

Were asking that question at the FAA How do WE get OUR message out, about the progress being made?

Sure, wedo Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, but nothing beats telling you face-to-face. And one of the best places to do it is right here at ATCA.

So today, I want to give you theState of the ATO. And my message is simple: Were making great progress on many fronts.

Were improving NAS performance.

Delivering benefits through NextGen.

And integrating drones and rockets into the airspace system.

Ill talk about each of these three areas. Lets start with improving NAS performance, which includes our efforts to reduce safety risk.

A common analogy in aviation safety is to compare the occurrence of accidents to the holes liningup in a block of Swiss cheese.If we change one factor, the holes dont line up,andthe accident doesnt happen.Were committed to preventing even two holes from lining up.

Our approach can be summed up in three words: Collect, Find, Fix. We collect data from many sources including voluntary safety reports bypilots and controllers, automated data gathering tools, and other sources.

We analyze this data to find potential hazards, by identifying unsafe trends, causal factors and precursors to accidents.

Then we fix the problems by implementing corrective actions that are measured and monitored to ensure effectiveness.

One of the best ways we employ Collect, Find, Fix is our Top 5 Hazard list. This past fiscal year, we developed 26 corrective actions to address potential risks associated with helicopter operations, visual scanning by controllers, and access to weather information for controllers, along with two potential hazards associated with wake turbulence.

For Fiscal Year 2017, were tackling potential hazards involving: close encounters between IFR and VFR aircraft, NOTAM issuance and cancellation, NOTAM prioritization and filtering, runway flyovers, and aircraft landing on the wrong runway or taxiway, or at the wrong airport.

This is the sixth year that were using the Top 5 Hazard approach. Each year, we refine our data collection and analysis. And each year, we gain new insights.

With regard to runway safety, were implementing the corrective action plans developed from last years Call to Action with the aviation community. Many of you may have participated in that event. These corrective actions including things like:

• Enhancing the information provided to pilots and vehicle operators about surface construction projects.
• Providing better guidance, training and alert technology for vehicle drivers.
• And were exploring voice recognition technology that would give an immediate warning to a controller if they instructed a pilot to proceed onto a closed runway.

These proactive investments safety data collection, analysis, collaboration with stakeholders are all yielding bigdividends. Were making our outstandingly safe aviation system, even safer!

Were also using data to make the NAS more efficient. Two months ago, we started a nationwide initiative called PERTI. It stands for: Plan, Execute, Review, Train and Improve.

Through PERTI, were looking at how NAS resources, processes and systems are managed and how they can be improved.

You could think of it like football. Teams put together a game plan several days before the game.

Then they execute the plan on game day.

Then on Monday morning, they look at the tape to see how well it worked and what couldve been done differently.

PERTI is like that for the NAS. We want to move our daily air traffic planning up a few days. This gives our customers more lead time so they can better manager their resources.

Then after we execute the plan on a given day, we will assess how it worked, and determine its impact and what, if anything, could have been done differently. Once reviewed, the plan is documented and used to train our workforce, so that we can make improvements in the future.

Earlier this year, we tested elements of PERTI at the three major airports in the New York area (Newark, Kennedy, LaGuardia). We found fewer operational disruptions, and we received positive feedback from stakeholders. Now that PERTIs implemented NAS-wide, we look forward to seeing greater improvements.

But we want to go beyond the NAS. After all, benefits shouldnt stop when you get to an airspace boundary.

Weve been working with our Caribbean partners to improve air traffic performance in that region. We expect traffic to grow between 5-8% in this region in the coming years.

More specifically, we want to develop ways for the regional air traffic service providers to more efficiently exchange air traffic data and establish more common situational awareness. We think it can be especially beneficial for an area like the Caribbean with multiple States in close proximity and multiple Flight Information Regions.

In support of this effort, the FAA and CANSO have established a joint Air Traffic Flow Management Data Exchange Network for the Americas. Its called CADENA, which fittingly, means chain in Spanish. The Caribbean is a chain of islands, and were also trying to link up more effectively, so the acronym works on two levels.

As part of this work, were planning to stand up a recurring operations conference call for the Caribbean region by the end of the year.

This will allow regional air traffic providers to engage in collaborative decision making so we can better balance air traffic demand with capacity. As things move forward, we will incorporate the airlines and other airspace users to the call.

So as we take steps to improve daily NAS performance, were also on track to meet the major NextGen air traffic management objectives by 2025.

I talked earlier about the importance of getting our message out because if you listen to some of our critics, you might not think were making progress.

But lets look at the facts.

We recently celebrated the completion of automation upgrades at our 11 largest TRACONs. This was done on time, within budget, and in collaboration with labor and industry. This effort builds on the successful completion of the En Route Automation Modernization last year. And these upgrades will serve as NextGens core foundation for decades to come.

Today, we can tell with a greatdegree of accuracy the current location of an aircraft. But when NextGen is fully implemented, well be able to tell with pinpointaccuracy where that aircraft will be at any point in time along its flight. This time-based system will have a tremendous impact on our ability to manage traffic efficiently.

I look forward to that. But in the near-term, were working hard to deliver NextGen benefits. Were doing it by working closely with industry, through the FAAs NextGen Advisory Committee. Together, we crafted the NextGen Priorities Joint Implementation Plan to make near-term progress in four key areas.

Ill discuss each area in a moment, but let me say that this process has served us well. To date, weve completed 103 planned commitments and weve just extended the plan through 2019.

These are not in rank order. But the first NextGen priority I want to discuss has to do with increasing the use of Performance-Based Navigation, which is a key part of the FAAs Metroplex initiative to reduce congestion in busy metro areas.

We have 11 active or completed Metroplex initiatives across the country.

Were in the process of publishing PBN procedures in Charlotte and Atlanta.

And we recently published our PBN NAS Navigation strategy, a 15-year plan to transition to PBN as the primary means of navigation in the United States.

A second NextGen priority is to improve operations on the airport surface. Weve established agreements with air carriers to receive 11 surface data elements from them. One of these elements is Earliest Off Block Time, or EOBT, which helps us to update our departure times so we can better model system demand and make surface operations more efficient.

These efforts will be leveraged into our Terminal Flight Data Manager, or TFDM, program. TFDM will allow airspace users to share up-to-date automated information such as a flights readiness to depart and taxi information for each aircraft. With this tool, controllers can better manage the efficiency of departure queues and decrease the time the aircraft spends waiting to taxi. In 2019, we plan to start deploying TFDM at airports around the country.

A third near-term NextGen priority is to make multiple runway operations more efficient. As part of this effort, weve now safely reduced wake separation standards at 27 airports around the nation.

For instance, at Memphis Airport, FedEx is getting a 17 percent capacity gain, a three-minute reduction in taxi-out time, and a 2.5-minute reduction in approach time. Theyre saving more than 10 million gallons of jet fuel and theyve reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100,000 metric tons. To put it differently, FedEx has stated theyre getting 14 days of flying for free.

Finally, a fourth priority is Data Communications. Weve now deployed Data Communications departure clearance service at 48control towers, and were 24months ahead of schedule. More than 13,000 air traffic operations per week benefit from this capability.

Were on track to have Data Comm operational at more than 50 airports in 2016, and in 2019, well start to deploy Data Comm in our en route centers.

Were very encouraged by the way industry has equipped for Data Comm. In fact, JetBlue told us their equipping their fleet with Data Comm. And they told us why theyre doing it. They said they saw the progress the FAA was making. And they could see the benefits they would accrue over time.

We estimate that Data Comm will save operators more than $10 billion over the next 30 years along with saving the FAA about $1 billion.

Operators are also equipping with ADS-B, as required by the FAAs 2020 mandate. The airlines have shared plans to equip 90% of the air carrier fleet.

And last month, we launched a financial incentive for general aviation aircraft owners to equip early, and weve have had a strong initial response.

As you can see with NextGen

The ground systems are being putting in place.

The cockpit systems are being put in place.

And when all planned NextGen improvements are made, we estimate more than $160 billion in benefits including savings in time, fuel,and crew and maintenance costs,as well as fewer emissions and increased safety.

As we look forward to realizing these benefits, we know that risks can come from introducing these new innovations into the NAS. Along with safety risk management, were taking proactive steps to ensure cyber security.

We just stood up a new NAS Cybersecurity organization. In addition, were working with the FAAs NextGen office to develop an enterprise level threat model to identify and assess the risk of potential cyber threats.

Day by day, NextGen is revolutionizing the airspace system.

But we have another big effort going on now drones and rockets.

On August 29, the FAAs small UAS rule went into effect. It allows drones weighing less than 55 pounds to fly up to 400 feet above ground level in uncontrolled airspace, and in controlled airspace with the FAAs permission.

Throughout the fall, we will be phasing in authorizations of drone use for each airspace class.

And were developing a series of metrics to collect data on authorization requests, enabling us to measure and fine tune the process as we move forward.

And just like with NextGen, we value the input and collaboration of our stakeholders. Were working with the FAAs Drone Advisory Committee or DAC. Its a 35-member group representing the interests of industry, labor, and academia. The DAC will help us prioritize and address the key issues affecting the integration of UAS into the airspace system.

Were also working with industry and other federal agencies on what we call Counter UAS, an effort to detect unauthorized drone operations near airports and in unauthorized airspace. We have to determine the roles and responsibilities regarding use of these technologies in airport and air traffic operations. Weve already tested some of these technologies at JFK and Atlantic City airports, and were planning to conduct a pilot program at two major airports by next summer.

Its important that the ATO be fully engaged in these efforts. Ultimately, air traffic controllers will be addressing the impact of UAS on manned aircraft operations in the NAS. We must make sure our controllers get the training and tools they need.

Were also working to safely integrate commercial space operations into our airspace. Today, were talking about two or three dozen launches a year. But within several years, we could see multiple launches per day.

Currently, we accommodate these operations by blocking off airspace. As they increase, well have to move from accommodation to integration, meaning that we take into account the needs of all airspace users just as we are doing with unmanned aircraft.

In November, the FAA expects to complete our Commercial Space Integration Roadmap that will define changes in airspace usage policy, regulation, procedures and automation capabilities, and determine the schedule by which these changes will be made.

The FAA is prototyping a technology called the Space Data Integrator, or SDI. We believe this tool will help us determine how much airspace we have to block off in advance to ensure a safe operation, and how we can more efficiently release the blocked airspace so its available for other users.

Before I close, let me touch on funding. The FAAs funding has been extended until this December 9th. And Congress extended our authorization until September of 2017. Were still concerned that it doesnt provide us with the long term stability we need to effectively manage and implement our modernization efforts and other key initiatives.

But while we wait to see what comes next, let me say that Im very proud of the work we do.

Today, were moving about 50,000 flights.

Were providing services for more than 2 million passengers.

We seamlessly manage civilian and military aircraft.

Were controlling air traffic over 31 million square miles of airspace over big cities, over vast oceans, and through all kinds of weather.

Were doing it safely. Were doing it efficiently. And tomorrow, well do it all over again.

Im looking forward to being here all afternoon, seeing the exhibits and talking with many of you.

The FAA and General Aviation (GA) groups #FlySafe national safety campaign aims to educate the GA community about best practices in calculating and predicting aircraft performance, and operating within established aircraft limitations.

Establishing a Just Safety Culture

In 2015, the FAA introduced a Compliance Philosophy that embraces self-disclosure of errors. A just culture allows for due consideration of honest mistakes. But, even unintentional errors can have a serious impact on safety, so we ensure that the underlying safety concern is always addressed.

Our goal is to identify safety issues and correct them as effectively, quickly and efficiently as possible. Our view of compliance stresses a problem-solving approach, which includes root-cause analysis, transparency and information exchange. The goal is to improve the safety performance of all involved.

Compliance Action

The FAAs compliance philosophy emphasizes Compliance Action where appropriate. Compliance Action is the FAAs method for correcting unintentional deviations that come from flawed systems and procedures, simple mistakes, lack of understanding or diminished skills. The FAA believes that these types of deviations are best corrected through root cause analysis and training, education or other appropriate improvements to procedures or training programs. Examples of Compliance Actions include on-the-spot corrections, counseling, and additional training (including remedial training).

A Compliance Action is not a finding of violation. Rather, it is an open and transparent exchange of safety information between you and the FAA. Its only purpose is to restore compliance and correct the underlying causes that led to the deviation.

Generally, if you are qualified, as well as willing and able to cooperate, the FAA will resolve the issue with compliance tools, techniques, concepts and programs. However, an airman who indicates that he or she is unwilling or unable to comply, or shows evidence of intentional deviation, reckless or criminal behavior, or other significant safety risk would be ineligible for Compliance Action.

Compliance and Enforcement

The FAA expects compliance. Our approach to oversight does not mean that were going to go easy on compliance. The FAA will continue to use enforcement action when needed. The FAA will maintain strict accountability for inappropriate risk-taking behaviors, and will have zero tolerance for intentional or reckless behavior.

However, the FAA will not use enforcement as the first tool in the toolbox. In all cases, the goal of the FAA Compliance Philosophy is to achieve rapid compliance, to eliminate a safety risk or deviation, and to ensure positive and permanent change.

Information Sharing

The goal of the compliance philosophy is to create an open, problem-solving approach to allow safety problems to be understood through proactive exchange of information and effective compliance. Through increased sharing of safety data, we can better identify emerging hazards and predict aviation risks, including many of those that may contribute or directly lead to a loss of control situation.

The FAA may use the information collected to support collaborative government and industry initiatives, build courses on FAASafety.gov, and support training that other safety organizations provide. The agency may also promote information via safety forums and online or printed articles. This exchange is crucial to adequately identify and address the hazards and risk in our activities.

Voluntary safety efforts such as the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST),General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC), Aviation Safety Information and Sharing (ASIAS), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), and Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) have demonstrated the benefits of this non-punitive, problem solving, collaborative approach to solving safety problems. In fact, the FAA and industry are now beginning the work of the Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team.

Anyone can report a safety-related concern to Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) through the Electronic Report Submission page or by downloading, printing and submitting a report via U.S. Mail.

Risk-Based Decision Making

The Compliance Philosophy is part of the FAAs Risk-Based Decision Making initiative, and uses consistent data-informed approaches to enable the FAA to make smarter, risk-based decisions. This engaged, solution-oriented, outcome-based approach reduces risk in the National Airspace System. It has helped industry and the FAA produce technological advances, training initiatives, and messaging designed to reduce accidents resulting from losing control of an aircraft.

Working Together

The FAA wants to work with you to identify and fix the root causes of a deviation. In all cases, we investigate the matter with public safety in mind. Working together, we have achieved a safety record that is unmatched. We must continue to set the gold standard when it comes to safety.

What is Loss of Control?

A Loss of Control (LOC) accident involves an unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight. LOC can happen because the aircraft enters a flight regime that is outside its normal flight envelope and may quickly develop into a stall or spin. It can introduce an element of surprise for the pilot.

Contributing factors may include:

• Poor judgment or aeronautical decision making
• Failure to recognize an aerodynamic stall or spin and execute corrective action
• Intentional failure to comply with regulations
• Failure to maintain airspeed
• Failure to follow procedure
• Pilot inexperience and proficiency
• Use of prohibited prescription or over-the-counter drugs, illegal drugs, or alcohol

Message from FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta:

The FAA and industry are working together to prevent Loss of Control accidents and save lives. You can help make a difference by joining our Fly Safe campaign. Each month on FAA.gov, were providing pilots with a Loss of Control solution developed by a team of experts. They have studied the data and developed solutions some of which are already reducing risk. We hope you will join us in this effort and spread the word. Follow #FlySafe on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. I know that we can reduce these accidents by working together as a community.

Did you know?

Last year, 384 people died in 238 general aviation accidents.

• Loss of Control is the number one cause of these accidents.
• Loss of Control happens in all phases of flight.It can happen anywhere, and at any time.
• There is one fatal accident involving LOC every four days.

Learn more:

Compliance Philosophy News and Update, October 6, 2015.

Another First in Our Safety Evolution, speech by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, October 6, 2015.

FAA Order 8000.373 provides the background and requirements for this philosophy.

This overview summarizes the Order and its philosophy.

A handy brochure is available for quick reference.

Learn more about Compliance Philosophy in the January/February, 2016 issue of FAA Safety Briefing.

The FAASafety.gov website has Notices, FAAST Blasts, online courses, webinars and more on key general aviation safety topics.

Check out the 2016 GA Safety Enhancements (SEs) fact sheets on the main FAA Safety Briefing website, including Flight Risk Assessment Tools.

The WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program helps pilots build an educational curriculum suitable for their unique flight requirements. It is based on the premise that pilots who maintain currency and proficiency in the basics of flight will enjoy a safer and more stress-free flying experience.

The General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) is comprised of government and industry experts who work together to use data to identify risk, pinpoint trends through root cause analysis, and develop safety strategies to reduce the risk of accidents in GA.

An FAA fact sheet outlines GA safety improvements and initiatives.

The GAJSC combines the expertise of many key decision makers across different parts of the FAA, several government agencies, and stakeholder groups. The other federal agencies are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which participates as an observer. Industry participants include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, National Business Aviation Association, National Air Transportation Association, National Association of Flight Instructors, Society of Aviation and Flight Educators, and the aviation insurance industry. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also participates as an observer.

October 14- WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), today announced it is issuing an emergency order to ban all Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States. Individuals who own or possess a Samsung Galaxy Note7 device may not transport the device on their person, in carry-on baggage, or in checked baggage on flights to, from, or within the United States. This prohibition includes all Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices. The phones also cannot be shipped as air cargo. The ban will be effective on Saturday, October 15, 2016, at noon ET.

• DOT Press Release
• Emergency Order

In response to an October 10, 2016 statement from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and following a recent decision by Samsung to suspend global sales and exchanges of all Galaxy Note7 devices, the Federal Aviation Administration urges passengers onboard aircraft to power down, and not use, charge, or stow in checked baggage, any Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices, including recalled and replacement devices.

For more information, please read theSafety Alert for Operators, Air Transport Restrictions for Recalled Lithium Batteries and Lithium Battery Powered Devices issued Sept. 16, 2016.

October 7- BOSTON The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced preliminary results of months of collaboration to develop test projects designed to help address the concentration of noise that some residents face because of adjustments to aircraft flight procedures.

The two agencies today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to frame the process for analyzing opportunities to address noise concerns through changes or adjustments to Performance Based Navigation (PBN). PBN has a number of potential benefits, including reduced fuel burn and emissions.

Over the last several years, the implementation of the new Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures including Area Navigation, or RNAV has resulted in flights becoming more concentrated because of the more precise nature of the navigation. This has generated community concerns about persistent noise in specific locations. Previously, flights were more spread out because planes were using less precise navigation systems. Massport has proposed several ideas for a test program with the FAA to better understand the implications of the flight concentrations and to study possible strategies to address the neighborhood concerns. After an initial review, the FAA has agreed that the ideas merit further study.

This innovative agreement between the FAA and Massport includes analyzing the feasibility of adjustments to some RNAV approaches and departures from Boston Logan International Airport.

Members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation endorsed the MOU at a signing ceremony in Boston today.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed to enhance the professional development of U.S. air carrier pilots to make certain that they adhere to standard procedures and prevent behavior which could lead to pilot errors. The rule would require leadership and command training, and mentoring training for pilots-in-command. It would also require each air carrier to establish a committee to develop, administer, and oversee formal pilot mentoring programs.

Pilots have an enormous responsibility for the safety of their passengers and crew, said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. We have some of the best pilots in the world and should take full advantage of our pilots wealth of experience to raise professional standards and cockpit discipline.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would provide newly hired pilots with an opportunity to observe and become familiar with flight operations procedures before serving as part of a flightcrew. The FAA would require air carriers to revise the curriculum for pilots seeking to upgrade to pilot-in-command. Air carriers would also provide leadership and command, and mentoring training for all pilots-in-command. Air carriers would establish Pilot Professional Development Committees to develop, administer, and oversee formal pilot mentoring programs. A committee would consist of at least one manager and one pilot and would meet on a regular basis.

Following the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident, air carriers and unions responded to the FAAs Call to Action and pledged support for professional standards and ethics committees, a code of ethics, and safety risk management meetings. Todays proposal responds to the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010, which directed the FAA to issue a regulation to address professional development, leadership, and mentoring of air carrier pilots. It also responds to National Transportation Safety Board recommendations on pilot professionalism, leadership, and adherence to the sterile cockpit rule. The sterile cockpit rule prohibits pilots from engaging in any activity during a critical phase of flight which could distract or interfere with his or her duties.

The proposed rule incorporates the work of the Flight Crewmember Mentoring, Leadership, and Professional Development Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), the Flightcrew Member Training Hours Requirement Review ARC, and the Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training ARC. All three ARCs were comprised of labor, industry, and FAA experts who provided recommendations to the FAA. The FAA also analyzed recent changes to pilot certification and qualifications to serve as an air carrier pilot-in-command.

The comment period will close 90 days after publication in the Federal Register.

September 30- As winter approaches, U.S. airports, airline flight crews, dispatchers, general aviation pilots, air traffic controllers, and manufacturers will begin using new Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) methods to improve safety at U.S. airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a TALPA website with key information the aviation community needs to know to prepare for the TALPA changes, which will be effective tomorrow, October 1. FAA guidance, notices, alerts, videos, and frequently asked questions will help the aviation community reduce the risk of runway overrun accidents and incidents due to runway contamination caused by weather and other factors.

The FAA developed the standards based on the work of the TALPA Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). As a result of the committees work, the FAA has developed a revised method for airports and air traffic controllers to communicate actual runway conditions to the pilots in terms that directly relate to the way a particular aircraft is expected to perform. The TALPA initiative improves the way the aviation community assesses runway conditions, based on contaminant type and depth, which provides an aircraft operator with effective information to anticipate airplane braking performance.

Airport operators will use the new Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM) to assess runway conditions, and pilots will use it to interpret reported runway conditions. The RCAM is presented in a standardized format, based on airplane performance data supplied by airplane manufacturers, for each of the stated contaminant types and depths. The RCAM replaces subjective judgments of runway conditions with objective assessments tied directly to contaminant type and depth categories.

The pilot or dispatcher will then consult the aircraft manufacturer data to determine what type of stopping performance to expect from the specific airplane they are operating.

The airport operator will assess surfaces, report contaminants that are present, and input the information into the Federal NOTAM System in order to generate the numerical Runway Condition Codes (RwyCC) based on the RCAM. The RwyCCs may vary for each third of the runway if different contaminants are present. However, the same RwyCC may be applied when a uniform coverage of contaminants exists. RwyCCs will replace Mu values, which will no longer be published in the Federal NOTAM System.

Pilot braking action reports will continue to be used to assess braking performance. Beginning October 1, the terminology Fair will be replaced by Medium. It will no longer be acceptable for an airport to report a NIL (none) braking action condition. NIL conditions on any surface require the closure of that surface. These surfaces will not be opened until the airport operator is satisfied that the NIL braking condition no longer exists.

September 27 The revolutionary NextGen technology called Data Communications (Data Comm) is now operational at Washington Dulles International Airport.

There is tremendous benefit in this change in the way pilots and air traffic controllers communicate, said Jim Eck, Assistant Administrator for NextGen. Data Comm will allow passengers to get off the tarmac, into the air and to their destinations more quickly. Airlines will be able to stay on schedule and packages will be delivered on time.

The media saw Data Comm in action today during a tour of the Dulles air traffic control tower, a UPS Boeing 767 and a United Airlines Boeing 777. The FAA demonstrated how the NextGen technology enhances safety and reduces delays by providing text-based messaging capabilities between air traffic controllers and pilots.

Representatives from the FAA, UPS, United Airlines, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists were on hand to give their perspective on a technology that is revolutionizing critical communications, beginning with departure clearance services at 56 airports before expanding to enroute airspace.

Leveraging equipment already installed on many aircraft, air traffic controllers and pilots are sending and receiving important flight information using digital text-based messages. At towers with Data Comm such as Dulles, controllers enter flight departure clearance instructions into a computer and push a button to electronically send the information to an aircrafts flight deck. Flight crews view the information, press a button to confirm receipt, and press another button to enter the instructions into the aircrafts flight management system.

Time savings is another major benefit. For instance, when pilots read back a series of complicated waypoints in a clearance with even one mistake called a readback/hearback error they must repeat the instructions until they are correct. A departure clearance using voice communications can take two to three times longer than one via Data Comm and even longer as traffic increases. With Data Comm, transmissions are quickly sent and received electronically to help avoid delays. This benefit becomes even more pronounced during bad weather, when Data Comm enables equipped aircraft to take off before an approaching thunderstorm closes the departure window while aircraft relying solely on voice communications remain stuck on the ground waiting for the storm to pass.

Data Comm is expected to save operators more than $10 billion over the 30-year life cycle of the program and the FAAabout $1 billion in future operating costs.

The first Data Comm-equipped airports Salt Lake City and Houstons George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby received tower departure clearance services eight months ahead of schedule in August 2015. TheFAAand its industry partners are on target to deliver Data Comm to 56 airport towers by the end of the year.

Data Comm is operational at these airport towers:

Albuquerque
Atlanta
Austin
Baltimore
Boston
Burbank
Charlotte
Cleveland
Denver
Detroit
Fort Lauderdale
Houston Bush
Houston Hobby
Indianapolis
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Nashville
Newark
New Orleans
New York John F. Kennedy
New York LaGuardia
Oakland
Ontario
Orlando
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland
Sacramento
Salt Lake City
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Santa Ana
Seattle
Tampa
Teterboro
Washington Dulles
Washington Reagan
Westchester County
Windsor Locks (Bradley)

September 27- The FAA and General Aviation (GA) groups #FlySafe national safety campaign aims to educate the GA community on best practices for calculating and predicting aircraft performance, and operating within established aircraft limitations. Impairment may cause a pilot to exceed these limitations and lose control of the aircraft.

Are You an Impaired Pilot?
Of course not, you may say. But, impairment doesnt just cover illegal drugs and alcohol. Fatigue and over-the-counter or prescription drugs can lead to impairment, too.

• Have you flown tired, because youre eager to get home, thinking youll rest later?
• Have you had a drink at dinner, and thought you were fine to fly home?
• How about your cold medicine? Did you know it can cause impairment too?

Its important to know the risk of taking risks with your safety and the safety of those who fly with you.

Fit to fly means free of ANY impairment, including drugs, alcohol, or fatigue.

What Do the Regs Say?
The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) require full fitness for flight. You must be well-rested and free of distraction, and you must be free of drugs and alcohol.

Eight hours bottle to throttle is a minimum. Do not fly if you feel a little bit off. The FAA does not hesitate to act aggressively when pilots violate the alcohol and drug provisions of the FARs.

Fatal Results

• According to the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, between 6 and 14 percent of pilot fatalities are alcohol related. The FAA calculated those statistics by analyzing blood and tissue samples from pilots who have died in aviation accidents.
• Further analysis of pilots who died in an accident shows some used prescription drugs such as common sleep aids and cold remedies, without realizing that these drugs could make them unfit to fly.
• A number of studies have found that a pilots performance can be impaired by only a few drinks, even after the pilots blood alcohol content (BAC) has returned to zero. In fact, these lingering effects can be detected up to 48 hours after consumption, and they can leave you at increased susceptibility to spatial disorientation, hypoxia, and other problems.

Do You Need Help?
The Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) is a recovery program for pilots that major airlines and pilot unions support. More than 5,500 pilots have undergone treatment for alcohol use or dependency since 1975 and have been returned to the cockpit. Most pilots enter the program through self-disclosure.

General aviation pilots may not have access to HIMS, but there are a number of effective community programs available. Please work with your personal physician to identify what type of treatment would be good for you. Self-help groups such as Rational Recovery and Alcoholics Anonymous can be a critical source of support and treatment.

It may be hard to admit that you need help, but you can recover. Find treatment, stick with it, and dont fly until you are safe to be in the cockpit.

And Finally

• Let your aviation medical examiner know every medication you take on a regular basis.
• Make sure anyone prescribing medication for you knows that you are a pilot.
• DO NOT FLY if you are feeling sleepy, out of it or jittery.
• DO NOT FLY if you are using illegal drugs.
• DO NOT FLY if you have recently consumed alcohol.
• GET HELP for drug or alcohol abuse.

Make sure you are fully fit to fly so you and your passengers reach your destination safely.

What is Loss of Control?
A Loss of Control (LOC) accident involves an unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight. LOC can happen because the aircraft enters a flight regime that is outside its normal flight envelope and may quickly develop into a stall or spin. It can introduce an element of surprise for the pilot.

Contributing factors may include:

• Poor judgment/aeronautical decision making
• Failure to recognize an aerodynamic stall or spin and execute corrective action
• Intentional failure to comply with regulations
• Failure to maintain airspeed
• Failure to follow procedure
• Pilot inexperience and proficiency
• Use of prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal drugs or alcohol

Message from FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta:
The FAA and industry are working together to prevent Loss of Control accidents and save lives. You can help make a difference by joining our Fly Safe campaign. Each month on FAA.gov, were providing pilots with a Loss of Control solution developed by a team of experts. They have studied the data and developed solutions some of which are already reducing risk. We hope you will join us in this effort and spread the word. Follow #FlySafe on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. I know that we can reduce these accidents by working together as a community.

Did you know?

Last year, 384 people died in 238 general aviation accidents.

• Loss of Control is the number one cause of these accidents.
• Loss of Control happens in all phases of flight.It can happen anywhere, and at any time.
• There is one fatal accident involving LOC every four days.

Learn more
Learn more about the FAAs Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. It is designed to keep all of us safe.

Help is available. Please dont hesitate to reach out. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and Rational Recovery are two valuable resources that are available in many communities.

The HIMS program is specific to commercial pilots, but its website has good information on the signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse.

The NTSB has published a Safety Alert about the dangers of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

The FAASafety.gov website has Notices, FAAST Blasts, online courses, webinars and more on key general aviation safety topics.

Check out the 2016 GA Safety Enhancements (SEs) fact sheets on the main FAA Safety Briefing website, including Flight Risk Assessment Tools.

The WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program helps pilots build an educational curriculum suitable for their unique flight requirements. It is based on the premise that pilots who maintain currency and proficiency in the basics of flight will enjoy a safer and more stress-free flying experience.

The General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) is comprised of government and industry experts who work together to use data to identify risk, pinpoint trends through root cause analysis, and develop safety strategies to reduce the risk of accidents in GA.

An FAA fact sheet outlines GA safety improvements and initiatives.

The GAJSC combines the expertise of many key decision makers across different parts of the FAA, several government agencies, and stakeholder groups. The other federal agencies are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which participates as an observer. Industry participants include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, National Business Aviation Association, National Air Transportation Association, National Association of Flight Instructors, Society of Aviation and Flight Educators, and the aviation insurance industry. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also participates as an observer.

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for having me.

Its always a pleasure to be back at the Aero Club of Washington.

This was one of my first stops after getting confirmed as FAA Administrator in 2013. In fact, I was sworn in here. And I get the same feeling today as I did then.

Its an honor to address a forum that has hosted so many of the giants from our nations rich aviation history.

Late last month, we lost one of those giants.

Joe Sutter, the Father of the Boeing 747 and a recipient of the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, passed away at the age of 95.

Joe was an inspiration and mentor for three generations of engineers.

Although he was officially retired, he maintained an office at Boeing and frequently met with potential customers. Nobody knew more about his airplane than Joe.

With its wide body and distinctive upper deck, the 747 is one of the worlds most recognizable aircraft. But that almost wasnt the case.

When the 747 first came out in 1968, Boeing anticipated selling no more than 400 planes. It was supposed to be a stopgap aircraft that would soon be eclipsed by supersonic transport.

Obviously that didnt happen.

Joe and his colleagues at Boeing learned a valuable lesson thats just as true today as it was then: when it comes to aviation, our world is constantly changing. The winners are those who adapt.

Some of this change is cause for celebration. Thanks to the work weve done in conjunction with industry, flying in the United States is safer than its ever been.

Weve all but eliminated the traditional causes of commercial airline accidents.

The low-hanging fruit is gone but that doesnt mean our job is done.

Now more than ever, aviation is an international and interconnected industry. When an airplane crashes, our entire community feels it. These tragedies dont just happen in one country, or to one airline. They happen to all of us, and we share collectively in the loss.

How do we prevent these incidents from occurring? How do we improve our processes and procedures? How do we make the worlds safest form of transportation even safer?

When you get down to it, thats the true underlying product of our worldwide industry: safety.

And if were going to continue raising the bar on safety, we have to get creative.

Creativity has always kept aviation moving forward pushing the boundaries of whats possible.

The same spirit that inspired Wilbur Wright to fill notebook after notebook with drawings of birds drove the imaginations of modern-day engineers to design the GE9X a jet engine wider than the fuselage of a Boeing 737.

So how does an industry thats always changing intersect with an agency whose mission of safety and efficiency remains the same?

Thats the question people want me to answer anytime I speak to groups like this one. And its one we talk about on a daily basis at the FAA.

When I started thinking about what I wanted to say today, I went back and read some of my previous Aero Club speeches.

It was interesting to see how much our industry and the FAA have changed in just that short period of time.

Three years ago, drones were pardon the expression barely a blip on our radar. Today, hardly a day goes by that I dont deal with them.

Id even say theres no better parallel for whats happening in aviation as a whole than whats happening with drones.

Unmanned aircraft have gone from being a niche interest to an actual segment of aviation thats growing at an unprecedented pace.

Theyre transforming industries like filmmaking and agriculture.

Theyre improving the safety of our transportation infrastructure by inspecting miles of rail tracks and pipelines.

And theyre tackling jobs that can be dangerous for people or other aircraft to do, such as search-and-rescue operations.

With all of these options, unmanned aircraft usage has soared in recent years but not without its share of growing pains.

Safely integrating drones into a system that already includes everything from commercial airliners and business jets to helicopters and general aviation airplanes is one of our industrys top priorities.

Last summer, we saw numerous reports about unmanned aircraft interfering with wildfire operations. Some were spotted too close to airplanes and airports. One even crashed into Arthur Ashe Stadium during the U.S. Open.

The FAA needed to take action to educate operators about airspace rules so they could fly safely, and to help law enforcement identify people who werent obeying the rules.

We decided to create an online registration system for unmanned aircraft last October. And since we were looking ahead to a holiday season where drones were at the top of thousands of wish lists, it would have to be launched before Christmas less than two months away.

When we announced this ambitious schedule, I heard from a number of people some in this room who thought wed made a promise we couldnt keep.

After all, government isnt supposed to be able to work on that kind of timeline.

Getting it done required some outside-the-box thinking within the FAA. We didnt let well-worn internal processes dictate how wed achieve our goal. Instead, we charted new paths.

We solicited advice from a task force of heavy-hitters from the aviation and technology industries. Daily meetings between employees at every level of the agency improved coordination and allowed for real-time troubleshooting.

And it turned out that a bit of chaos and uncertainty, coupled with an immovable deadline, was a pretty powerful focusing mechanism.

Our drone registration system was up and running before Santa could start his annual flight. Nine months later, more than 550,000 users have registered.

To put that in perspective, we only have 320,000 registered manned aircraft and it took us 100 years to get there.

This success is a testament to how much can be achieved when government and industry work together.

Last week, we took a step to formalize that partnership with the first meeting of our Drone Advisory Committee.

The DAC is chaired by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and includes representatives from the technology and aviation industries, labor organizations, and state and local governments.

Ive asked this committee to help us prioritize our unmanned aircraft integration activities, including the development of future regulations and policies.

Now we didnt start from scratch when we came up with the idea for the DAC. Its closely modeled after our NextGen Advisory Committee another collaboration with industry that has been essential to the FAAs work modernizing our air traffic system.

The United States has always been a global aviation leader. And thats because we havent shied away from making the big investments the kind that can transform the way we move people and goods, not for a few years, but for generations.

When we first started thinking about what it would take to modernize our air traffic system for the 21st century, we knew that going small wasnt an option.

NextGen is nothing less than the reinvention of the way we manage air traffic. It touches every phase of flight from takeoff, to navigation, to landing.

But the thing about a transformative project like NextGen is: its not easy. One of my predecessors compared it to changing the tire on a moving car.

Id amend that slightly. Its like changing the engine on a moving jetliner. At altitude.

If you want to get a big project right, you need time and you need resources. But just as important, you need buy-in from a wide variety of stakeholders.

These foundational pieces are now in place.

We upgraded the computer platform that had its roots in the 1960s.

We installed ground infrastructure nationwide to support satellite-based aircraft tracking, and we launched a $10 million rebate program this week that will make it easier for general aviation pilots to equip their planes to take advantage of it.

The good news is that were on track to meet our NextGen objectives by 2025. But NextGen is delivering real, measurable benefits today for airlines, for businesses, and for the American people.

And its happening at an accelerated pace thats being driven by industry needs.

Let me give you an example. Data Communications, or Data Comm, is a NextGen technology that allows air traffic controllers and pilots to transmit flight plans and other essential safety messages by text instead of time-consuming radio transmissions.

Now that seems pretty simple and even a little boring at first glance. But Data Comms true potential is obvious as soon as you see it in action.

Airlines stay on schedule, packages get delivered on time, and passengers get off the ground and to their destinations more quickly.

In fact, we estimate that Data Comm will save operators more than $10 billion over the next 30 years along with saving the FAA about $1 billion.

We started working on Data Comm about four years ago. Engaging with stakeholders and getting them on board with the technology and its benefits was one of our first priorities.

We launched trials at Newark and Memphis International Airports to test equipment and develop flight deck and tower procedures. And we worked closely with partners like United Airlines, FedEx, and UPS to measure the fuel and time savings Data Comm could provide.

The results were quite impressive.

It wasnt long before we heard from our airline partners on the NextGen Advisory Committee. They asked us to prioritize Data Comm so they could take advantage of its capabilities more quickly and in more locations.

We had originally created a plan that would widely deploy Data Comm at airports over the course of three years. Instead we used the lessons learned in Newark and Memphis to condense it to one.

At the beginning of this year, Data Comm was operational at five airports.

Today, its up and running at 44 air traffic control towers nationwide, including major markets like New York, Los Angeles, and right here in Washington, DC.

We plan to have it in more than 50 towers by the end of 2016. Thats nearly two years ahead of schedule.

NextGen technologies like Data Comm are game-changers. Theyre making us more efficient, saving millions of dollars in fuel costs, and reducing the creation of greenhouse gases.

But as with any major effort, there are challenges.

Over the last two decades, weve made significant progress in reducing aircraft noise for people living around airports. Advances in aircraft technology, operational procedures, and programs with airports all work together to mitigate noise.

But as individual aircraft noise levels have decreased, weve seen increases in the number of operations, particularly at night, and in the number of people living around airports.

Using NextGen procedures also sometimes results in changes in flight patterns and noise for communities around airports.

As a result, weve seen an increasing level of public debate, political interest, and even litigation related to aircraft noise.

The FAA has stepped up its public engagement efforts across the United States in response to these trends. Most recently, we held meetings in Cleveland and Detroit, as well as here in the DC metro area.

But the FAA cant solve this problem alone. All aviation stakeholders, from local airport authorities to the airlines, must take an ownership stake on noise issues.

Some of you already have, and I thank you for that.

Now we need to do more.

We need to work together to engage communities early and often and that means meeting them where they live.

We need to listen to peoples concerns and make an earnest effort to find solutions that work for everyone.

Theres no question that NextGen advancements are revolutionizing the way the FAA manages air traffic. But technology isnt just changing the way we do business.

Manufacturers are taking tremendous strides forward in aircraft design and production. To keep pace with these innovations, the FAA is redefining its role as a regulator.

For a long time, the FAA told manufacturers how to build a safe airplane. We required specific technologies with precise design elements.

But this system became strained as the industry evolved. Manufacturers kept coming to us with new ideas, and our certification processes struggled to keep up.

We made some improvements around the edges over the years, but they were often incremental and independent from one another.

It became obvious that we needed to overhaul our approach to certifying aircraft if we wanted to increase safety and to help products get to market faster.

We currently have a final rule in executive review that would rewrite our small airplane certification standards better known as Part 23.

Theres a simple idea at the heart of it: The FAA doesnt want to tell manufacturers how to build things.

Were not in the engineering business, and we cant assume we have all the answers about the best way to develop an aircraft.

Our business is safety and the new Part 23 recognizes that. Instead of requiring certain technologies or designs, it will define the performance objectives we want to achieve.

This is a fundamental shift for our agency.

Were not waiting around to find the best way to respond to a specific innovation. Were creating an organization that can respond nimbly and flexibly to any innovation.

Most importantly, this approach lets the dreamers and innovators do what they do best.

We dont want bureaucratic red tape to hamper their progress. On the contrary: we want to support it. And thats a message Ive been taking to every office at every level of the FAA.

Over the last few weeks, Ive been attending the agencys annual award ceremonies to celebrate the work were doing across our lines of business. We recognize individuals who go above and beyond in times of crisis, and teams that band together to achieve extraordinary things.

While were obviously proud of these efforts, I often hear that this intensity and focus isnt sustainable in the long-term for the FAA as a whole.

Its like were a rubber band. In the right circumstances, we can really stretch far and do incredible things. But like a lot of other large organizations, as soon as were done, we snap back to the old way of doing business.

Ive even had some people tell me they cant wait for certain initiatives to be over so they can get back to their real jobs.

But this is our real job. This is the new normal.

Ive heard that same sentiment from some of our traditional constituents as weve been redefining how we interact with industry on a number of fronts.

The fact is, aviation has never stood still. And the pace of change is only going to keep accelerating. That means we need to get comfortable with always being a little uncomfortable.

As you can imagine, this can be a tough thing to sell to an industry filled with engineering-minded people who thrive on certainty.

But as Ive challenged our teams at the FAA to think differently, Ive seen some promising results.

Take our Aeronautical Information Services division, which is responsible for collecting and publishing aviation data.

This is an office with roots that go all the way back to 1926 when navigational charts had to be drawn by hand. And some of the processes they relied on werent much newer.

Now it would have been very easy for this group to dig in and insist that the core function of their office was to print paper charts.

But instead, theyve done something I believe is essential for any organization that wants to evolve. They stepped back and said, Are we asking the right questions about what we do?

They quickly realized that their core function isnt actually printing charts. Its delivering high-quality, accurate aviation data.

So the Aeronautical Information Services team, working with our Office of Information and Technology, started asking employees about ways to deliver that data more efficiently.

Now, to be honest, there was some resistance at first. But as employees were encouraged to bring any and all ideas to the table, the fear of the unknown was replaced with excitement to tear up the rule book and to innovate.

The team knew that manufacturers and developers could build new flight management tools to improve safety and performance if they had better access to information.

So we created Got Data a campaign to help the private sector better access our existing aeronautical information, and to identify additional data resources we might be able to provide.

We got a lot of great feedback from the general aviation community and app developers when Mike Whitaker, our former Deputy Administrator, launched Got Data at Sun n Fun in April.

And by the time I went to Oshkosh in July, our team had already used the recommendations to create a Data Innovation Center as a central location for all of our aeronautical data.

They also launched automated digital product downloads that make it easier for users to take advantage of the most up-to-date information.

This is only the beginning for Got Data and for the transformation of our Aeronautical Information Services division.

I couldnt be prouder not only of what theyre accomplishing, but how theyre doing it. They represent a more innovative and a more responsive FAA.

We have an amazing pool of talent at our agency and our achievements rely on it. Every improvement that an individual makes strengthens our foundation and gives us more capacity to tackle our mission with ingenuity and urgency.

More than any one program or initiative, thats what will determine the success of the FAA in the 21st century.

Were creating a culture that doesnt just look for answers, but makes sure were asking the right questions. A culture thats willing to move forward, even when we dont have everything figured out just yet.

Were making progress and people are noticing.

This job has taken me to a lot of interesting places from air traffic control towers and aircraft manufacturing plants, to right here at the Aero Club. But its also taken me where you wouldnt necessarily expect to find the head of the FAA.

I spoke at the Peres Center for Peace in Israel about the importance of keeping aviation safe in conflict zones.

While talking with insurance underwriters at Lloyds of London about their expanded role in aviation, I saw the storied Lutine Bell. Over the decades it rang to signal claims resulting from ships lost at sea.

I even attended the Consumer Electronics Show and participated in a panel at South by Southwest as we engaged with stakeholders on how to integrate drones into our airspace.

At so many of these events, across the country and around the world, people stop to tell me how excited they are about something the FAA is working on. And theres this note of shock they cant quite keep out of their voices.

What I end up hearing is something like, Who are you, and what have you done with the FAA?

It always gets a smile out of me. But it also motivates me to do more.

I want to keep striving for a day when the transformative work that were doing whether its integrating unmanned aircraft, or delivering NextGen benefits, or overhauling certification and data sharing isnt considered extraordinary.

When its just business as usual at the FAA.

Thank you for being here today.

Thank you, Abby. Im so happy to be here. Its good to see so many colleagues from the FAA, industry, and our international partners all together in one room.

As you can probably imagine, I do a lot of speaking as FAA Administrator, to a wide variety of groups. Im particularly happy to be here at the Air Transportation Information Exchange Conference. And thats because I believe that the free and open exchange of information is one of the most important things that we can do as an aviation and aerospace industry if we want to improve aviation safety.

Today, no matter where you look, we as a society are awash in a sea of data. Whether its from a smart phone app or a triple-redundant fly-by-wire flight control system on a modern jetliner, almost every move we make generates a stream of ones and zeroes.

Its been said that were living in the age of Big Data, but it wasnt always like that.

In the early 1950s, the aviation industry was baffled by a string of crashes involving the DeHavilland Comet, the worlds first production jetliner. David Warren, an Australian researcher, believed investigators would be better able to determine the probable cause of crashes if the pilots voices could be captured, along with a few key instrument readings.

Warren developed the first black box for commercial airliners which he called a Flight Memory Unit in 1957. And even back then, the black box wasnt black; it was red. Go figure.

During the first couple of decades, flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders remained fairly primitive due to limitations with the technology at the time.

Even into the 1980s, they recorded only a handful of parameters that were etched into aluminum foil or recorded on a 30-minute loop of magnetic tape.

This data was extremely helpful for accident investigations, considering that before that, there was nothing.

Today, a flight data recorder on a modern jet can record hours of data including several hundred parameters on solid-state memory.

And although accidents involving commercial aircraft are exceedingly rare, flight recorders are still one of the most valuable safety tools we have to ensure safety in aviation.

In fact, in many ways, weve entered a new frontier when it comes to aviation data. Because we have so much information, we no longer have to wait for an incident to occur before we identify a safety problem.

For example, today we can use data from a recorder on a jet engine to potentially predict an imminent failure that first manifests itself as something as innocuous as a high oil temperature reading.

In recent years, aviation safety has evolved from a discipline dominated by aerospace engineers to one in which Information Technology professionals are helping us spot the problems that might have been in the system all along.

So we have to find ways to share information, and to share data, more freely and also find new ways to figure out what the data can tell us. For instance, safety data could lead to smarter designs of aircraft or better pilot training.

Let me share an example that I think speaks volumes about what we can accomplish when we have an open exchange of data.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a conversation that began about how we can drive down the commercial fatal accident risk rate.

In that time period, we experienced a series of crashes that raised questions in the public and in Congress that basically boiled down to this: Was aviation safe? Or was it even possible to make it safe?

A White House Commission recommended that we set a goal to reduce the fatal accident rate by 80 percent in 10 years. Then a Congressional Commission recommended that the government and the aviation industry, together, develop a joint safety agenda to meet this goal.

So the FAA and industry made this commitment. We set up the Commercial Aviation Safety Team. We agreed that we would share data between the industry and government, we would analyze that data together, and we would develop an agenda to mitigate risk.

Ten years later, in 2008, we achieved our goal. We had reduced the commercial fatality risk not just by 80 percent, but by 84 percent in that 10-year period.

This is held up, not just in aviation, but across the entire transportation spectrum as being one of the most profound successes weve ever had. Aviation is far safer than its ever been. And lessons are being applied to other modes of transportation.

Building on this progress, we then shifted from a forensic approach to managing safety to a more prognostic approach. This shift recognized that we could rely on safety data from across the industry, not just to solve the last accident, but to prevent an accident from happening in the first place.

This proactive, data-driven approach is now at the center of all of the FAAs safety efforts.

Whether were working to mitigate safety risk, maximize air traffic efficiency, or any other goal in aviation, one thing is clear information sharing, broadly across the industry, between industry and governments, between governments throughout the world,is the key to our success.

The more we can find ways of getting accurate, timely, secure data in the hands of the people who need it, the better off we will all be in the aviation industry.

Were really only scratching the surface today. There is a lot of data out there and its going to require creativity to find new ways to harness the full extent of what that data is telling us.

This is true in every segment of society, not just the aviation industry. In fact, President Obama issued a White House directive calling for an Open Data Policy in May of 2013.

The idea is that by making information resources easy to find, making them more accessible, and making them more usable, we can fuel entrepreneurship, innovation and scientific discovery that can improve the lives of all Americans and spur job creation here in the United States.

We want to get data into the hands of those that can make great use of it. Its especially important when you consider that in our industry, aviation, things are moving at the speed of innovation. We cant be moving at the speed of government.

So at the FAA, were doing our part to support the Presidents Open Data Policy.

Earlier this year, we started the Got Data? initiative. Its an effort to engage with our external stakeholders to better understand the kind of data they find useful and how we can get it to them in a quick and efficient manner.

Avionics manufacturers turn the navigational charts and instrument approaches the FAA produces into a wide variety of electronic products. These feed into the aircrafts flight management systems, iPads, and other mobile devices.

The biggest advantage of these new products is that they enable pilots to have greater situational awareness about where they are, and what lies ahead, than ever before. And it all fits in the space of a silicon chip.

Now imagine what could be possible if we opened up more of our data to more partners. Thats the idea behind Got Data.

We want to find better ways to help the private sector access aeronautical data currently offered by the FAA. We also want to identify additional data resources that we could potentially provide.

Our goal is to help industry be in a position to create innovative products and technologies that can improve safety and efficiency in the aviation industry.

Weve created a Data Innovation Center that serves as a new central location for all of the FAAs aeronautical information.

We also launched automated digital product downloads that will make it easier for users to ensure theyre using the most up-to-date data.

Were seeing that app developers can use the underlying data to build charts. They can change the color of airports based on whether they have part-time or full-time control tower service. Theyre developing ways to display Temporary Flight Restrictions visually for pilots.

Weve made this progress in only two and a half months, and were just getting started.

Were going to continue working closely with aircraft owners, application developers, and manufacturers to provide new and better data that will improve the products that pilots use in the cockpit for the safety and efficiency of our airspace.

I want to see these kinds of benefits across the globe as well. After all, the need for accurate, timely air traffic information doesnt stop at our FIR boundary. Passengers expect one level of safety, whether theyre flying at home or abroad.

Ensuring that level of safety requires the sharing of data between nations. And while we want global aviation to be safer, we also want it to be more efficient and greener.

Over the past 10 years, the FAA and EUROCONTROL have worked together to improve the global exchange of several types of air transportation information.

Until recently, our information was still based on the ability for the human to read and verbalize the concept. This led to many different formats and lots of time and money spent adapting to one anothers rules, definitions and formats.

In an environment in which automation is now supporting our decisions, we have come together to develop standard models for the exchange of flight, weather and aeronautical information.

To support aeronautical information exchange, the FAA implemented a Digital Notices to Airmen system in 2013.

Under the digital system, authorized persons can submit NOTAMS directly into the system. Airspace users can more easily filter and sort the NOTAMs, which enables better flight planning and greater situational awareness for users of the system. With the legacy system, it took about 15 minutes to originate a NOTAM. By going digital, it takes about five seconds. Clearly, that is a huge improvement in getting timely information to users.

Were using similar tools to digitize flight planning and the exchange of weather information.

I want to thank everyone here for the great job thats been done in making this possible.

This work now continues into the newly-formed ICAO Information Management Panel, where we are supporting the development of overall global information management standards and practices that impact all of the information domains.

All of these efforts have laid the groundwork for a more global structure for information access. Well be able to exchange greater amounts of relevant information in a timelier and less costly way. As we do these things, well make international aviation more seamless. Well make it more efficient. Were also going to make it safer, and we never want to lose sight of that.

The FAA and EUROCONTROL have hosted separate demonstrations showing that a global structure can work very well. These demonstrations have used simulated and live flight data to support things like flight plan submission, boundary coordination, dangerous goods transport, and fleet prioritization.

Through these demonstrations and a lot of other work, the FAA and EUROCONTROL have demonstrated global leadership on this issue, which is helping to support the Global Air Navigation Service Plan and helping to support individual participants in the system.

Were big supporters of ICAOs Information Management Panel, which is doing the foundational work to make these international exchange models work for all nations. We want to exchange timely, secure, and relevant information to users in a way that is flexible, adaptable and scalable.

Ive mentioned a few ways that data is changing aviation, but really, it would be difficult to make a comprehensive list.

The FAA realizes that the real key to making real progress in harnessing the power of data lies in forming collaborative relationships with those who understand it best.

The good news is that we are headed in the right direction.

As we move further into this age of Big Data, the world aviation community needs to rise to the challenge of using this information in the best possible way. In doing so, something extremely important happens. We make a system that is already the gold standard for safety and transportation, and we make it even safer.

Its all in the data. How we use it. How we leverage it. How we share it and how we collaborate as organizations.

Thank you for participating in this conference, and I hope you have a productive exchange of information and ideas. Best of luck to you.

September 16- Following a Consumer Product Safety Commission recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the FAA is issuing general guidance to airlines about the rules for carrying recalled or defective lithium devices on board aircraft as cargo or in carry-on luggage.

U.S. hazardous material regulations prohibit air cargo shipments of recalled or defective lithium batteries and lithium battery-powered devices, and passengers may not turn on or charge the devices when they carry them on board a plane. Passengers must also protect the devices from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and must not pack them in checked luggage.

The FAA issued the Safety Alert for Operators, or SAFO, in conjunction with a Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration safety advisory.

The SAFO urges the airlines: to ensure that cargo and passenger processing employees, and those responsible for cabin safety, are aware of the rules; to ensure that cargo customers are aware of the rules; and to include information and guidance on their websites about damaged or recalled lithium batteries and devices.

The SAFO notes that the hazardous material regulations do not preclude an airline from proactively placing its own restrictions on carrying or using specific lithium battery products on board aircraft, prior to an official government recall or advisory.

September 13- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is holding three community workshops this week in Arlington, VA, the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, MD, to talk to local residents about proposed new departure routes from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The northbound routes are designed to increase flight time over the Potomac River to address noise complaints and to increase the distance between aircraft and the prohibited airspace over the National Mall.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) formed a broad-based community group called the Reagan National Community Noise Working Group in October 2015 to identify practical aircraft noise solutions and make recommendations to the FAA. The DCA Working Groups voting members include neighborhood residents appointed by elected officials from local communities, and two airline representatives. The Airports Authority and the FAA serve as non-voting, advisory Working Group members. The Airports Authority forwards the DCA Working Groups approved recommendations to the FAA for consideration and action.

In November 2015, the FAA briefed the group on three alternative north flow departure designs. The following month, the FAA briefed the group on the tentative noise analysis. The noise analysis results indicated no significant or reportable changes in noise exposure with the implementation of the proposed procedures. The Working Group voted to select alternative B and recommended that the FAA move forward with the project.

FAA representatives will be available at the following community workshops to explain the proposed procedures:

Tuesday, September 13, 2016, 6:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.
Washington Lee High School (Arlington, VA)
1301 N Stafford St, Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 228-6200

Wednesday, September 14, 2016, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Georgetown Neighborhood Library (DC)
3260R St. NW, Washington, DC 20007
(202) 727-0232

Thursday, September 15, 2016, 5:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
Regional Services Center-B-CC (Bethesda, MD)
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814
(240) 777-8208

For more information, please visit community engagement website:
http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/communityengagement/dc/

September 9- The Federal Aviation Administration is now accepting job applications from people with previous air traffic control experience. The FAA will accept the applications from Sept. 7 through Sept. 20, 2016.

Experienced air traffic controllers include eligible military air traffic controllers and others with air traffic controller certification.

The job vacancy announcement for the position of Air Traffic Control Specialist is now available on USAJobs.gov, the federal governments official online job site. The job vacancy announcement provides the details about eligibility and the required qualifications. The FAA encourages applicants to ensure they meet all criteria before beginning the online application process.

Candidates must have 52 weeks of full-time air traffic control experience and air traffic certification or an air traffic control facility rating in a civilian or military air traffic control facility. More than 14,000 air traffic controllers work for the FAA.

To learn more, visit our Jobs page.

Follow our official FAA social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for more information.