Federal Aviation REDAC Administration

NAS OPS 

Subcommittee

Mike Gallivan

August 11, 2015 

R&D Budget Status
2 Federal Aviation

Administration

R,E&D FY 15 Budget

• R,E&D FY 15 Budget Request - $156.750M

• FY 15 Appropriation $156.750 

– Signed Dec. 16, 2014

– Safety - $91.019

– Improve Efficiency - $22.286

– Reduce Environmental Impacts - $37.935

– Mission Support - $5.510
3 Federal Aviation

Administration

FAA FY 2016 Budget Request

FY 16 FY 16 Difference FY 16 Difference

Account Request House Mark (+/-) Senate Mark (+/-)

Operations $ 9,915,000,000 $ 9,847,700,000 $ (67,300,000) $ 9,897,818,000 $ (17,182,000)

Facilites & Equipment $ 2,855,000,000 $ 2,500,000,000 $ (355,000,000) $ 2,600,000,000 $ (255,000,000)

Research, Engineering & Development $ 166,000,000 $ 156,750,000 $ (9,250,000) $ 163,325,000 $ (2,675,000)

Airports $ 2,900,000,000 $ 3,350,000,000 $ 450,000,000 $ 3,350,000,000 $ 450,000,000

Total $ 15,836,000,000 $ 15,854,450,000 $ 18,450,000 $ 16,011,143,000 $ 175,143,000
4 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 16 R,E&D Request

FY 15 FY 16 

Program Enacted Request

Fire Research & Safety $ 6,000,000 $ 6,643,000 

Propulsion & Fuel Systems $ 2,000,000 $ 3,034,000 

Advanced Materials /Structural Safety $ 2,909,000 $ 3,625,000 

Aircraft Icing/Digital System Safety $ 5,500,000 $ 6,920,000 

Continued Air Worthiness $ 9,619,000 $ 8,987,000 

Aircraft Catastrophic Failure Prevention Research $ 1,500,000 $ 1,433,000 

Flightdeck/Maintenance/System Integration Human Factors $ 6,000,000 $ 9,947,000 

Safety System Management $ 7,970,000 $ 6,063,000 

Air Traffic Control/Technical Operations Human Factors $ 5,400,000 $ 5,995,000 

Aeromedical Research $ 8,300,000 $ 10,255,000 

Weather Research $ 14,847,000 $ 18,253,000 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research $ 14,974,000 $ 9,635,000 

NextGen - Alternative Fuels for General Aviation $ 6,000,000 $ 5,833,000 

Total Safety $ 91,019,000 $ 96,623,000 

NextGen - Wake Turbulence $ 8,541,000 $ 8,680,000 

NextGen - Air Ground Integration $ 9,697,000 $ 8,875,000 

NextGen - Weather Technology in the Cockpit $ 4,048,000 $ 4,116,000 

Commercial Space $ - $ 3,000,000 

Total Economic Competiveness $ 22,286,000 $ 24,671,000 

Environment & Energy $ 14,921,000 $ 15,061,000 

NextGen Environmental Research - Aircraft Technologies, Fuels and Metrics $ 23,014,000 $ 23,823,000 

Environmental Sustainability $ 37,935,000 $ 38,884,000 

System Planning and Resource Management $ 2,100,000 $ 2,377,000 

WJHTC Lab Facilities $ 3,410,000 $ 3,445,000 

Mission Support $ 5,510,000 $ 5,822,000 

Total Research Engineering & Development $ 156,750,000 $ 166,000,000 
5 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 16 R,E&D Request

Program

 FY 2016 

Request 

($000) 

FY 16 

House 

Mark 

($000)

FY 16 

Request/FY

16 House 

+/-

 FY 2016 

Senate 

Mark 

($000) 

FY 16 

Request/FY16 

Senate +/-

 2016 

Conference 

Mark ($000) 

FY 16 

Request/FY16 

Conference +/-

Fire Research and Safety 6,643 6,000 (643) 6,643 - (6,643)

Propulsion and Fuel Systems 3,034 2,500 (534) 2,034 (1,000) (3,034)

Advanced Materials/Structural Safety 3,625 3,000 (625) 7,409 3,784 (3,625)

Aircraft Icing /Digital System Safety 6,920 6,000 (920) 5,920 (1,000) (6,920)

Continued Airw orthiness 8,987 8,987 - 8,987 - (8,987)

Aircraft Catastrophic Failure Prevention Research 1,433 1,433 - 1,433 - (1,433)

Flightdeck/Maintenance/System Integration Human 

Factors 9,947 6,802 (3,145) 5,000 (4,947) (9,947)

System Safety Management 6,063 6,063 - 6,063 - (6,063)

Air Traffic Control/Technical Operations Human 

Factors 5,995 5,410 (585) 4,995 (1,000) (5,995)

Aeromedical Research 10,255 8,467 (1,788) 8,300 (1,955) (10,255)

Weather Program 18,253 15,388 (2,865) 15,000 (3,253) (18,253)

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research 9,635 12,635 3,000 14,635 5,000 (9,635)

NextGen - Alternative Fuels for General Aviation 5,833 7,000 1,167 7,000 1,167 (5,833)

NextGen - Wake Turbulence 8,680 8,680 - 8,541 (139) (8,680)

NextGen - Air Ground Integration Human Factors 8,875 8,875 - 7,875 (1,000) (8,875)

NextGen - Self Separation Human Factors - - -

NextGen - Weather Technology in the Cockpit 4,116 4,116 - 4,048 (68) (4,116)

Commercial Space 3,000 1,000 (2,000) 2,000 (1,000) (3,000)

Environment and Energy 15,061 15,061 - 16,074 1,013 (15,061)

NextGen - Environmental Research - Aircraft 

Technologies, Fuels, and Metrics 23,823 23,823 - 25,823 2,000 (23,823)

System Planning and Resource Management 2,377 2,100 (277) 2,100 (277) (2,377)

William J. Hughes Technical Center Laboratory 

Facility 3,445 3,410 (35) 3,445 - (3,445)

TOTAL 166,000 156,750 (9,250) 163,325 (2,675) - (166,000)
6 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 2016 House Language

• Unmanned aircraft systems research.—The FAA has established six UAS test sites, which 

are expected to provide valuable information for developing the regulatory framework for 

UAS integration. However, the FAA will need to ensure it develops a comprehensive plan to 

identify research priorities, including how data from test site operations will be gathered, 

analyzed, and used. The Committee recognizes these challenges and provides $12,635,000 

for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, which is $3,000,000 above the budget request. 

These additional funds are provided to help meet the FAA’s UAS research goals of system 

safety and data gathering, aircraft certification, command and control link challenges, 

control station layout and certification, sense and avoid, and environmental impacts.

• NextGen-alternative fuels for general aviation.—The Committee provides $7,000,000 for 

alternative fuels research for general aviation, which is $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 

2015 enacted level and $1,167,000 above the budget request. During the complex transition 

of the general aviation piston fleet to an unleaded fuel, an increase in funding above last 

year is merited to move from research to a phase focused on coordinating and facilitating 

the fleetwide evaluation, certification and deployment of an unleaded fuel and to help 

overcome any market issues that prevent it from moving forward. The Committee 

recognizes this is a multi-year effort and looks forward to updates on the continued 

progress on this initiative as it effectively balances environmental improvement with 

aviation safety, technical challenges, and economic impact. 
7 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 2016 House Language

• NextGen environmental research—aircraft technologies, fuels and metrics.— The 

Committee provides $23,823,000 for the FAA’s NextGen environmental research aircraft 

technologies, fuels and metrics program, which is $809,000 above the fiscal year 2015 

enacted level and the same as the budget request. In addition, the Committee continues to 

support the FAA’s continuous, lower energy emissions, and noise program (CLEEN). The 

CLEEN program has helped to advance the research and development of advanced engine 

and airframe technologies that conserve more fuel and produce fewer emissions than 

current technologies. 
8 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 2015 Senate Language

• Unmanned Aerial Systems Research—Center of Excellence.—The Committee 

recommendation includes $14,635,000 for unmanned aircraft systems research, an 

increase of $5,000,000 above the budget request and $339,000 below the fiscal year 2015 

enacted level. The Committee directs the FAA to dedicate the funding increase over the 

budget request to the center of excellence. The Committee is pleased that the Department 

has established a UAS center of excellence to address a host of research challenges 

associated with integration of UAS into the national airspace. The formation of a UAS 

center of excellence is essential to meet the requirements enacted as part of the FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. The Committee directs that the center of excellence 

shall focus on key areas of UAS research including: airworthiness, remote sensing, 

advanced composites, detect and avoid, and low altitude research in harsh climates. 

Additionally, the center should maintain close relations with disaster response agencies, 

the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Agriculture in order to 

facilitate research in important UAS mission areas, such as environmental monitoring, 

weather and hydrologic prediction, precision agriculture, law enforcement, disaster 

response and oil transportation systems monitoring.
9 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 2016 Senate Language

• Unmanned Aerial Systems Research—Test Sites.—The Committee notes that integration of UAS into the National 

Airspace System [NAS] remains a national priority with the potential to increase public safety and bring economic 

benefits to a wide range of industries. In December 2013, the FAA chose six UAS test sites to assist the FAA in 

meeting its UAS research needs. In order to successfully meet its goals for integration, the FAA must execute an 

organized research plan to effectively leverage the capabilities of the test sites, as well as research being done by 

other Federal agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to guide its ongoing efforts to 

integrate UAS into the NAS. Research projects and programs funded through the center of excellence should use 

the airspace and capabilities available through the six test sites when conducting flight operations and collecting 

data. The Committee expects UAS flight operations conducted as part of the center of excellence research to be 

performed at one of six test sites selected for UAS research and airspace integration. The Committee also directs 

the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center to use these test sites in conducting its research and operational 

tests. The Committee recommendation includes $14,635,000 for unmanned aircraft systems research, of which 

$9,635,000 fully funds the FAA’s budget request to support the technical center’s research activities related to 

unmanned systems. This funding may be used to support the center’s research activities and operational tests 

conducted at the test sites.

• Because of the importance of these efforts, the Committee reiterates its direction from last year to improve the 

‘‘Integration of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] in the National Airspace System [NAS] Roadmap,’’ by 

including a strategic plan on research efforts. The strategic plan shall discuss: the specific research needs to 

safely integrate UAS into the NAS, including an examination of the research goals that the FAA must reach in order 

to successfully and safely advance NAS integration; FAA’s strategy to obtain the identified research through 

partnerships with other Federal agencies, the UAS center of excellence, participants in the UAS and aviation 

industry, and the UAS test sites; and an evaluation of the ability of the UAS test sites to coordinate with the FAA 

and its center of excellence, and participate in the FAA’s strategy to help achieve the research goals identified in 

the roadmap. The roadmap should also address milestones for research and development activities needed to allow 

operations of UAS flying beyond the line of sight. The first edition of the roadmap was published in 2013, and the 

Committee directs the FAA to update this roadmap no later than December 31, 2016.
10 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 2016 Senate Language

• Unmanned Aerial Systems Research—Coordination with Other Agencies.—Both the U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection [CBP] and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] research and 

develop UAS technologies. The Committee therefore encourages the FAA to leverage these research and 

development efforts as it integrates UAS into the national airspace. The Committee expects the FAA to 

use the resources provided for UAS research under the Committee recommendation to collect and 

evaluate data and information from CBP and NASA UAS projects, and to collaborate with these partners 

on research efforts necessary to integrate UAS into the national airspace. 

• Unmanned Aerospace Systems.—Media Projects.—The Committee urges the FAA to direct potential news 

and broadcast media pilot projects to the UAS test sites for consideration. The test sites would conduct 

these projects of small unmanned aircraft systems in both simulated and live demonstrations of covering 

breaking news and other special events. Current FAA regulations and policies generally prohibit the 

operation of small UAS over persons not directly involved with the UAS operation. These restrictions 

severely inhibit the media’s ability to serve the public interest through effective news gathering, and 

instead relegate media to use of manned helicopters, which the FAA itself has recognized poses greater 

risks to persons on the ground. The Committee recognizes the FAA’s recently announced Pathfinder 

program includes a project with CNN to study operations over people. The Committee supports this 

project but believes it should be expanded, given the public interest in enhancing news gathering through 

innovative technologies. The objective of the pilot projects is to demonstrate the technological 

capabilities and operational conditions that would ensure the safety of operations of small UASs to attend 

breaking news and other special events.

•
11 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 2016 Senate Language

• Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Airport Operations.—Given the rise in the number of UAS sightings at 

our Nation’s airports, there is interest in using technology that will detect, identify and track air vehicles 

and ground controllers to explicitly identify UAS without interference and ensure the safety of existing 

airport operations. The Committee therefore urges the FAA to work with airports in order to assess the 

ability of such technology to defeat an errant or hostile UAS without causing collateral damage to 

essential navigation systems, wireless communications, the general public or other airport operations.

• Alternative Fuels for General Aviation.—The Committee recommendation includes $7,000,000 for research 

that supports alternative fuels for general aviation. This funding level is $1,167,000 above the budget 

request and $1,000,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level.

• Environmental Sustainability.—The Committee recommendation includes a total of $41,897,000 for 

research related to environmental sustainability, which is $3,013,000 above the budget request and 

$3,962,000 above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level. This total includes $16,074,000 under the 

‘‘Environment and energy’’ and another $25,823,000 under ‘‘NextGen—Environmental research aircraft 

technologies, fuels, and metrics.’’ The funding provided under these headings supports the FAA’s 

continuous, lower energy emissions, and noise program [CLEEN], which has helped advance the 

research and development of advanced engine and airframe technologies that conserve more fuel and 

produce fewer emissions than today’s technology. The funding also supports the FAA’s center of 

excellence for alternative jet fuels and environment. The Committee directs the increase provided under 

its recommendation to this center
12 Federal Aviation

Administration

FY 16 Congressional Issues

• Sequestration is an issue for FY 2016 Budget 

Request

• Defense Overseas Contingency Operations 

($38B) 

• Senate filibuster problem

• Debt Ceiling not suppose to be an issue for 

FY 2016 Budget Request

• FY 2016 is most likely to start FY 2016 a CR
13 Federal Aviation

Administration

R,E&D FY 17 Budget Status

• FY 17 R,E&D OST Submission June 15, 2015

• FY 17 R,E&D OMB Submission early Sept. 

2015

• Scheduled date of FY 17 budget presented to 

Congress February 1, 2016
14 Federal Aviation

Administration

Out Year Targets

• Targets established Jan. 2015

– FY 17 - $169M

– FY 18 - $173M

– FY 19 - $174M

– FY 20 - $176M

– FY 21 - $180M

• Expect targets to change
15 Federal Aviation

Administration

FAA Reauthorization

• Current Authorization thru FY 2015

• Congress has put reauthorization on hold 

until September 2015

– Will require an extension
16 Federal Aviation

Administration

Budget Future - TBD

•It is unclear regarding funding levels after FY 15