JOINT STATEMENT OF
NICHOLAS A. SABATINI,
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR AVIATION SAFETY,
AND
MICHAEL A. CIRILLO,
VICE PRESIDENT, SYSTEMS OPERATION SERVICES,
AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION,
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
BEFORE THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AVIATION
ON
NEW AIRCRAFT IN THE US AVIATION SYSTEM
SEPTEMBER 28, 2006
Good morning, Chairman Burns, Senator Rockefeller, and Members of the Subcommittee. It is our pleasure to be here today to discuss with you the introduction of new aircraft in our nation’s air traffic system. The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to deal with the challenges presented by these and other new types of aircraft. Very Light Jets (VLJs) and Unmanned Aircraft (UAs) are examples of the on-going evolution of the aviation industry, and the FAA, working closely with the aviation industry, will develop safety standards and operating procedures to ensure their safe integration into the NAS.
VLJs and UAs are part of the future of aviation, and that future is on our doorstep right now. The system is in place TODAY to accommodate the entry of new aircraft into the National Airspace System . . . this is nothing new for the FAA. It is our day-to-day business. From when FAA’s predecessor agency certified the Buhl Airster in 1927, to the introduction of the Boeing 707 and the dawning of the jet age in the late 1950’s, FAA has always been able to successfully assimilate new aircraft into the NAS. When the Boeing 707 began its transcontinental flights, the average airspeed of passenger aircraft more than doubled overnight, from about 220 knots to over 500 knots. And this transition into the jet age took place within an infrastructure that was 50 years old at the time. The system is more robust today, with better technology, more precision, and greater flexibility, than at any time in our history. FAA has long established operating procedures that ensure different types and vintages of aircraft are operated at compatible airspeeds in congested airspace or while en-route to and from the high altitude airspace. From beginning to end, nothing is left to chance.
Relatively inexpensive twin-engine VLJs are believed by many to have the potential to redefine the business jet segment by significantly expanding business jet flying and offering performance that could support a true on-demand air-taxi business service. FAA forecasters project that up to 5,000 of these jets will be in operation by 2017.
The FAA has established a cross-organizational group to address the issues of safety and system capacity created by the anticipated introduction of thousands of VLJs within the next ten years. This group includes elements from our Air Traffic Organization (ATO), Flight Standards Service (AFS), Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) and Aircraft Certification Office (ACO). The group has organized its work under separate committees that focus on specific issues: Pilot Training and checking; Flight Operations; Maintenance; Inspector Training; and Air Traffic.
Also, to address UAs, we have established an Unmanned Aircraft Program Office to develop guidance and regulations for certification and integration of UAs. Interest in using Unmanned Aircraft (UAs) for a broad range of purposes is increasing, not only by U.S. governmental agencies, but also by the civil aviation community. Integrating UAs with manned aircraft in the NAS presents significant challenges for the FAA, and both the public and private sectors. At the outset, it is helpful to understand that UAs cannot be described as a single type of aircraft. UAs can be vehicles that range from a 12-ounce hand-launched model to one the size of a 737 aircraft. They also encompass a broad span of altitude and endurance capabilities. Obviously, the size of the UA impacts the complexity of its system design and capability. Therefore, each different type of UA has to be evaluated separately, with each aircraft’s unique characteristics being considered before its integration into the NAS can be safely accomplished.
The certification of all government agency aircraft, including UAs, in the NAS is considered a public aircraft operation, the oversight for which falls outside the scope of the FAA. These public operations are, however, required to be in compliance with certain federal aviation regulations administered by the FAA and the FAA is and must be involved to ensure that the operation of these aircraft does not compromise the safety of the NAS. FAA’s current role is to ensure that UAs do no harm to other operators in the NAS and, to the maximum extent possible, the public on the ground.
In working with government agencies, the FAA issues a certificate of authorization (COA) that permits the various public agencies to operate a particular UA for a particular purpose in a particular area. In other words, FAA works with the agency to develop conditions and limitations for UA operations to ensure they do not jeopardize the safety of other aviation operations. The objective is to issue a COA with terms that ensure an equivalent level of safety as manned aircraft. Usually, this entails making sure that the UA does not operate in a populated area and that the aircraft is observed, either by someone in a manned aircraft or someone on the ground. For example, in the interest of national security and because ground observers were not possible, the FAA worked with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to facilitate UA operations along the Arizona/New Mexico border with Mexico. In order to permit such operations, the airspace was segregated to ensure system safety so these UA flights can operate without an observer being physically present to observe the operation. With the steadily expanding purposes for which UAs are used and the eventual stateside redeployment of large numbers of UAs from the theater of war, the FAA expects to issue a record number of COAs. In fact, the FAA has issued more than 75 COAs this year, compared with a total of 50 for the two previous years combined.
FAA’s work with private industry is slightly different than with government agencies. The development of guidance and regulations for UAs for civil aviation use will be an evolving process. Standards development is required for all areas of UAS technology, including the airframe, maintenance procedures, pilot and controller training, powerplant and other areas. The FAA is working with industry, under the auspices of RTCA, Inc. to develop consensus standards for detect, sense and avoid systems; and command, control and communication systems. Until standards and minimum requirements are established, the FAA is working closely with companies that wish to operate UAs in the NAS today by applying the Experimental Airworthiness Certificate process.
Today, for civil operation, companies may obtain an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate by demonstrating that their aircraft can operate safely within an assigned flight test area and cause no harm to the public. They must be able to describe their unmanned aircraft system, along with how and where they intend to fly. This is documented by the applicant in what we call a program letter. An FAA team of subject matter experts reviews the program letter and, if the project is feasible, performs an on-site review of the ground system and unmanned aircraft, if available. If the results of the on-site review are acceptable, there are negotiations on operating limitations. After the necessary limitations are accepted, FAA will accept an application for an experimental airworthiness certificate which is ultimately issued by the local FAA Manufacturing Inspection District Office. The certificate specifies the operating restrictions applicable to that aircraft. To date, we have received several program letters for UAs ranging from 39 to more than 10,000 pounds. We have issued two experimental certificates, one for General Atomics’ Altair, and one for Bell-Textron’s Eagle Eye. We expect to issue at least one more experimental certificate this year.
The COA and Experimental Airworthiness Certificate processes are designed to allow a sufficiently restricted operation to ensure a safe environment, while allowing for research and development until such time as pertinent standards are developed. They also allow the FAA, other government agencies, and private industry to gather valuable data about a largely unknown field of aviation. The development of standards is crucial to moving forward with UA integration into the NAS. Because of the extraordinarily broad range of unmanned aircraft types and performance, the challenges of integrating them safely into the NAS continue to evolve. The certification and operational issues described herein highlight the fact that there is a missing link in terms of technology today that prevents these aircraft from getting unrestricted access to the NAS.
So far we have discussed FAA’s current efforts regarding certification and regulation of VLJs and UAs as we enable the safe introduction of these new aircraft into the NAS. There are still many challenges to be met in these areas before the procedures for certification, licensing, training, inspection, maintenance and operation of these aircraft are standardized and routine. The question many have is how FAA is going to integrate these new aircraft into the NAS, without adversely affecting safety, or increasing congestion and delays. The ATO is producing results today that are already improving capacity and efficiency, and in conjunction with the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), laying the foundation for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).
In 2005, the ATO implemented a new procedure, known as Domestic Reduced Vertical Separation Minima or DRVSM, which is truly exciting. DRVSM has significantly increased capacity in the en route airspace by doubling the number of usable altitudes between 29,000 and 41,000 feet. The procedure permits controllers to reduce minimum vertical separation at altitudes between 29,000 and 41,000 feet from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet for properly equipped aircraft.
The User Request Evaluation Tool (URET) is a tool used by the controller to predict potential aircraft to aircraft, and aircraft to airspace conflicts earlier, allowing them to construct alternative flight paths. URET allows these conflicts to be addressed in a strategic sense rather than a tactical sense, with fewer deviations to the route or altitude.
In August, the FAA approved the update to the Roadmap for Performance-Based Navigation, developed in cooperation with the aviation industry. The 2006 Roadmap focuses on addressing future efficiency and capacity needs while maintaining or improving the safety of flight operations by leveraging advances in navigation capabilities on the flight deck. This revision updates the FAA and industry strategy for evolution toward performance-based navigation. The Roadmap is intended to help aviation community stakeholders plan their future transition and investment strategies. The stakeholders who will benefit from the concepts in the Roadmap include airspace operators, air traffic service providers, regulators and standards organizations, and airframe and avionics manufacturers. As driven by business needs, airlines and operators can use the Roadmap to plan future equipage and capability investments. The strategy rests upon two key navigation concepts: Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP).
The ATO is focused on expanding the implementation of advanced RNAV procedures to additional airports. These RNAV procedures provide flight path guidance that is incorporated into onboard aircraft avionics systems, requiring only minimal air traffic instructions. This significantly reduces routine controller-pilot communications, allowing more time for pilots and controllers to handle other safety-critical flight activities. Also, RNAV procedures use more precise routes for departures and arrivals, reducing time intervals between aircraft on the runways, and allowing for increases in traffic, while enhancing safety. In 2004, thirteen RNAV departure procedures and four RNAV arrival procedures went into full operation at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport – the world’s busiest airport. Additionally, sixteen RNAV departures were implemented at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 2005. The FAA published 53 of these procedures in FY2006, and plans to publish at least 50 procedures in FY2007.
FAA is currently implementing additional technological innovations, including a capability known as RNP. RNP uses on-board technology that allows pilots to fly direct point-to-point routes more reliably and accurately. RNP is extremely accurate, and gives pilots not only lateral guidance, but vertical precision as well. RNP potentially reaches all aspects of the flight – departure, en route, arrival, and approach. As of today, the FAA has published 28 RNP approach procedures this year, and plans to publish at least 25 more in FY2007.
We must also make sure we are using the best technology to maintain a safe and efficient air traffic system. The en route air traffic control computer system is considered the heart of the NAS. En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) provides the basic foundation upon which many of the transforming technologies moving us from the current NAS to NGATS needs. ERAM replaces the software for the Host Computer System and its backup. It will enable the FAA to increase capacity and improve efficiency in a way that cannot be realized with the current system, which is a mix of different technologies that evolved over the years and is extremely difficult to expand or upgrade. In addition to supporting new transformational technologies, ERAM itself can process more than double the number of flight plans, and use almost triple the number of surveillance sources as the current system. The ERAM system is scheduled to be deployed and operational at all 20 Air Route Traffic Control Centers by 2010.
Traffic Flow Management (TFM) is the “brain” of the NAS, and is the reason that we could handle more traffic at our major airports in 2005 than in 2000, without the long delays that made the summer of 2000 the worst on record. The TFM system is the mechanism by which traffic flows across the NAS are orchestrated. As the NAS is impacted by severe weather, congestion and/or outages, the TFM system provides timely information to our customers to expedite traffic and minimize system delays. The FAA is currently in the process of modernizing the TFM infrastructure through its TFM Modernization program. We are currently introducing new Airspace Flow Management technology to reduce the impact of delays incurred during the severe weather season. FAA estimates show that TFM provides roughly $340 million in benefits to our customers on a yearly basis in reduced direct operating costs through delay reductions. ERAM and TFM together will enable flexible routing around congestion, weather, and flight restrictions, and help controllers to automatically coordinate flights, during periods of increased workload.
The JPDO and ATO will work together to analyze the changes that will be needed to both ERAM and TFM so they meet the needs of the Next Generation System. Today’s flight planning and air traffic paradigms will be transformed into a system that manages operations based on aircraft trajectories, regularly adjusts the airspace structure to best meet customer and security/defense needs and relies on automation for trajectory analysis and separation assurance.
The JPDO serves as a focal point for coordinating the research related to air transportation modernization for agencies across the Federal government, including the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Defense and Homeland Security, as well as NASA and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
At the FAA, our eyes are focused on the NextGen Vision while using existing technology to provide important and tangible operational benefits now. We are finding ways to make existing capacity work more efficiently through advanced technology and operational improvements. Research is underway to explore ways of safely achieving reductions in separation standards, allowing for greater density of operations, which the anticipated increase in these vehicles will demand. We are also examining the Human Factors implications of super density operations and traffic control automation. Moreover, as-yet unexplored concepts may be expected to play a role.
These innovations provide relief today as well as help to lay the foundation for the Next Generation System. Successful integration of VLJs and UAs into the NAS will represent a significant step in the process of evolution from the current NAS to the NextGen system. In order to fulfill the NextGen 2025 vision of handling significant increases in today’s traffic, with improved safety, capacity, and efficiency, we must competently manage the introduction of VLJs and UAs into the NAS. The impact of these new vehicles on the NAS is addressed in the JPDO Concept of Operations (CONOPS). One overarching goal of the NextGen initiative is to develop a system that will be flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of users -- very light jets and large commercial aircraft, manned and unmanned aircraft, small airports and large, business and vacation travelers alike, while handling a significantly increased number of operations with a commensurate improvement in safety, security and efficiency.
In 2005, the JPDO moved ahead with plans to accelerate the development of key NGATS projects, such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), and System Wide Information Management (SWIM). In FAA’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget request, the Administration proposed several targeted investment areas, to promote early implementation of elements of the NGATS system. One of these very promising initiatives, with potential for broad operational applications, is the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system, a technology that will replace ground-based radar systems and revolutionize air navigation and surveillance. For FY 2007, the President’s budget includes $80 million for the FAA for the ADS-B program.
Given its fundamental importance to the success of the NGATS System, establishing an initial Network-Enabled Operations (NEO) capability is a high priority for JPDO and its member agencies. Current efforts focus on identifying the network architecture and enacting standards for information and safety data sharing. In 2005, the JPDO, FAA and an industry team demonstrated how network-enabled concepts developed for the military customers can be applied to Air Traffic Management. The FAA’s System Wide Information Management (SWIM) program – the beginning of network-centric operation in the National Airspace System – will continue developing this capability. The President’s budget proposal for FY 2007 requests $24 million for FAA’s SWIM program.
The FAA has already been working with industry to identify the near-term operational requirements of VLJs in the NAS. Dayjet, a large Part 135 operation, expects to be operating 100 Eclipse EA-500s by the end of 2007. Its business plan calls for utilizing regional airports in the southeastern U.S., and Dayjet is working in close cooperation with FAA so we can establish appropriate flight procedures as these jets are introduced. FAA is also currently working with Eclipse to contract for training for both FAA operations and maintenance inspectors for FY07. The EA-500 is unlike any other aircraft currently in production, and is unique in that it has highly integrated avionics systems.
Performance characteristics of VLJs are similar to some other business class aircraft that have operated in the NAS for many years. VLJs can operate from shorter runways than commercial airliners, and can utilize the 5000+ satellite airports around the United States. In fact, the advertised business models for the first companies state that they will fly point-to-point among the nation’s smaller regional airports that are situated within a half-hour’s drive of over 90 percent of Americans. These jets are expected to be delivered from the manufacturers with state-of-the-art avionics, capable of taking advantage of RNAV and RNP procedures and routes. Manufacturers state that VLJs will be IFR-certified, with glass cockpits, with full RVSM and ADS-B equipage. They will be capable of flying with single or dual pilots, with 4-10 passenger seats, and will typically operate at intermediate flight levels between 15,000 and 28,000 feet, but capable of 38,000 to 45,000 feet. Cruising speeds will be between 315 and 450 KIAS or Knots Indicated Air Speed, with a range of 900-1750 nautical miles, although typical legs will be 200-600 nautical miles.
The FAA is conducting training throughout the ATO regarding performance capabilities of these aircraft to help mitigate any problems with blending VLJs with faster jets.
The FAA’s Cross Organizational Group will continue to work to monitor the safety and impact of these new aircraft, and address any unanticipated problems as they arise.
These technological and operational improvements are positive steps down the road to building the Next Generation Air Transportation System. The FAA and the JPDO are continuing to explore near and far term innovations that will enable accommodation of increasing numbers of VLJs and UAs in the NAS. We know, however, that we continue to face many challenges. Over the next few years we will work to achieve better cost management; determine the best solution for our aging and deteriorating facilities; plan more effectively for catastrophic events, like hurricanes or terrorist attacks; and, conduct research on convective weather to reduce flight delays associated with summer storms. Everything in our business – pay, job performance, future technology, the nation’s economy – is linked together. We strive to improve efficiency, while searching for innovative ways to provide safer services even more efficiently. As we decide how to wisely invest in our future, we will continue to work closely with our customers, our employees, and of course, Members of Congress.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes our testimony, and we would be happy to answer any questions the Committee may have.