Recommendation: 

NASA Advisory Council Recommendation 

Aeronautics Flight Research Capability 

2012-03-03 (AC-02) 

Over the past few years, a number of external and internal assessments of NASA's Aeronautics 

research programs have been undertaken. More recently, at the request of NASA, the National 

Research Council (NRC) undertook a study of how best to integrate flight research in ARMD's 

current research activities. The NASA Advisory Council strongly endorses the critical role of 

flight research as underscored by the NRC and believes that NASA should sustain and enhance 

that capability. The NASA Advisory Council believes that there is significant value in proving 

technology performance in a relevant environment via flight testing. 

The NASA Advisory Council feels that the current balance between fundamental and 

integrated systems level research within the ARMD is appropriate for the given funding level. 

The Council also agrees with ARMD's plans for where and how to employ flight testing within 

the given budget and expects this work to continue to advance aviation and aerospace. 

However, the Council believes there is an opportunity for NASA to make even more 

substantial contributions by supporting more robust flight research, which will result in a much 

better balance among all critical elements of conducting world class research: analytical 

methods, ground testing, and flight testing. 

The NASA Advisory Council therefore recommends that NASA expand the use of flight test as 

an integral part of its overall research portfolio. However, the Council believes that additional 

resources outside of those currently allocated will be necessary to effectively implement 

additional flight research activities and it would be advantageous for ARMD to collaborate as 

much as practical with industry and other government agencies. 

In recognition of Neil Armstrong's dedication and contributions to both the NRC study and 

flight research, including as an X-IS test pilot, the NASA Advisory Council believes that 

expanding the depth of flight research at NASA could be appropriately dedicated to his legacy. 

Major Reasons for Proposing the Recommendation: 

While the Council recognizes the contributions of current ARMD activities that utilize flight 

assets (such as the EDA activity executed by the Airspace Systems Program in concert with the 

Federal Aviation Administration), the Council feels that increased flight test research is critical 

to the health of the aeronautics enterprise. The Council recognizes th(tt many factors have 

impacted the ability of NASA to sustain a robust flight research program. However, the 

resources and a strategic planning process through which NASA is able to establish priorities 

for utilizing flight research in balance with other technical capabilities will assure the long-term 

health and contributions of the NASA Aeronautics Research Program. 

Enclosure 
2 

Consequences of No Action on the Proposed Recommendation: 

The competition for program resources not only at NASA but at other federal agencies has put 

the Nation's world-class flight research capability as risk. With continued budgetary pressures, 

the under-utilization of flight testing will further erode NASA's flight research capability. 

NASA Response: 

NASA concurs with the NAC on the importance of flight research to advancing aeronautical 

research and proving out technologies in a relevant environment and supports the recognition 

of Neil Armstrong's contributions to flight research. NASA also appreciates the NAC's 

agreement with the balance that ARMD has achieved in its research program and our plans for 

employing flight research within our current budget. We also understand the NAC's position 

that additional resources would enable a productive expansion in flight research and a better 

balance to be achieved between analytical methods, ground testing, and flight testing. 

However, NASA cannot commit to increasing the resources available to ARMD at this time. 

As part of the annual budget process, NASA will perform strategic and programmatic analysis 

to determine the priority for augmenting ARMD resources to expand aeronautical flight 

research. NASA will further consider this recommendation at that time. In addition, ARMD 

remains committed to maximizing its partnerships in flight research to leverage as much as 

feasible from its existing budget portfolio. ARMD will provide a briefing on the status of flight 

research partnerships at the NAC's request and looks forward to guidance from the Council and 

the NAC Aeronautics Committee for continued improvements in leveraging partnership to 

strengthen flight research. Further, ARMD will commit to an internal assessment for new 

approaches to flight research that could be implemented within existing resources while 

achieving research objectives.