# Presentation: 691095

## Technology Transfer: Moving R&D to Operations

- Presentation at
**2****nd**** International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety**
**Steven R. Albersheim**
**June 23, 2004**

**Notes:**
Slide 1 - Title
Thank you for the generous introduction.  I’ve been looking forward to this meeting and the chance to share my perspective with you about the ever-changing business of aviation.  
Judging from events this past year, we can expect to be surprised by the pace of change.  For me personally, it’s meant a whole new career direction.  Until a few months ago, I was managing flight operations at American Airlines.  And, as a former airline captain, my perspective was that of a consumer, or customer of air traffic control services.  Now that I’m on the inside, I’m getting a close look from a very different viewpoint – that of provider rather than consumer. 
As providers of air navigation services, we share common goals and common problems.  Through meetings like this, I hope that we can also share common solutions.  
With me today is Steve Brown – who is already well known to many you.  As our Vice President for Operations Planning, Steve will be providing the international interface for our new organization and coordinating the development of the operational evolution plan.  
	Like me, Steve cares deeply about international harmonization.  He will continue to work with EUROCONTROL, the European Union, and all of you to promote our shared interest in safety and technological excellence. 
Steve and I are both very much aware of the changes going on within the European Union – changes that will have a profound impact on the development of air transportation in the future.  
I’ve entitled my talk today, “Navigating Change – New Directions in the Delivery of Air Traffic Services.  I’ve logged a lot of years in aviation, and I can think of no more tumultuous period than the one we’ve just been through.  
But now we can see signs that things are becoming more normal.  The global economy is improving, air travel is rebounding, and many of the world’s airlines are recovering from the worst downturn in history.  
It’s a credit to our resilience that we can now turn our attention to what one of my colleagues calls “the legacy issues” – aviation infrastructure, congestion and delays.  
One of the lessons of the past two years is that we must be able to respond to fast-changing directions – in the economy, in the industry, and in the world at large.  
For the European Union, this has meant creating an entirely new safety organization.  The European Aviation Safety Agency, which opened its doors scarcely more than three months ago, is a huge step toward improving global safety and efficiency.  I’m pleased to say that EASA’s executive director, Patrick Goudou, is meeting with Administrator Blakey this week in Washington.  The recent passage of the Single Sky Initiative is another important step the EU is taking to enhance its air traffic management network.  We look forward to a close and productive partnership on both initiatives.  
For the FAA, responding to rapid change has meant nothing less than a complete transformation in the way we manage the delivery of air traffic services.  
The FAA is proud of its history, and rightly so.  We successfully handle the largest volume of air traffic in the world, and we do it with an extraordinary degree of safety and efficiency.  So why do we feel we need to create a new Air Traffic Organization?
The answer is because as good as we are, we have to become better still.  
The creation of the Air Traffic Organization – which U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and FAA Administrator Marion Blakey announced this past November – is the outcome of months, even years, of deliberation by industry advisors, presidential commissions, and Congressional committees.  Despite their varying perspectives, all reached the same conclusion – that the FAA could improve its services by adopting best business practices that put the emphasis on performance. 

## Agenda

**Purpose**
**Process of the Aviation Weather Technology Transfer Board (AWTT)**
**Ideas and Concepts**
**Responsibility**
**Functionality**
**Case file**
**Principals**
**Stages**
**ICAO Connection**
**Summary**

## Purpose

**FAA/NWS needed a means to manage and accelerate new aviation weather products into operations.**
**FAA/NWS needed a means to demonstrate that new products meet service requests of end users.**

## Before AWTT

**Before AWTT**

**Users Meet**

**Concepts/Ideas**

**Target Needs**

**Platforms**

**Notes:**
Slide 4 – ATO: “Back to the Basics” (Triangle slide)
Before we took our first step, we had to go back to the basics.  We had to define who we are, whom we serve, and what is at risk if we fail to change.  The Air Traffic Organization is the service arm of the FAA.   Our principal service is moving aircraft with the highest attainable levels of safety and efficiency.  
Our customers are commercial and private aviation and the military, which is also our partner. 
Our owners are the traveling public and taxpayers as represented by the United States Congress and the Executive Branch.
Our employees are the service providers – the 38 thousand controllers, technicians, engineers, and support personnel whose daily efforts keep the airplanes moving.  

Without change, what is at risk is our future.  

Air traffic capacity is once again becoming very tight at many of our airports.  Two weeks ago, Secretary Mineta spoke to a gathering of industry leaders in Washington, D.C.  He told them that in 15 to 20 years, the United States would need triple the amount of air traffic capacity that it has today.  

Meeting that demand calls for strategic new direction – in the way we deliver our services and in the way we manage our resources. 

## What Does AWTT Do?

**What Does AWTT Do?**

**Users Meet**

**Concepts/Ideas**

**Target Needs**

**Platforms**

**AWTT Brings these Components Together in an Orderly Process**

**Notes:**
Slide 4 – ATO: “Back to the Basics” (Triangle slide)
Before we took our first step, we had to go back to the basics.  We had to define who we are, whom we serve, and what is at risk if we fail to change.  The Air Traffic Organization is the service arm of the FAA.   Our principal service is moving aircraft with the highest attainable levels of safety and efficiency.  
Our customers are commercial and private aviation and the military, which is also our partner. 
Our owners are the traveling public and taxpayers as represented by the United States Congress and the Executive Branch.
Our employees are the service providers – the 38 thousand controllers, technicians, engineers, and support personnel whose daily efforts keep the airplanes moving.  

Without change, what is at risk is our future.  

Air traffic capacity is once again becoming very tight at many of our airports.  Two weeks ago, Secretary Mineta spoke to a gathering of industry leaders in Washington, D.C.  He told them that in 15 to 20 years, the United States would need triple the amount of air traffic capacity that it has today.  

Meeting that demand calls for strategic new direction – in the way we deliver our services and in the way we manage our resources. 

## Responsibility

**AWTT Board Provides Oversight to:**
**R&D products originating from FAA Aviation Weather  Research Program**
**Any *****change in product content and/or use***** of FAA or NWS generated product, including those from FAA F&E systems**
**Product availability to or use by new class of users.**
**New product or capability requires significant new training and/or education on content and use.**

## Functionality of AWTT

**Provide user input to define user needs, requirements, and product design**
**User Needs Analysis**
**Concept of Use**
**Approve product graduations from experimental to operational based on:**
**Technical/scientific readiness**
**Operational readiness**
**Recommend priorities**

## Case File Contents

- Case File

- UNA*

- ConUse

- IP

**Cost/Benefit***

**Technical**
**Review**
**Report****

*** When available**
**** Includes all documentation presented to Technical Review Panel**

**Notes:**
Slide 4 – ATO: “Back to the Basics” (Triangle slide)
Before we took our first step, we had to go back to the basics.  We had to define who we are, whom we serve, and what is at risk if we fail to change.  The Air Traffic Organization is the service arm of the FAA.   Our principal service is moving aircraft with the highest attainable levels of safety and efficiency.  
Our customers are commercial and private aviation and the military, which is also our partner. 
Our owners are the traveling public and taxpayers as represented by the United States Congress and the Executive Branch.
Our employees are the service providers – the 38 thousand controllers, technicians, engineers, and support personnel whose daily efforts keep the airplanes moving.  

Without change, what is at risk is our future.  

Air traffic capacity is once again becoming very tight at many of our airports.  Two weeks ago, Secretary Mineta spoke to a gathering of industry leaders in Washington, D.C.  He told them that in 15 to 20 years, the United States would need triple the amount of air traffic capacity that it has today.  

Meeting that demand calls for strategic new direction – in the way we deliver our services and in the way we manage our resources. 

## Guiding Principals

**Integrate, don’t proliferate  **
**  **Target replacement of old with new products
-   Use same name wherever possible
**Avoid contradiction between new and old products  **
**  **Same parameter, severity, location, time = safety
**Avoid new terminology that does not substantially add value**
**Benefits:**
**  **Reduced training costs
-   Reduced user confusion

## Evolutionary Stages

**Evolutionary Stages**

- Sponsor

- Testing

- Experimental

- Operational

## Operations

**Operational means:**
**All production/dissemination systems and processes in the initial operational configuration are 24/7 and hardened for reliability**
**Product labeling and other guidance, as required,  is in place and training underway to enable intended users to properly employ the product**

## AWTT Provides

**Systematic Approach**:
**Identify how the introduction of a new product reduces proliferation of products and  manage unintended regulatory impact**
**User requirements**:
**Obtain effective input from user experts on product design early on in the process**
**Roadmap:**
**Identify the path from existing services to a new product suite**
**Identify regulatory issues that need to be addressed**
**Identify the priority against other products**

## ICAO Connection

**FAA MET Authority to ICAO for Annex 3**
**FAA sets and adopts service requirements for U.S.**
**FAA member to International Airways Volcano Watch Operations Group**
**Group advises Secretary on practices and requirements for VAACs**
**FAA leads working group to develop U.S. position**
**AWTT Process implements new SARPS**.
**New products or changes go through AWTT**
**Products have to be operationally acceptable before implementation on platforms**

## Summary

**AWTT  is process to operations**
**FAA/NWS through the AWTT accelerates R&D products into operations**.