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The FAA Safety Team is out in full force at the "World's Greatest Aviation Celebration" in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. You can find the FAA Safety Team-also known as the FAASTeam-in the FAA Aviation Safety Center, right next to the FAA control tower.

At the booth you can learn more about the improvements to the www.FAASafety.gov website, sign up for the WINGS pilot proficiency program, and find out about FAA's aviation maintenance technician awards program. This is a great opportunity to talk with dedicated safety professionals whose number one job is to make general aviation as safe as possible.

You can also check out the rest of the FAA Aviation Safety Center and see displays on all things aviation. The safety education forums held at the Safety Center cover such topics as "Aeronautical Decision Making," "Surface Safety," and "VFR Charts, Little Known Facts."

See you there. For more information on EAA AirVenture, go to www.airventure.org.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration celebrated the opening of an airfield upgrade at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport paid for with $3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funds.

"Airports are critical to our nation's economy," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Recovery Act dollars are helping to make needed safety enhancements and upgrades at airports all across the country."

Recovery Act money helped Chattanooga Airport complete this project. The new aircraft parking area will help relieve congestion at the airport.

Under ARRA, $1.1 billion has been made available to over 360 projects at airports nationwide. Because of low construction bids on projects, Recovery Act dollars were available for additional projects. ARRA grants have been distributed to airports that support not only passenger and cargo service, but general aviation as well.

"Every air passenger's trip begins and ends at an airport. Recovery Act dollars are helping airports of all sizes maintain and improve their critical infrastructure," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

Recovery Act grants are being used at both urban and rural airports to pay for a variety of different projects including facility construction, safety enhancements and the rehabilitation of runways, taxiways and other infrastructure.

July 28 - Pilots can fly into Wittman Regional Airport this week for the EAA AirVenture Fly-In knowing that the FAA is working to keep U.S. runways safe.

The U.S. aviation system continues to see a decrease in the number and severity of surface incidents and runway incursions. The FAA recorded a 50 percent decrease in the number of serious runway incursions in fiscal year 2009, compared to the previous year. Considering the amount of activity on U.S. runways - the many takeoffs and landings and the movement of vehicles and people across runways - this is great progress. But there is always more we can do. The FAA's Runway Safety Program continues to work closely with domestic and international aviation stakeholders to keep improving runway safety and to reduce the number of incursions.

The Next Generation Air Transportation System or NextGen already is playing a role in runway safety. Technology such as ADS-B, ASDE-X, and Runway Status Lights will continue to make runways even safer.

The FAA is also keenly focused on working with general aviation pilots on runway safety issues, because GA pilots are involved in nearly 80 percent of runway incursions. The agency is working with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to reach its more than 400,000 member pilots and flight instructors. It also has launched national runway safety promotional campaigns aimed at pilots and vehicle drivers. One is called "If You Cross the Line, You've Crossed the Line," highlighting the dangers of unsafe taxiing or driving. The FAA and AOPA also have created online courses to educate pilots on runway safety.

In 2007, after 25 serious incursions, the FAA launched a Call to Action with aviation leaders from airlines, airports, air traffic control and pilot unions, and aerospace manufacturers to address runway safety issues. As a result, the FAA agreed to expedite the installation of new technology at airports, the airlines developed better surface training programs for pilots, and the airports agreed to speed up improvements in signage and markings.

The FAA also hosted the first International Runway Safety Summit with participants from 17 countries. In large part, the summit focused on improving communication between pilots and controllers, a significant factor in international runway safety. Soon after that, the FAA implemented new phraseology to align with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a civil penalty of $230,000 against Continental Airlines Inc., of Houston for allegedly operating a Boeing 767 on 22 revenue flights when it was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

The FAA alleges that on Aug. 12, 2008, Continental replaced the nose landing gear wheel and tire assembly on a B-767, but failed to install the required axle washer despite warnings in the maintenance manual and on the tire assembly itself. The warning said failing to install the washer could lead to failure of the wheel bearing.

FAA inspectors discovered the violation during a records check and noted three identical earlier violations.

Continental has 30 days from receipt of the civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

July 27 - If you're in Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture, be sure and stop by the FAA Aviation Safety Center (next to the FAA control tower). This is where you can learn more about how the FAA is here to help you. There are exhibits on a host of aviation topics, from aircraft certification, air traffic control, and aerospace medicine, to the Next Generation Air Transportation System, runway safety, and the FAA Safety Team's WINGS pilot proficiency program.

The safety education forums held at the Aviation Safety Center cover such topics as "Aeronautical Decision Making," "Surface Safety," and "VFR Charts, Little Known Facts."

See you there. For more information on EAA AirVenture, go to www.airventure.org. You can also download a copy of the full FAA Aviation Safety Center schedule.

July 26-The aviation community is focused on Oshkosh, Wisconsin this week as aviators from around the world gather to celebrate flight. The FAA's mission is safety and this week's activities at Oshkosh present a great opportunity to take a closer look at general aviation safety.

One of the FAA's top priorities is to reduce the number of fatal accidents in general aviation. While these accidents are down eight percent from last fiscal year, 303 people have lost their lives as of June 2010. We know there is significant work ahead needed to improve the general aviation safety record.

We have made significant progress by focusing on pilot education and awareness, and better technology has given pilots more safety tools. Over the past three years, fatal accidents from Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) have dropped by more than 50 percent compared to the previous three years. Those involving loss of control in flight and approach and landing are down 20 to 25 percent. Meanwhile, fatal accidents in weather have decreased by nearly 40 percent in the past three years, and those that occur at night are down by about 25 percent.

While these gains represent hard work across the aviation community, we continue to work on reducing the numbers. For instance, we have identified challenges in other areas such as accidents involving amateur-built aircraft. These accidents are on the rise and now account for 24 percent of all general aviation fatal accidents, versus just 10 percent a few years ago. The growing popularity of these aircraft has expanded the amateur-built fleet by about four percent annually in recent years, but the accident rate now outpaces that growth.

We also have to consider that flight hours in personal aviation have decreased in recent years, due to the spike in fuel prices and the economic downturn. So, while the accident numbers may seem to be improving slightly, we know that many pilots who reduced their flying are recreational pilots. Recreational pilots generally have higher accident rates than pilots who fly more frequently.

The FAA continues to work with the aviation community to develop non-regulatory, pro-active mitigation strategies. We have heightened our safety outreach to the personal flying pilot population through the FAA Safety Team and FAA Safety Briefing.

The FAA also has established the Amateur-Built Flight Standardization Board and is currently examining accident and incident data to develop mitigation strategies by working together with the aviation community. For information on what the FAA is doing to help improve the general aviation safety record, visit:

• FAA Safety Team
• FAA Safety Briefing

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Good afternoon, and thank you. As we were flying in, I heard quite a bit about beautiful Minnesota - the land, the vistas, how pristine it is. Looking around, I can see that isn't the half of it. Paul and Babe might be down at the lake, but for my money, where we're standing right now is the perfect view.

If you ask Congressman Oberstar or Senator Klobuchar, they'll tell you that Minnesota is a land with a bright future, and that's right. The leadership in the great State of Minnesota believes in Bemidji Regional Airport. The FAA believes in this airport as well, and that is why I am here. Regional airports like Bemidji are the backbone of this nation's transportation system. The larger airports always get the headlines but the Bimidjis are crucial to our overall network of airports.

And let me say what a terrific job you've done here. The expansion of this terminal is a proud accomplishment. Going from 15,000 square feet to 31,000 is going to give you quite a bit of breathing room. This project is 7.5 million dollars of federal money well spent. Just last year, 500,000 dollars American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds went to an apron rehabilitation project. We replaced concrete and asphalt so you can imagine how much heavy lifting was involved. Make no mistake about this: aprons are important to airports. They help keep the runways and taxiways safe.

As you all know, a vibrant aviation system is part of a vibrant economy. That's just what I see happening here. Cooperation is what makes it happen. Jim. Oberstar and Amy Klobuchar deserve a round of applause for helping to make this happen. Van [Bemidji Regional Airport Executive Director Harold Van Leeuwen], you should take a bow as well. And I know the local FAA folks from the Airports District Office have been working right along with you.

This is indeed a fine day for the great state of Minnesota, for the city of Bemidji, Beltrami County, and for aviation. Well done. Keep up the good work.

July 21-How does an airport suddenly go from being 2,000 feet to more than a mile high? Barring a "Hollywood-style" seismic event at your airport, the answer is density altitude; in other words, how high an aircraft "thinks" it is. When density altitude is high as a result of temperatures above standard at a given altitude, the air is less dense than normal. This means an aircraft will perform as if at a higher altitude with degraded climb performance and acceleration; two pretty important factors on a hot, humid day with a short runway and 50-foot pine trees looming at the end.

The article "Climbing into Thin Air," featured in the July/August issue of FAA Safety Briefing, offers more information on this "hot" topic.

"Density altitude is not just a concern for flying in the mountains," says FAA's Bryan Neville. "Hot temperatures can have an affect at any altitude." Neville, a former adjunct aviation professor and flight instructor with experience at both high- and low-elevation airports, suggests becoming familiar with the weight-and-balance and the performance and limitations sections of your pilot's operating handbook (POH) or airplane flight manual.

One the ways to keep your cool aloft on those hot summer days is to avoid takeoffs and landings at midday when temperatures are usually at their highest. Instead, take advantage of cooler mornings or evenings when the performance-robbing effects of high density altitude are not as pronounced.

For more tips on how to avoid the dangers of density altitude, see page 12 of the July/August issue of FAA Safety Briefing.

July 21 - The FAA is ordering U.S. operators of 138 Boeing 767 airplanes to reduce the initial pylon inspection time mandated in a September 22, 2005 Airworthiness Directive from 10,000 to 8,000 total flights. This inspection must be done within 400 flights after the most recent inspection required by the 2005 directive, or within 90 days, whichever occurs later.

The FAA is also reducing the interval for repetitive inspections for cracking of the pylon midspar structural fittings and an adjacent structure from 1,500 to every 400 flights thereafter. There is also an option for replacing the fittings instead of conducting the inspections.

Since the 2005 Airworthiness Directive (AD), the FAA has received two reports of cracking of the midspar structural fitting on Boeing 767 pylons. The pylon attaches the engine to the wing. Undetected cracking could lead to fracture of the structural components, damage to the pylon, and separation of the engine from the wing.

The Immediately Adopted AD affects 138 U.S.-registered airplanes out of 314 worldwide. The total cost to U.S. operators is approximately $46,920. The AD affects only those 767 models that have the original pylon design. Boeing has improved the design of the 767 pylon and those aircraft with the improved pylon designs are not included in this AD.

The AD is on display today at http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-17611_PI.pdf

It will be published on July 22 at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

Rule requires re-registration of all civil aircraft over next three years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In an effort to create a more accurate aircraft registration database, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requiring re-registration of all civil aircraft over the next three years and renewal every three years after that.

The rule establishes specific expiration dates over a three-year period for all aircraft registered before Oct. 1, 2010, and requires re-registration of those aircraft according to a specific schedule. All aircraft registration certificates issued on or after Oct. 1, 2010 will be good for three years with the expiration date clearly shown.

"These improvements will give us more up-to-date registration data and better information about the state of the aviation industry," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

Current regulations require owners to report the sale of an aircraft, the scrapping or destruction of an aircraft, or a change in mailing address, but many owners have not complied with those requirements.

Re-registration of all U.S. civil aircraft by Dec. 31, 2013 will enhance the database with current data derived from recent contact with aircraft owners. The new regulations also will ensure that aircraft owners give the FAA fresh information at least once every three years when they renew their registration. The FAA will cancel the N-numbers of aircraft that are not re-registered or renewed.

The schedule for re-registration and registration expiration is:

Certificate issued Certificate expires Re-registration required
(Any year)

March March 31, 2011 Nov. 1, 2010-Jan. 31, 2011

April June 30, 2011 Feb. 1-April 30, 2011

May Sept. 30, 2011 May 1- July 31, 2011

June Dec. 31, 2011 Aug. 1- Oct. 31, 2011

July March 31, 2012 Nov. 1, 2011-Jan. 31, 2012

August June 30, 2012 Feb. 1- April 30, 2012

September Sept. 30, 2012 May 1- July 31, 2012

October Dec. 31, 2012 Aug. 1- Oct. 31, 2012

November March 31, 2013 Nov. 1, 2012-Jan. 31, 2013

December June 30, 2013 Feb. 1- April 30, 2013

January Sept. 30, 2013 May 1- July 31, 2013

February Dec. 31, 2013 Aug. 1- Oct. 31, 2013

The final rule can be found at: http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx#regular

Good evening, and thank you, David [Hartman]. Back when you were on GMA, when you were GMA, I was right there watching you from my kitchen table. Always start your day with a pilot. That's a good strategy.

I couldn't be happier than to be here celebrating the National Aviation Hall of Fame. I'm going to talk about NextGen for a moment, but when you see a place like this, surrounded by these glorious aircraft, it really gives you the historical context to appreciate a plan that will usher aviation into a new era for plane and pilot and passenger alike.

These exhibits are testaments to what great women and men can do with great ideas. We went from debating about whether or not man could fly to breaking the speed of sound in less than 50 years. We took the jump from fabric wings and $5 barnstorming hops to composite wings and transcontinental hops just as fast.

Most of that really came about on the grit and resolve a few who said, "This can work." And on their shoulders, we took steps that brought us from passengers in the tens of thousands to passenger totals in the hundreds of millions. We went from a transport accident every other week to where we are now, a system that's so safe that we're forced to track accidents that didn't happen if we want to spot trends that will help us improve on our record.

With all of this as context, it's clear that we're now at a place where we know that the technology that's in use really needs a better system. This room is filled with people who are the pointy end of the spear when it comes to showing the world how a business aircraft is much more than mere transportation - it's a productivity-enhancing tool.

The question for the FAA is: so how do we as a regulator and a service provider match that kind of technology? How do we make sure that we're running a system that maximizes what the flight departments and the private pilots are trying to do with it?

The answer lies in NextGen. And, as a pilot myself, let me tell you that NextGen is a departure from the ground-based technology of the fifties and sixties and a launch into the satellite firepower of this generation.

We're already introducing NextGen. David Hartman can tell you that back in the day, situational awareness was a very tall order. We know that. Pilots know it. But with the advent of something called ADS-B - automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast - we're going to provide the flight deck and the controller the same kind of information, the same kind of view. And as equipage comes on line, imagine a sky where everyone you see has the same situational awareness. I know right where I am - precisely - and I know right where the other guy is - precisely - and vice versa. This technology gives you that picture whether you're airborne, at the gate or on the runway. And it will tell you where all of the trucks are, too.

I'm here to tell you that NextGen is well under way. We're deploying ADS-B on the Gulf, a place where radar wasn't even available, and to Louisville, Philadelphia and in Alaska, with more to come.

We're making situational awareness on the airport surface a priority with advanced radar called ASDE-X, Airport Surface Detection Equipment. ASDE-X's data distribution lets controllers, traffic managers, airline operations centers and airport operators see movement of aircraft and vehicles on the airport surface. This includes the ramp areas. Surface management demonstrations using shared ASDE-X data at Kennedy and Memphis showed that taxi times can be reduced on average from 2-4 minutes. ASDE-X is now up and running at 27 airports with eight more to come.

As we continue to roll out ADS-B and aircraft equipage starts to increase, surface monitoring will become available for airports, controllers and pilots, even at locations that don't have ASDE-X.

And make no mistake, NextGen isn't just for the big operators. Small airports will benefit as well. If you don't have an ILS, the Wide Area Augmentation System's localizer performance with vertical guidance procedures can provide precision approaches to near Category 1 ILS minimums. These new approaches will increase safety and either provide or improve access for a large number of airports.

NextGen is all about making things run more smoothly and efficiently. We're putting tailored arrivals and optimized profile descents in place. These let aircraft stay at cruise much longer and then descend at near-idle power. But the optimized profile descents cut fuel burn, noise and emissions, which will help airports become better neighbors with the communities they serve. At LAX, 300-400 optimized descents are flown every day. Each one saves 25 gallons of fuel and reduces the amount of level flying during the arrival phase by 26 percent.

The bottom line here is pretty straightforward: NextGen is the passenger's dream. With newer and faster aircraft models coming along faster than ever, thank you, Jack Pelton, the system can quite literally get stretched to the limit pretty quick. NextGen will help us maximize the efficiency gains that new aircraft can give us. As a passenger, that means I won't have to worry about my connection like I used to. As a passenger and as a pilot, I'll know that the new technology is ushering in a new era of safety. In the efforts of full disclosure here, I must stipulate that NextGen does not address airline food. Thank you.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing to assess civil penalties ranging from $50,000 to $70,000 against five companies for alleged violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations or Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations.

$50,000 against Spirit Airlines, Inc., Miramar, Fla., for returning an aircraft to service, and then operating that aircraft on revenue passenger flights when it was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. The FAA alleged that Spirit failed to replace a faulty elevator aileron computer (ELAC) after the aircraft experienced an uncommanded pitch down of the nose while operating between Orlando, Fla. and San Juan, Puerto Rico on Aug. 21, 2009. Although Spirit's maintenance program required replacement of the ELAC computer, the airline did not do so before flying the A321 on a revenue passenger flight the next day from San Juan to Fort Lauderdale, when the aircraft experienced another uncommanded pitch down.

$63,525 against Friendship Airways Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., an air taxi operator, for operating two Cessna 402 aircraft on 77 commuter flights in violation of its air carrier certificate and operations specifications. The FAA alleged that the two aircraft were not authorized for use for the flights between June 21 and July 21, 2008 because they were not listed on the company's operating specifications for commuter service.

$50,000 against Fleet Aviation of White Plains, N.Y., an on-demand charter and air taxi company, for operating two of its aircraft on 251 flights between June 15, 2009 and March 19, 2010 when crews had not completed the emergency drills required by its training program.

$54,000 against Englund Marine Supply Co. of Astoria, Ore., for offering a package containing flammable gasses and liquids to UPS for transportation by air from Astoria to Rio Vista, Calif., March 26, 2010. The package was discovered leaking at Portland before it was loaded on an aircraft.

$70,000 against Coty, Inc., of New York, for offering a package containing perfume, a flammable liquid, to FedEx for transportation by air from Upland, Calif., to Covington, Wash., March 9, 2010. FedEx employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport discovered the shipment leaking.

In all instances of alleged hazmat violations, the materials offered were not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled and in proper condition for shipment under the hazardous materials regulations.

Companies have 30 days from receipt of the FAA's notice of proposed civil penalty to respond to the agency.

Chairman Cuellar, Congresswoman Miller, Members of the Subcommittee:

Thank you for inviting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to this hearing. We are Nancy Kalinowski, Vice President of System Operations Services in the Air Traffic Organization (ATO), and John Allen, Director of the Flight Standards Service in the Office of Aviation Safety at the FAA. Together, we have distinct yet related duties in carrying out the FAA's mission to ensure the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). Mr. Allen's organization is charged with setting and enforcing the safety standards for air operators and airmen. Ms. Kalinowski's role is to provide overall guidance for air traffic procedures and airspace issues and her office is the focal point for daily ATO interface with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding air transportation security issues.

As the most complex airspace in the world, the NAS encompasses an average of over 100,000 aviation operations per day, including commercial air traffic, cargo operations, business jets, etc. Additionally, there are over 238,000 general aviation aircraft that represent a wide range of sophistication and capabilities that may enter the system at any time. There are over 500 air traffic control facilities, more than 12,000 air navigation facilities, and over 19,000 airports, not to mention the thousands of other communications, surveillance, weather reporting, and other aviation support facilities. With this volume of traffic and high degree of complexity, through diligent oversight, the FAA maintains an extremely safe airspace.

With regard to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), we - the FAA - set the parameters for where a UAS may be operated and how those operations may be conducted safely in the NAS. Our main focus when evaluating UAS operations in the NAS is to avoid any situations in which a UAS would endanger other users of the NAS or compromise the safety of persons or property on the ground. The FAA recognizes the great potential of UASs in national defense and homeland security, and as such, we strive to accommodate the DoD and DHS' needs for UAS operations, but we must do so without jeopardizing safety. Because airspace is a finite resource, to help mitigate risk, FAA sets aside airspace for an operator's exclusive use when needed. These exclusive use areas are known as Restricted or Prohibited Areas. The DoD conducts most of its training in such airspace. Along the southern border of the country, the DoD has elected to share that restricted airspace with Customs and Border Protection (CBP). However, the CBP also operates UASs in civil airspace, as discussed below.

When new aviation technology becomes available, we must first determine whether the technology itself is safe and whether it can be operated safely. Whether the technology is to be used by pilots or air traffic controllers, we determine the risks associated with putting that technology into the NAS. Once we address and mitigate those risks, we move forward with integration in stages, assessing safety at each incremental step along the way. Unforeseen developments, changing needs, technological improvements, and human factors all play a role in whether the new technology is safe enough to be permitted into the system.

The FAA is using this same methodology to manage the integration of the new UAS technology into the NAS. While many view UASs as a promising new technology, the limited safety and operational data available does not support expedited or full integration into the NAS. For example, some of the data that we do have comes from the CBP, and while we have reason to believe that the safety data that we do have may not be a representative sampling of UAS operations, it is all we have. To the extent that this limited data from CBP are representative, they suggest that accident rates for UASs are higher than in general aviation and may be more than an order of magnitude higher than in commercial aviation.

For example, from Fiscal Year 2006 to Fiscal Year-to-Date 2010 (July 13, 2010), CBP reports a total of 5,688 flight hours. The CBP accident rate is 52.7 accidents per 100,000 flight hours (the standard safety data normalization factor/the standard on which safety data is reported). This accident rate is more than seven times the general aviation accident rate (7.11 accidents/100,000 flight hours) and 353 times the commercial aviation accident rate (0.149 accidents/100,000 flight hours).

While the CBP accident rate appears to be higher than general or commercial aviation, we note that CBP's total reported flight hours of 5,688 are very small in comparison to the 100,000 hour standard typically used to reflect aviation safety data and accident rates. CBP has had seven deviations (where the aircraft has done something unplanned or unexpected and violates an airspace regulation) so far this fiscal year in over 1,300 hours of flight time, as compared to the five deviations in 1,127 hours of flight time in Fiscal Year 2009. Continuing review of UAS operations will enhance FAA's ability to assess the safety to improve ongoing use of this technology.

This is the crux of the FAA's responsibility. More data is needed before an informed decision to fully integrate UASs into the NAS can be made. Because of this, the FAA must make conservative decisions with respect to UAS NAS integration. Until such time as the data can support an informed decision to integrate UASs in the NAS - where the public travels every day - in accordance with our safety mandate, the FAA must continue to move forward deliberately and cautiously.

For UASs to gain access to the civil airspace, the FAA has a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) process. This is the avenue by which public users (government agencies, including Federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as state universities) that wish to fly a UAS can gain access to the NAS, provided that the risks of flying the unmanned aircraft in the civil airspace can be appropriately mitigated. Civil UAS operators must apply for a Special Airworthiness Certificate - Experimental Category to gain access to the NAS. This avenue allows the civil user to operate the UAS for research and development, demonstrations, and crew training. The Special Airworthiness Certificate does not permit carrying persons or property for compensation or hire. Commercial UAS operations in the U.S. are not permitted at this time.

Risk mitigations required to grant a COA frequently include special provisions unique to the requested type of operation. For example, the applicant may be restricted to a defined airspace and/or operating during certain times of the day. The UAS may be required to have a transponder if it is to be flown in a certain type of airspace. A ground observer or accompanying "chase" aircraft may be required to act as the "eyes" of the UAS. Other safety enhancements may be required, depending on the nature of the proposed operation.

To apply for a COA, public entities may submit an application online with the FAA. The FAA then evaluates the request. Internally, ATO first examines the application for feasibility - airspace experts review and ensure the operation will not severely impact the efficiency of the NAS. The application is then sent to Flight Standards to evaluate the operational concept, the airworthiness release of the aircraft, the pilot/crew qualifications, and the policies and procedures used by the operator. From that in-depth evaluation, special provisions are written. These internal FAA offices then confer together to address any remaining concerns and harmonize the provisions needed to ensure the safe operation of the UAS. Once these steps have taken place, the COA is signed and given to the applicant.

We have recognized the need to streamline our process for evaluating COA applications. To address the timeliness concerns of applicants, the FAA is working to simplify the COA process and has also increased staffing levels by more than a dozen people. The FAA is working to better standardize the review process and increase communication and transparency between the agency and the applicants. We take this process seriously and while we are taking specific steps to improve the COA application process, we will always take the time needed to ensure these operations can be conducted safely.

These efforts are already showing improvements. In 2009, we issued 146 COAs. So far this year, we have issued 122 COAs, and we are on track to issue over 200 this year. At the current time, we have 268 active COAs on 133 different aircraft types, issued to 151 proponents. CBP currently has 11 COAs issued to them.

Normally, COAs are worked on a first-come, first-served basis. However, given that there are emergency and disaster situations where the use of UASs has saved lives and otherwise mitigated emergency situations, the FAA has issued three special disaster COAs, one to CBP and two to the DoD. Both agencies have requested COAs using the special process, and most disaster COAs have been issued before either agency had the aircraft and personnel in place to fly the mission. In addition, there is a second type of special "emergency" COA. Emergency COAs have been used to help with California wildfires, the Deepwater oil spill, and special law enforcement missions. These have been issued in minutes or hours, not days and weeks. The FAA has issued three disaster COAs and 16 emergency COAs to CBP for its use.

These are only a few of the many improvements that the FAA is implementing to address the concerns with the COA application process. In the meantime, we are working with our partners in government and the private sector to advance the development of UAS and the ultimate integration into the NAS. First, in accordance with Section 1036 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2009, Public Law 110-417, the DoD and FAA have formed an Executive Committee (ExCom) to focus on conflict resolution and identification of the range of policy, technical, and procedural concerns arising from the integration of UASs into the NAS. Other ExCom members include DHS and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to capture more broadly other Federal agency efforts and equities in the ExCom. The mission of this multi-agency UAS ExCom is to enable increased, and ultimately routine, access of Federal public UAS operations into the NAS to support the operational, training, developmental, and research requirements of the FAA, DoD, DHS, and NASA. All of these partner agencies are working to ensure that each department and agency is putting the proper focus and resources to continue to lead the world in the integration of UAS. We thank the Congress for enabling the formation of the ExCom to advance the work of UAS integration into the NAS and streamline the COA process.

The FAA expects small UASs to experience the greatest near-term growth in civil and commercial operations because of their versatility and relatively low initial cost and operating expenses. The agency has received extensive public comment on small UASs, both from proponents who feel their size dictates minimal regulation and from groups concerned about the hazards that UAS pose to piloted aircraft as well as persons and property on the ground.

In April 2008, the FAA chartered an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to examine these operational and safety issues and make recommendations on how to proceed with regulating small UASs. The agency has received the ARC's recommendations, and is drafting a proposed rule. Ensuring the safety of all airspace users while not putting undue burdens on small UAS operators is a challenging task; the FAA hopes to publish the proposed rule by mid-2011.

Additionally, the FAA has asked RTCA - an internationally recognized standards organization that frequently advises the agency on technical issues - to work with the FAA and industry and develop UAS standards. RTCA will answer two key questions:

These activities are targeted for completion before 2015.

As the FAA moves forward with improving the processes for integrating UAS into the NAS, we want to acknowledge and thank our partner agencies from DHS in helping to keep our skies safe. CBP, in cooperation with the FAA, conducted a comprehensive training session for all of their UAS pilots and sensor operators just last month. The 16-hour CBP training safety meeting was conducted June 14^th and15^th with classroom training, as well as guided discussion periods involving pilots and sensor operators from CBP. This approach to safety provided the two agencies with an environment to share knowledge and experience and forged a partnership that takes into account both the security of the homeland as well as the safety of our airspace. We look forward to continuing that partnership with the CBP, as well as the other Federal agencies, as UAS technology matures.

Unmanned aircraft systems are a promising new technology, but one that was originally and primarily designed for military purposes. Although the technology incorporated into UASs has advanced, their safety record warrants careful review. Now, as we attempt to integrate these aircraft into the NAS, we need to take a hard look at the risk that UASs pose to the traveling public as well as the risk to persons or property on the ground. As the agency charged with overseeing the safety of our skies, the FAA seeks to balance our partner agencies' security, defense, and other public needs with the safety of the NAS. We look forward to continuing our work with our partners and the Congress to do just that.

Chairman Cuellar, Congresswoman Miller, Members of the Subcommittee, this concludes our prepared remarks. We would be pleased to answer any questions you might have.

Good morning, and thank you, Sadie [Alvarado], for the invitation to come here. This is a homecoming for me. I grew up just up the road in Riverside just about 120 miles from here up I-5. I don't have to tell you how beautiful Southern California is. Great place to grow up. Greater place to come home to. In D.C. last week, the temperature hit 106. This is my idea of summer.

But I'm not here for the weather, and frankly I'm not here to deliver a speech. I'm here to connect with a national organization that needs to play full out when it comes to reenergizing the Federal Aviation Administration. Communication we have by the truckload. It's connection that we need. We can Facebook, e-mail, twitter and flicker and tweet all we want . We have devices to communicate, but until we connect - really connect we're still at square one.

I'm about connecting. When we connect, things happen. This is no management secret: It's a fact plain and simple. And there's never been a time more crucial for us in terms of the need to make connections.

If you look at our situation from any level or at any angle, we are at the crux of a series of transitions. For aviation, we're entering a new era. For the FAA, we're at the place where we must deploy the technology to usher in that new era. And as employees - as public servants - we're expected to rise above the bureaucratic tendencies that can put a stranglehold on both aviation and the FAA itself.

I'm calling on the National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees to bring in this new era with a sense of energy with what Randy Babbitt calls a NextGen mindset. This group has a reputation for making things happen, and we need to capitalize on it. I came to the FAA because I wanted to join an operational agency with a clear sense of mission, a mission that matters as much on the other side of the globe as it does here.

But I also came because I remember full well from my days at the Department at how impressive FAA employees were. When it comes to mission focus, you set the standard. When it comes to delivering on the goods, when it comes to serving the passenger, when it comes to holding the public trust, there is no finer group.

And that is I suppose what makes this a bit of a tough message, the kind of irony that only happens when you're already top shelf. There is no argument that you operate and maintain the safest and most efficient system in the history of the world but you're being asked to step it up. What we know with great certainty is that we live in a world that is at best uncertain. The public we serve - the passengers and families who put their trust in us - they're depending on the FAA to work its way through all of the economic turbulence that's shaken America to the very foundation. As the President sets about handling an economic crisis like this nation has never seen, as the environmental problems in the Gulf weigh heavily on our minds, and as we face wars overseas and the specter of terrorism here and abroad we must rise up as public servants to keep FAA operation running smoothly.

Unitedwe can? Absolutely. Better stated, united we must. We're held to a standard for which second best is unacceptable. That's a credit to you, but it also comes from a public that thinks you can do better, you can do more. I'm one of those, and I have supreme confidence that you can step it up and that you will.

When you hear a message like that - step it up - we always have two questions that come to mind: One, what's in it for me? Two, why should I care?

But I do not have to go through the drill here of trying to answer that, because I'm standing before a mission-focused group, a group of professionals who have demonstrated day after day, year after year that no challenge is too great.

The challenges we face are well known across the lines of business. That very phrase - across lines of business - is at the top of the list. For far too long, we've hidden behind the image of stovepipes as if somehow, some way, the organization is the problem.

That's not true, and every one of us knows it. The stovepipe is a term that hides the real issue. We're really talking about what Randy Babbitt calls "knowledge barriers," and he is absolutely right. When Airports and the CIO aren't on the same page, when Air Traffic and HR and Flight Standards and Tech Ops aren't working together, we're no better than a dozen small companies fighting over the same customer. Except, in the end, the bitter truth is that we're all supposed to be serving that same customer. United we can do that with a synergy that can make things, well, fly. When somebody said, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," well, it couldn't have been put any better.

As individual lines of business, we are good; extraordinarily good. But together - united - we can be great. So, what is a NextGen mindset, or what is NextGen, for that matter? It's not just a computer system. Operational and cultural change is how we do it. NextGen is enabled by technology but technology is not the end game. Greatness is what it will take to bring in the NextGen mentality that's at the core of NextGen being the success it promises to be. The new generations will bring diversity of thought, creativity and innovation. In the future, our FAA workforce needs to be a reflection of all groups of people, including Hispanics. Our organizational goal is to be one FAA. That in turn will move us forward with one mission and one vision. Safety is our passion and excellence is our promise. Integrity is our touchstone. But at the end of the day, people are our strength, which as you know depends on respect, diversity, collaboration, commitment and innovation.

With traffic on the way back up and facilities and equipment needing to be overhauled, we must implement NextGen. That's a foregone conclusion. As you know, the big gun for NextGen is ADS-B which is going to change situational awareness. When it comes to the NextGen mentality, that's also about situational awareness.

When you think about it, we're no longer able to sit back and wait for someone else to take action. The demonstration of the real NextGen mentality is the person who sees a need and sets about addressing it. We don't need office Rambos. Working across those lines of business with our fellow professionals will get the job done. Often, it's a fresh perspective, or even just the acknowledgement that you're not in this alone, that's just the boost someone needs to take care of a problem. This starts with something simple like eating lunch with people outside your LOB. I think we'll be amazed at the commonality of the issues we face and the commonality of the solutions already developed that are just sitting there.

There's an old proverb that says, "There is wisdom in a multitude of counselors." Maybe those stovepipes aren't as new to the scene as we may have thought.

The real question, I suppose, is next week when you are back in the office, what are you going to do that's different that reflects the NextGen mindset? It's one thing to get fired up and energized at a conference with like-minded people, but it's something else altogether when you're back to the daily grind. In your notes today, make some specific commitments that you intend to keep on how you are going to operate differently. Be specific. Things like serving as a mentor to someone who's new to the team pointing out areas in which a NextGen mindset could make a difference. Or asking the advice of someone who's been there and done that and then some. What about just being inclusive when it comes to devising the office work plan, going out on a limb in open conversation and making certain that you bring in the other lines of business? This isn't going to be easy. The easy part for us is mission focus. The hard part is trying something new and sticking with a change in course.

Really, this points to leadership. Leadership is not reserved for the top of the org chart. We need leadership at all levels, and it must start with all of us. In order for us to make the business case for NextGen, we - all of us - have to be able to make the business case for NextGen. Stepping forward to learn about what NextGen will do for us in terms of safety and the environment, for example, is something that shouldn't be predicated on a directive from headquarters.

We as a group need to step forward in the same way that Randy is moving forward to restore faith with our unions. This isn't about what happened back in the day; it's not about 2003 or 1981. There's no traction in that. This is about looking forward with a next level leadership that only comes from a NextGen mentality. We're not looking in the mirror. We're looking down the road; way down the road. When you stare at the front end of your car, you over-steer. When you look to the horizon, that's when you get a straight line over the long haul.

We are one agency with one mission. We are unified with a purpose. It's time for us to reduce duplication of efforts, no matter how well-intentioned. It's time for us to resolve long-standing issues that are holding us back. Let's face it, we have quite a bit of work to do when it comes to representation and diversity at all levels in this organization. If you're wondering what the new guy is thinking about that, here it is: This issue isn't something to complain about. It's something to act on. Everyone needs to work on this. This shouldn't be a hot potato to pass up the line to the Administrator or the Deputy. I'm looking for initiative here. We know the problem. It's certainly not new to us as an agency or to our society in general. We're long past the problem identification stage. We need to have some fresh ideas for solutions and I'm looking to you to get that in motion.

Here's the takeaway: This is a time for action. And the decision for that, my friends, is up to you individually and all of us together. United we can, and united we will. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I'm honored to be part of such a great team.