05.18.05

Kathy Barnstorff
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.<br >(Office: 757/864-9886/Cellular: 757/344-8511)

Colleen Robar Mullen (NCAM representative), Detroit, Mi.
(Office: 313/394-0304/Cellular: 313/304-8639)
RELEASE: 05-029

SATS 2005 TECHNOLOGY EVENT TO ATTRACT NOTED AVIATION EXPERTS



Nationally recognized aviation experts will help kick off SATS 2005, a 
demonstration of technologies that could lead to a transformation of 
air travel, next month in Danville, Va.



Expected to attend the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) 
event, June 5-7, are NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, Federal 
Aviation Administration Administrator Marion Blakey, NASA Associate 
Administrator Dr. J. Victor Lebacqz and well-known aviation author 
and journalist James Fallows.



The event will showcase technologies designed to make small planes 
more accessible to more people. Nearly all of the people in the U.S. 
live within 30 minutes of an under-used community airport. SATS 
technology allows single-pilot planes to fly more safely and freely 
into more than 3,500 airports, including many without radar or air 
traffic control towers.



SATS 2005: A Transformation of Air Travel is the culmination of a 
five-year, public-private research partnership between NASA, the FAA 
and the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility (NCAM), which 
includes SATS laboratories in more than a half dozen states.



"SATS is a vision for a new kind of air travel that will complement 
today's airline system. Cockpit technologies already being developed 
will allow new classes of aircraft including very light jets and 
other advanced small planes to use neighborhood airports to fly 
people from place to place," said Jerry Hefner, NASA SATS project 
manager at the Langley Research Center.



"The caliber of industry leaders willing to come to the Danville 
Regional Airport to see what the project has achieved is a testament 
to the hard work of all the SATS partners," said Pete McHugh, FAA 
SATS program manager.



"We're excited to receive the support of influential officials like 
the heads of NASA and the FAA," seconded Jack Sheehan, NCAM 
president. "Their commitment to improve accessibility and 
affordability of air travel for everyone, especially those who live 
near under-used community airports, is what the SATS vision is all 
about."



SATS 2005 will open with a "fly-in" to the Danville Regional Airport 
June 5. Designed to inspire the next generation of explorers, a LEGO 
Mindstorm Robotics Competition is also slated for Sunday. Teams of 
students build mechanical robots out of LEGO building blocks and 
compete against each other.



Monday, June 6, is the premiere day of the demonstration with doors 
opening at 8 a.m. Students and visitors will be able see the latest 
aviation technologies that will make small planes more accessible to 
more airports, plus hear from experts on what impact SATS could have 
on businesses and communities. The tentative schedule has Rep. Virgil 
Goode (R-Virginia), the NASA and FAA Administrators, and Phil Boyer, 
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association president, speaking from 10:15 
-11 a.m.



They will be followed by a live demonstration of the SATS technologies 
and operating capabilities featuring a number of small aircraft. Live 
video will be beamed from the cockpits onto huge screens making the 
crowd of on-lookers "virtual co-pilots."



Other dignitaries expected to appear on June 6 are the executive 
vice-president of NetJets Richard Smith and author James Fallows. Up 
and coming aviation companies such as Cirrus, Eclipse and SATS Air 
will also showcase their aircraft and expertise.



SATS 2005 will open at 9 a.m., Tuesday, June 7. On the agenda that day 
is a presentation of a new research aircraft developed by Honda as 
well as panel discussions featuring additional aircraft 
manufacturers, including Adam and Cessna. All during the three-day 
event hundreds of students from the surrounding community will also 
have a chance to check out aircraft of the future and take part in 
hands-on aviation experiences.



SATS research has focused on four operating capabilities that may help 
permit people and goods to travel faster and farther, anywhere and 
any time. These technologies would allow:



Higher volume operations at airports that don’t have control towers or 
terminal radar

Pilots to land safely in low visibility conditions at minimally 
equipped airports

Increased single pilot performance

SATS aircraft to integrate seamlessly into the complex national 
airspace



For more information on SATS 2005: A Transformation of Air Travel, 
please check the Internet at:



www.sats2005.com



Media credentials are available for SATS 2005. Contact NCAM's Colleen 
Robar at colleen.robar@mullen.com or 313-394-0304 or register online 
at www.sats2005.com.

	
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