Research, Engineering and 

Development Advisory 

Committee

Subcommittee Report -

Aircraft Safety (SAS)

Terry McVenes, SAS Chair

April 21, 2021
SAS Meeting 

February 23-24, 

2021

Day 1

• Briefing on New MOA between AVS and ANG

• Homework Discussion

• COVID-19 Impacts to Aviation

• Aviation Industry Direction and Challenges

• F&R Action Items Follow-Up

• Kathy Abbott – HF Certification Work

• Stacy Zinke – COVID-19 R&D Impacts

• Tom Nesthus – Fatigue Research

• UAS Research - William Oehlschlager

• Air force, Industry and FAA collaboration - Nathan 

Dillar

• Emerging Technologies – Wes Ryan
SAS Meeting 

February 23-24, 

2021

Day 2

• FAA Budget Update - Beth Delarosby

• Update on FY2023 research portfolio/revised 

process– Mark Orr

• Review of FY2023 portfolio – Domains

• Aircraft Safety Assurance 

• Digital Systems and Technologies 

• Human and Aeromedical Factors

• Aviation Performance and Planning 
Finding #1 – Visibility in the Source of RE&D Funding

• Some FAA research, engineering, and development activities are being sponsored and managed 

under Facilities and Equipment (F&E) funding

• Some research topics such as ATM and CNS were moved from RE&D funding to F&E funding in the 

late 1990s

• UAS Pilot Programs research is being managed with F&E funding

• Some research, engineering, and development being conducted under F&E funding also serve to 

inform FAA aviation safety policy, regulations, and rulemaking

• Lack of SAS visibility into projects sponsored and managed under F&E funding leads to an 

incomplete SAS review of research related to aviation safety policy, regulations, and rulemaking

• Potential exists for regular F&E activities, pressures, and priorities to overcome and negatively 

impact the prioritization and resources for mid- and long- term research
Recommendation # 1

The SAS recommends that the FAA brief the SAS on the process by which the 

research, engineering and development sponsored and managed within the RE&D 

funding and F&E funding is coordinated and ensure mid- and long-term research 

objectives prioritization is appropriately maintained.

The SAS recommends that the FAA include F&E research, engineering, and 

development which inform FAA aviation safety policy, regulations, and rulemaking 

BLI and/or projects in future SAS briefings.
Finding #2- Ice Crystal Icing

• FAA Research on Ice Crystal Icing Conditions to Address Fundamental Knowledge of HighAltitude Icing on Turbine Engine Damage and Power loss is currently un-funded through 

the 2023 fiscal year. Further in-depth research can aid current rulemaking work to address 

this issue appropriately. 

• Prior funding was used for several flight campaigns:

• Data analysis portion requires addition funding for an additional flight test campaign 

evaluating the effects of atmospheric Aerosol content on ice crystal concentrations at high 

altitude. 

• Funding should be available for ongoing work including additional testing for modeling 

and testing for ICI accretion behind the fan. 
Recommendation #2

The SAS recommends that FAA should consider further funding for ice crystal icing 

research for Fiscal years 2021 and beyond to ensure it is adequately addressed in 

certification and rulemaking. Additional research should be considered in the 

following fields: 

• Aerosol testing to determine the effects on high altitude ice crystal concentrations

• Continental vs Oceanic Mesoscale Convective Systems and lapse rates and their effect on 

High Altitude ICI 

• Basic physics studies of ice formations within turbine engine flow paths from high altitude 

ice crystal icing in mesoscale convective systems
Finding #3- Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning 

(AI/ML)

• Future advancements in control system technologies will depend upon an artificial 

learning process that has the potential to impact the basis of certification for such systems.

• The demands of industrial or ground-based systems differ greatly from those 

requirements for aircraft systems. If not fully researched and understood, the impact to 

aviation safety critical systems is significant.

• More research is required to better understand the means to establish criteria to judge 

the confidence and validation of such systems that ultimately can lead to a basis of 

certification of these same systems.

• There is significant standards development work being conducted by RTCA, SAE, and 

ASTM on these technologies across the entire aviation ecosystem, both airborne and 

ground, addressing both manned and unmanned systems. This includes unmanned traffic 

management (UTM) solutions. 
Recommendation #3

The SAS recommends that FAA place a priority on the funding of this research in 

ML/AI. This research will enable the FAA to work toward achieving a means of 

compliance by addressing the added challenge of better understanding the current 

and future scope of technology. 

The SAS recommends for close collaboration with industry to understand the FAA 

requirements and FAA to understand the technology to develop/modify 

requirements based on new technology. 
SAS Meeting

Next Meeting:

August 10-11, 2021

Questions?