H. R. 1758—436
(C) toxicology and the effects of drugs on human
performance;
(D) the impact of disease and disability on human
performance;
(E) vision and its relationship to human performance
and equipment design;
(F) human factors of flight crews, air traffic controllers,
mechanics, inspectors, airway facility technicians, and
other individuals involved in operating and maintaining
aircraft and air traffic control equipment; and
(G) agency work force optimization, including training,
equipment design, reduction of errors, and identification
of candidate tasks for automation;
(2) make comments to the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration on human factors aspects of proposed
air safety regulations;
(3) make comments to the Administrator on human factors
aspects of proposed training programs, equipment require-
ments, standards, and procedures for aviation personnel;
(4) advise, assist, and represent the Federal Aviation
Administration in the human factors aspects of joint projects
between the Administration and the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, other departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities of the United States Government, industry,
and governments of foreign countries; and
(5) provide medical consultation services to the Adminis-
trator about medical certification of airmen.
§ 44508. Research advisory committee
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
AND DUTIES.—(1) There is a research
advisory committee in the Federal Aviation Administration. The
committee shall—
(A) provide advice and recommendations to the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration about needs,
objectives, plans, approaches, content, and accomplishments of
the aviation research program carried out under sections 40119,
44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of this title;
(B) assist in ensuring that the research is coordinated
with similar research being conducted outside the Administra-
tion; and
(C) review the operations of the regional centers of air
transportation excellence established under section 44513 of
this title.
(2) The Administrator may establish subordinate committees
to provide advice on specific areas of research conducted under
sections 40119, 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of
this title.
(b) MEMBERS, CHAIRMAN, PAY, AND EXPENSES.—(1) The commit-
tee is composed of not more than 30 members appointed by the
Administrator from among individuals who are not employees of
the Administration and who are specially qualified to serve on
the committee because of their education, training, or experience.
In appointing members of the committee, the Administrator shall
ensure that the regional centers of air transportation excellence,
universities, corporations, associations, consumers, and other
departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States
Government are represented.
H. R. 1758—437
(2) The Administrator shall designate the chairman of the
committee.
(3) A member of the committee serves without pay. However,
the Administrator may allow a member, when attending meetings
of the committee or a subordinate committee, expenses as author-
ized under section 5703 of title 5.
(c) 
SUPPORT
STAFF, 
INFORMATION, 
AND
SERVICES.—The
Administrator shall provide support staff for the committee. On
request of the committee, the Administrator shall provide informa-
tion, administrative services, and supplies that the Administrator
considers necessary for the committee to carry out its duties and
powers.
(d) NONAPPLICATION.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 App. U.S.C.) does not apply to the committee.
(e) USE
AND LIMITATION
OF AMOUNTS.—(1) Not more than
.1 percent of the amounts made available to conduct research under
sections 40119, 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of
this title may be used by the Administrator to carry out this
section.
(2) A limitation on amounts available for obligation by or for
the committee does not apply to amounts made available to carry
out this section.
§ 44509. Demonstration projects
The Secretary of Transportation may carry out under this chap-
ter demonstration projects that the Secretary considers necessary
for research and development activities under this chapter.
§ 44510. Airway science curriculum grants
(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration may make competitive grant agreements
with institutions of higher education having airway science curric-
ula for the United States Government’s share of the allowable
direct costs of the following categories of items to the extent that
the items are in support of airway science curricula:
(1) the construction, purchase, or lease with an option
to purchase, of buildings and associated facilities.
(2) instructional material and equipment.
(b) COST GUIDELINES.—The Administrator shall establish guide-
lines to determine the direct costs allowable under a grant to
be made under this section. The Government’s share of the allow-
able cost of a project assisted by a grant under this section may
not be more than 65 percent.
§ 44511. Aviation research grants
(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration may make grants to institutions of higher
education and nonprofit research organizations to conduct aviation
research in areas the Administrator considers necessary for the
long-term growth of civil aviation.
(b) APPLICATIONS.—An institution of higher education or non-
profit research organization interested in receiving a grant under
this section may submit an application to the Administrator. The
application must be in the form and contain the information the
Administrator requires.
H. R. 1758—438
(c) SOLICITATION, REVIEW, AND EVALUATION PROCESS.—The
Administrator shall establish a solicitation, review, and evaluation
process that ensures—
(1) providing grants under this section for proposals having
adequate merit and relevancy to the mission of the Administra-
tion;
(2) a fair geographical distribution of grants under this
section; and
(3) the inclusion of historically black institutions of higher
education and other minority nonprofit research organizations
for grant consideration under this section.
(d) RECORDS.—Each person receiving a grant under this section
shall maintain records that the Administrator requires as being
necessary to facilitate an effective audit and evaluation of the
use of money provided under the grant.
(e) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Administrator shall submit an
annual report to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate on carrying out this
section.
§ 44512. Catastrophic failure prevention research grants
(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration may make grants to institutions of higher
education and nonprofit research organizations—
(1) to conduct aviation research related to the development
of technologies and methods to assess the risk of, and prevent,
defects, failures, and malfunctions of products, parts, processes,
and articles manufactured for use in aircraft, aircraft engines,
propellers, and appliances that could result in a catastrophic
failure of an aircraft; and
(2) to establish centers of excellence for continuing the
research.
(b) SOLICITATION, APPLICATION, REVIEW, AND
EVALUATION
PROCESS.—The Administrator shall establish a solicitation, applica-
tion, review, and evaluation process that ensures providing grants
under this section for proposals having adequate merit and rel-
evancy to the research described in subsection (a) of this section.
§ 44513. Regional centers of air transportation excellence
(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration may make grants to institutions of higher
education to establish and operate regional centers of air transpor-
tation excellence. The locations shall be distributed in a geographi-
cally fair way.
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—(1) The responsibilities of each center
established under this section shall include—
(A) conducting research on—
(i) airspace and airport planning and design;
(ii) airport capacity enhancement techniques;
(iii) human performance in the air transportation
environment;
(iv) aviation safety and security;
(v) the supply of trained air transportation personnel,
including pilots and mechanics; and
H. R. 1758—439
(vi) other aviation issues related to developing and
maintaining a safe and efficient air transportation system;
and
(B) interpreting, publishing, and disseminating the results
of the research.
(2) In conducting research described in paragraph (1)(A) of
this subsection, each center may make contracts with nonprofit
research organizations and other appropriate persons.
(c) APPLICATIONS.—An institution of higher education interested
in receiving a grant under this section may submit an application
to the Administrator. The application must be in the form and
contain the information that the Administrator requires by regula-
tion.
(d) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Administrator shall select recipi-
ents of grants under this section on the basis of the following
criteria:
(1) the extent to which the needs of the State in which
the applicant is located are representative of the needs of
the region for improved air transportation services and facili-
ties.
(2) the demonstrated research and extension resources
available to the applicant to carry out this section.
(3) the ability of the applicant to provide leadership in
making national and regional contributions to the solution of
both long-range and immediate air transportation problems.
(4) the extent to which the applicant has an established
air transportation program.
(5) the demonstrated ability of the applicant to disseminate
results of air transportation research and educational programs
through a statewide or regionwide continuing education pro-
gram.
(6) the projects the applicant proposes to carry out under
the grant.
(e) EXPENDITURE AGREEMENTS.—A grant may be made under
this section in a fiscal year only if the recipient makes an agreement
with the Administrator that the Administrator requires to ensure
that the recipient will maintain its total expenditures from all
other sources for establishing and operating the center and related
research activities at a level at least equal to the average level
of those expenditures in the 2 fiscal years of the recipient occurring
immediately before November 5, 1990.
(f) GOVERNMENT’S
SHARE
OF
COSTS.—The United States
Government’s share of a grant under this section is 50 percent
of the costs of establishing and operating the center and related
research activities that the grant recipient carries out.
(g) ALLOCATING AMOUNTS.—The Administrator shall allocate
amounts made available to carry out this section in a geographically
fair way.
§ 44514. Flight service stations
(a) HOURS OF OPERATION.—(1) The Secretary of Transportation
may close, or reduce the hours of operation of, a flight service
station in an area only if the service provided in the area after
the closing or during the hours the station is not in operation
is provided by an automated flight service station with at least
model 1 equipment.