H. R. 302—219 
SEC. 622. AVIATION AND AEROSPACE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE 
STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall initiate a study— 
(1) to evaluate the current and future supply of individuals 
in the aviation and aerospace workforce; 
(2) to identify the factors influencing the supply of individ-
uals pursuing a career in the aviation or aerospace industry, 
including barriers to entry into the workforce; and 
(3) to identify methods to increase the future supply of 
individuals in the aviation and aerospace workforce, including 
best practices or programs to incentivize, recruit, and retain 
young people in aviation and aerospace professions. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—The Comptroller General shall conduct the 
study in consultation with— 
(1) appropriate Federal agencies; and 
(2) the aviation and aerospace industry, institutions of 
higher education, and labor stakeholders. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results 
of the study and related recommendations. 
SEC. 623. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON HIRING VETERANS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the aviation industry, including 
certificate holders under parts 121, 135, and 145 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations, should hire more of the Nation’s veterans. 
SEC. 
624. 
AVIATION 
MAINTENANCE 
INDUSTRY 
TECHNICAL 
WORKFORCE. 
(a) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall issue a final rule to modernize training pro-
grams at aviation maintenance technician schools governed by part 
147 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(b) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator shall coordinate with govern-
ment, educational institutions, labor organizations representing 
aviation maintenance workers, and businesses to develop and pub-
lish guidance or model curricula for aviation maintenance technician 
schools referred to in subsection (a) to ensure workforce readiness 
for industry needs, including curricula related to training in avi-
onics, troubleshooting, and other areas of industry needs. 
(c) REVIEW AND PERIODIC UPDATES.—The Administrator shall— 
(1) ensure training programs referred to in subsection (a) 
are revised and updated in correlation with aviation mainte-
nance technician airman certification standards as necessary 
to reflect current technology and maintenance practices; and 
(2) publish updates to the guidance or model curricula 
required under subsection (b) at least once every 2 years, as 
necessary, from the date of initial publication. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—If the Administrator does not issue 
such final rule by the deadline specified in subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall, not later than 30 days after such deadline, 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report con-
taining—
H. R. 302—220 
(1) an explanation as to why such final rule was not issued 
by such deadline; and 
(2) a schedule for issuing such final rule. 
(e) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on technical workers in the aviation maintenance 
industry. 
(f) CONTENTS.—In conducting the study under subsection (e), 
the Comptroller General shall— 
(1) analyze the current Standard Occupational Classifica-
tion system with regard to the aviation profession, particularly 
technical workers in the aviation maintenance industry; 
(2) analyze how changes to the Federal employment classi-
fication of aviation maintenance industry workers might affect 
government data on unemployment rates and wages; 
(3) analyze how changes to the Federal employment classi-
fication of aviation maintenance industry workers might affect 
projections for future aviation maintenance industry workforce 
needs and project technical worker shortfalls; 
(4) analyze the impact of Federal regulation, including 
Federal Aviation Administration oversight of certification, 
testing, and education programs, on employment of technical 
workers in the aviation maintenance industry; 
(5) develop recommendations on how Federal Aviation 
Administration regulations and policies could be improved to 
modernize training programs at aviation maintenance technical 
schools and address aviation maintenance industry needs for 
technical workers; 
(6) develop recommendations for better coordinating actions 
by government, educational institutions, and businesses to sup-
port workforce growth in the aviation maintenance industry; 
and 
(7) develop recommendations for addressing the needs for 
government 
funding, 
private 
investment, 
equipment 
for 
training purposes, and other resources necessary to strengthen 
existing training programs or develop new training programs 
to support workforce growth in the aviation industry. 
(g) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the results of the study. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions 
apply: 
(1) AVIATION MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY.—The term ‘‘aviation 
maintenance industry’’ means repair stations certificated under 
part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(2) TECHNICAL
WORKER.—The term ‘‘technical worker’’ 
means an individual authorized under part 43 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations, to maintain, rebuild, alter, or perform 
preventive maintenance on an aircraft, airframe, aircraft 
engine, propeller, appliance, or component part or employed 
by an entity so authorized to perform such a function. 
SEC. 625. AVIATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation shall estab-
lish— 
(1) a program to provide grants for eligible projects to 
support the education of future aircraft pilots and the develop-
ment of the aircraft pilot workforce; and
H. R. 302—221 
(2) a program to provide grants for eligible projects to 
support the education and recruitment of aviation maintenance 
technical workers and the development of the aviation mainte-
nance workforce. 
(b) PROJECT GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Out of amounts made available under 
section 48105 of title 49, United States Code, not more than 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 is author-
ized to be expended to provide grants under the program estab-
lished under subsection (a)(1), and $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2023 is authorized to provide grants under 
the program established under subsection (a)(2). 
(2) DOLLAR AMOUNT LIMIT.—Not more than $500,000 shall 
be available for any 1 grant in any 1 fiscal year under the 
programs established under subsection (a). 
(c) ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) An application for a grant under the program estab-
lished under subsection (a)(1) shall be submitted, in such form 
as the Secretary may specify, by— 
(A) an air carrier, as defined in section 40102 of title 
49, United States Code, or a labor organization rep-
resenting aircraft pilots; 
(B) an accredited institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or a high school or secondary school 
(as defined in section 7801 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)); 
(C) a flight school that provides flight training, as 
defined in part 61 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
or that holds a pilot school certificate under part 141 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; or 
(D) a State or local governmental entity. 
(2) An application for a grant under the pilot program 
established under subsection (a)(2) shall be submitted, in such 
form as the Secretary may specify, by— 
(A) a holder of a certificate issued under part 21, 
121, 135, or 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations 
or a labor organization representing aviation maintenance 
workers; 
(B) an accredited institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or a high school or secondary school 
(as defined in section 7801 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); and 
(C) a State or local governmental entity. 
(d) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.— 
(1) For purposes of the program established under sub-
section (a)(1), an eligible project is a project— 
(A) to create and deliver curriculum designed to provide 
high school students with meaningful aviation education 
that is designed to prepare the students to become aircraft 
pilots, aerospace engineers, or unmanned aircraft systems 
operators; or 
(B) to support the professional development of teachers 
using the curriculum described in subparagraph (A). 
(2) For purposes of the pilot program established under 
subsection (a)(2), an eligible project is a project—
H. R. 302—222 
(A) to establish new educational programs that teach 
technical skills used in aviation maintenance, including 
purchasing equipment, or to improve existing such pro-
grams; 
(B) to establish scholarships or apprenticeships for 
individuals pursuing employment in the aviation mainte-
nance industry; 
(C) to support outreach about careers in the aviation 
maintenance industry to— 
(i) primary, secondary, and post-secondary school 
students; or 
(ii) to communities underrepresented in the 
industry; 
(D) to support educational opportunities related to 
aviation 
maintenance 
in 
economically 
disadvantaged 
geographic areas; 
(E) to support transition to careers in aviation mainte-
nance, including for members of the Armed Forces; or 
(F) to otherwise enhance aviation maintenance tech-
nical education or the aviation maintenance industry 
workforce. 
(e) GRANT APPLICATION REVIEW.—In reviewing and selecting 
applications for grants under the programs established under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall— 
(1) prior to selecting among competing applications, consult, 
as appropriate, with representatives of aircraft repair stations, 
design and production approval holders, air carriers, labor 
organizations, business aviation, general aviation, educational 
institutions, and other relevant aviation sectors; and 
(2) ensure that the applications selected for projects estab-
lished under subsection (a)(1) will allow participation from a 
diverse collection of public and private schools in rural, subur-
ban, and urban areas. 
Subtitle D—Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
Workforce 
SEC. 631. COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE CENTERS OF EXCEL-
LENCE IN SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM TECH-
NOLOGY TRAINING. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Labor, 
shall establish a process to designate consortia of public, 2-year 
institutions of higher education as Community and Technical Col-
lege Centers of Excellence in Small Unmanned Aircraft System 
Technology Training (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Centers 
of Excellence’’). 
(b) FUNCTIONS.—A Center of Excellence designated under sub-
section (a) shall have the capacity to train students for career 
opportunities in industry and government service related to the 
use of small unmanned aircraft systems. 
(c) EDUCATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.—In order to be 
designated as a Center of Excellence under subsection (a), a consor-
tium shall be able to address education and training requirements
H. R. 302—223 
associated with various types of small unmanned aircraft systems, 
components, and related equipment, including with respect to— 
(1) multirotor and fixed-wing small unmanned aircraft; 
(2) flight systems, radio controllers, components, and 
characteristics of such aircraft; 
(3) routine maintenance, uses and applications, privacy 
concerns, safety, and insurance for such aircraft; 
(4) hands-on flight practice using small unmanned aircraft 
systems and computer simulator training; 
(5) use of small unmanned aircraft systems in various 
industry applications and local, State, and Federal government 
programs and services, including in agriculture, law enforce-
ment, monitoring oil and gas pipelines, natural disaster 
response and recovery, fire and emergency services, and other 
emerging areas; 
(6) Federal policies concerning small unmanned aircraft; 
(7) dual credit programs to deliver small unmanned aircraft 
training opportunities to secondary school students; or 
(8) training with respect to sensors and the processing, 
analyzing, and visualizing of data collected by small unmanned 
aircraft. 
(d) COLLABORATION.—Each Center of Excellence shall seek to 
collaborate with institutions participating in the Alliance for System 
Safety of UAS through Research Excellence of the Federal Aviation 
Administration and with the test ranges defined under section 
44801 of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act. 
(e) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001). 
SEC. 
632. 
COLLEGIATE 
TRAINING 
INITIATIVE 
PROGRAM 
FOR 
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall establish a collegiate training initiative pro-
gram relating to unmanned aircraft systems by making new agree-
ments or continuing existing agreements with institutions of higher 
education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) under which the institutions prepare 
students for careers involving unmanned aircraft systems. The 
Administrator may establish standards for the entry of such institu-
tions into the program and for their continued participation in 
the program. 
(b) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ has the meaning given that 
term by section 44801 of title 49, United States Code, as added 
by this Act.
H. R. 302—225 
Subtitle B—FAA Research and 
Development Organization 
SEC. 711. ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—Not later than 3 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall appoint an Assist-
ant Administrator for Research and Development. 
(b) 
RESPONSIBILITIES.—The 
Assistant 
Administrator 
for 
Research and Development shall, at a minimum, be responsible 
for— 
(1) management and oversight of all the FAA’s research 
and development programs and activities; and 
(2) production of all congressional reports from the FAA 
relevant to research and development, including the national 
aviation research plan required under section 44501(c) of title 
49, United States Code. 
(c) DUAL
APPOINTMENT.—The Assistant Administrator for 
Research and Development may be a dual-appointment, holding 
the responsibilities of another Assistant Administrator. 
SEC. 712. RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—Section 44508(a)(1)(A) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(A) provide advice and recommendations to the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration and Congress 
about needs, objectives, plans, approaches, content, and accom-
plishments of all aviation research and development activities 
and programs carried out, including those under sections 40119, 
44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of this title;’’. 
(b) WRITTEN REPLY TO RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—Sec-
tion 44508 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) WRITTEN REPLY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after receiving 
any recommendation from the research advisory committee, 
the Administrator shall provide a written reply to the research 
advisory committee that, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) clearly states whether the Administrator accepts 
or rejects the recommendation; 
‘‘(B) explains the rationale for the Administrator’s deci-
sion; 
‘‘(C) sets forth the timeframe in which the Adminis-
trator will implement the recommendation; and 
‘‘(D) describes the steps the Administrator will take 
to implement the recommendation. 
‘‘(2) TRANSPARENCY.—The written reply to the research 
advisory committee, when transmitted to the research advisory 
committee, shall be— 
‘‘(A) made publicly available on the research advisory 
committee website; and 
‘‘(B) transmitted to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate.
H. R. 302—226 
‘‘(3) NATIONAL
AVIATION
RESEARCH
PLAN.—The national 
aviation research plan required under section 44501(c) shall 
include a summary of all research advisory committee rec-
ommendations and a description of the status of their 
implementation.’’. 
Subtitle C—Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
SEC. 721. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT ROADMAP. 
The Secretary shall submit the unmanned aircraft systems 
roadmap to Congress on an annual basis as required under section 
48802(a) of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act. 
Subtitle D—Cybersecurity and Responses 
to Other Threats 
SEC. 731. CYBER TESTBED. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Administrator shall develop an integrated Cyber Testbed 
for research, development, evaluation, and validation of air traffic 
control modernization technologies, before they enter the national 
airspace system, as being compliant with FAA data security regula-
tions. The Cyber Testbed shall be part of an integrated research 
and development test environment capable of creating, identifying, 
defending, and solving cybersecurity-related problems for the 
national airspace system. This integrated test environment shall 
incorporate integrated test capacities within the FAA related to 
the national airspace system and NextGen. 
SEC. 732. STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF EXTREME WEATHER ON AIR 
TRAVEL. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration and the Administrator of the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration shall jointly complete a study on the 
effect of extreme weather on commercial air travel. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study required by subsection (a) shall 
include assessment of the following: 
(1) Whether extreme weather may result in an increase 
in turbulence. 
(2) The effect of extreme weather on current commercial 
air routes. 
(3) The effect of extreme weather on domestic airports, 
air traffic control facilities, and associated facilities. 
Subtitle E—FAA Research and 
Development Activities 
SEC. 741. RESEARCH PLAN FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF NEW TECH-
NOLOGIES INTO THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Administrator, in consultation with NASA, shall transmit
H. R. 302—227 
a comprehensive research plan for the certification of new tech-
nologies into the national airspace system to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate. This plan shall identify research necessary to support 
the certification and implementation of NextGen, including both 
ground and air elements, and explain the plan’s relationship to 
other activities and procedures required for certification and 
implementation of new technologies into the national airspace 
system. This plan shall be informed by the recommendations of 
the National Research Council report titled ‘‘Transformation in 
the Air—A Review of the FAA Research Plan’’, issued on June 
8, 2015. This plan shall include, at a minimum— 
(1) a description of the strategic and prescriptive value 
of the research plan; 
(2) an explanation of the expected outcomes from executing 
the plan; 
(3) an assessment of the FAA’s plan to use research and 
development to improve cybersecurity over the next 5 years; 
(4) an assessment of the current software assurance prac-
tices, and the desired level or attributes to target in the soft-
ware assurance program; and 
(5) best practices in research and development used by 
other 
organizations, 
such 
as 
NASA, 
NavCanada, 
and 
Eurocontrol. 
SEC. 742. TECHNOLOGY REVIEW. 
(a) REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration, in coordination with the Administrator 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, shall 
conduct a review of current and planned research on the use 
of advanced aircraft technologies, innovative materials, alter-
native fuels, additive manufacturing, and novel aircraft designs, 
to increase aircraft fuel efficiency. 
(2) SUMMARIES.—The review conducted under paragraph 
(1) shall include summaries of projects and missions to 
examine— 
(A) the effectiveness of such technologies, materials, 
fuels, and aircraft designs to enhance fuel efficiency and 
aerodynamic performance, and reduce drag, weight, noise, 
and fuel consumption; and 
(B) the potential for novel flight pattern planning and 
communications systems to reduce aircraft taxiing and air-
port circling. 
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The review conducted under para-
graph (1) shall identify potential opportunities for additional 
research and development, public or private, to increase aircraft 
fuel efficiency. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report containing the results of the review conducted under sub-
section (a).
H. R. 302—228 
SEC. 743. CLEEN AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP. 
(a) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—Subchapter I of chapter 475 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘§ 47511. CLEEN engine and airframe technology partnership 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall enter into a cost-sharing cooperative agree-
ment, using a competitive process, with institutions, entities, or 
consortiums to carry out a program for the development, matura-
tion, and testing of certifiable CLEEN aircraft, engine technologies, 
and jet fuels for civil subsonic airplanes. 
‘‘(b) CLEEN ENGINE AND AIRFRAME TECHNOLOGY DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘CLEEN aircraft and engine technology’ 
means continuous lower energy, emissions, and noise aircraft and 
engine technology. 
‘‘(c) PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE.—The Administrator shall estab-
lish the performance objectives for the program in terms of the 
specific objectives to reduce fuel burn, emissions and noise.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents of subchapter I of chapter 475 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 47510 the following: 
‘‘47511. CLEEN engine and airframe technology partnership.’’. 
SEC. 744. RESEARCH AND DEPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN AIRFIELD PAVE-
MENT TECHNOLOGIES. 
Using amounts made available under section 48102(a) of title 
49, United States Code, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration may carry out a program for the research and 
development of aircraft pavement technologies under which the 
Administrator makes grants to, and enters into cooperative agree-
ments with, institutions of higher education and nonprofit organiza-
tions that— 
(1) research concrete and asphalt airfield pavement tech-
nologies that extend the life of airfield pavements; 
(2) develop and conduct training; 
(3) provide for demonstration projects; and 
(4) promote the latest airfield pavement technologies to 
aid in the development of safer, more cost effective, and more 
durable airfield pavements. 
Subtitle F—Geospatial Data 
SEC. 751. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Geospatial 
Data Act of 2018’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) open and publicly available data is essential to the 
successful operation of the GeoPlatform; 
(2) the private sector in the United States, for the purposes 
of acquiring and producing quality geospatial data and 
geospatial data services, has been and continues to be invalu-
able in carrying out the varying missions of Federal depart-
ments and agencies, as well as contributing positively to the 
United States economy; and