COE for Airworthiness Assurance (AACE)

Competitively Selected:  1997
Single source contract authority:  $100M cap
Technology Areas:
Maintenance, Inspection, and Repair
Crashworthiness
Propulsion and Fuel Systems Safety Technologies
Advanced Materials

	Sponsor:   FAA Airport & Aircraft Safety R&D Division
	Members:  Phase II  31 Equal University Partners ( see following list)

COE for Airworthiness Assurance 
Phase II - University Members
  
Arizona State University
  Baylor University
  Carnegie Mellon University
  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  Florida International University
  George Washington University
  Iowa State University
  Johns Hopkins University
  Lehigh University
  Mississippi State University
  New Jersey Institute of Technology
  North Carolina A&T State University
  Northwestern University
Ohio State University 
Ohio University
  Pennsylvania State University
Purdue University
Rutgers University
Tuskegee University
  University of Arizona
  University of California at Berkeley
  University of California at Los Angeles
  University of California at Santa Barbara
  University of Dayton
  University of Maryland
  University of Missouri - Columbia
  University of North Dakota
  University of Utah
  University of Washington
 Wayne State University
 Wichita State University

COE for Airworthiness Assurance 
Phase II  Industry Affiliates
ABX Air, Inc.
AirTran Airways
Alaska Airlines
Aloha Airlines
American Airlines
American Eagle
Atlantic Coast Airways
Boeing
Bombardier Aerospace-Learjet
Cape Air
Cessna
Continental
Delta
Federal Express
General Electric
Honeywell
JetBlue Airways
Lufthansa
Nantucket Airlines
Northwest
Pratt & Whitney 
Raytheon
United Airlines
US Airways 

Center of Excellence for Airworthiness Assurance
AACE

Established in September of 1997 by the FAA, The Center of Excellence (COE) for
Airworthiness Assurance (AACE) is one of  seven currently operating  Air Transportation COEs.

This Center is a multi-institutional, multidisciplinary team established by the FAA to address research, development, education, and technology transfer in the area of airworthiness assurance. Its mission is to contribute significantly toward aviation accident race reduction, especially in fatalities, thus improving aviation safety.
In today's competitive market, the FAA realizes that the best way to investigate and solve aviation safety issues is to build a research team that combines the best talent from government, academia, and private industry.

AACE researchers provide technical support and engineering data to many of the key industry committees that deal with industry standards and specifications and define methods and processes used in the manufacture, operation, maintenance, repair, and inspection of aviation products.

With the active participation of private industry the partnership has experts from over 50 of the preeminent companies in the aviation industry such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Aircraft, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and American Airlines partnering to improve aviation safety.

In November 2000, Phase I was successfully completed and a second phase began.
The members arc continuing to explore cutting edge technologies and their applications
to civil aviation. Research has begun in new areas such as nanotechnology, software and digid systems safety, and damage tolerance for propellers.

The FAA provides technical guidance, overall program oversight, and leadership for the Center. Original core members under Phase I included Ohio State University, Iowa State University, Arizona State University, Northwestern University, University of Dayton, University of Maryland, Sandia National Laboratories, Wichita State University, and University of California-Los Angcles.
 Universities may affiliate with industry partners as needcd.

Currently, under Phase II of the program, AACE has h e following members:
Arizona State University
Baylor University
Carnegie Mellon University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida International University
George Washington University
Iowa State University
Johns Hopkins University
Lehigh University
Mississippi State University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
North Carolina A&T State University
Northwestern University
Ohio State University 
Ohio University
Pennsylvania State University
Purdue University
Rutgers University
Tuskegee University
University of Arizona
University of California at Berkeley
University of California at Los Angeles
University of California at Santa Barbara
University of Dayton
University of Maryland
University of Missouri - Columbia
University of North Dakota
University of Utah
University of Washington
Wayne State University
Wichita State University

FAA COE for Airworthiness Assurance
Program Manager
Jim White
William J. Hughes Technical Center
Phone: (609) 485-5 138
Fax: (609) 485-4101
Email: jim.white@faa.gov

The FAA has estab1ished the following Centers of Excellence:
The Joint Center of Excellence for Computational Modeling of Aircraft Structures
1992- 1996. Designated by Congress in 1990.

Airport Technology- 1995
http://www.ce.uiuc.edu/research/ceat

Operations Research  1996
http://www.nextor.org

Airworthiness Assurance  1997
http://www.coe.faa.gov/aace

General Aviation  2001
http://www.cgar.org

Aircraft Noise and Aviation Emissions Mitigation  2003
With NASA and Transport Canada
http://www.partner.aero

Advanced Materials - 2004
http://www.niar.wisu.edu/coe/cecam.asp
http://www.depts.washington.edu/amtas

Airliner Cabin Environment Research  2004
www.acer.eng.auburn.edu

Patricia Watts, Ph.D.
FAA COE Program Director
609-485-5043
fax: 609-485-9430
patricia.watts@faa.gov
www.coe.faa.gov