Speech – The Power of the Trans-Atlantic Partnership

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Assistant Administrtor for Policy, International Affairs and Environment Lawrence Wildgoose
Virtual

Thank you, Ingrid (Cherfils), for that introduction, and thank you to ECAC for the invitation to speak to your members and observers at the 39th triennial session.

Ill start with my conclusion: We, the United States, remain fully committed to the trans-Atlantic partnership, and we are confident that a new era of collaboration and growth is upon us. President Biden made this clear on his trip to Europe last month when he reaffirmed the primacy of the U.S.-European alliance and laid out a progressive agenda for tackling challenges and seizing opportunities.

Those messages are reflected in the priorities of U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. In fact, when I was appointed as the assistant administrator for policy, international affairs, and environment at the FAA this past January, I received very clear direction from President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg to take action on their agendas, to make things happen.

Action means advancing the departments traditional values of safety, innovation, and infrastructure, while also being laser-focused on the aviation industrys recovery post COVID-19. Climate change, equity and inclusion, and restoring Americas global standing are a few of the key priorities of the Biden-Harris administration.

The presidents priorities are already reflected in the work we are doing at the FAA and integrated into our day-to-day work in the form of our four strategic pillarssafety, global leadership, operational excellence, and people.

I know that these ideals are also important to our European partners as well, so we look forward to collaborating to ensure our shared success. This is particularly important as we work together to restore the global aviation network post-COVID, and in the longer term, as we strive to increase safety and protect the environment.

Its not hyperbole to say that when we work together, we improve our interconnected global aviation system, and the world is better for it.

AVIATION RECOVERY / COVID-19

Actionson both sides of the Atlanticwere foundational in our response to COVID-19 and will be just as important for the recovery of global aviation.

  • We worked together on the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAOs, Council Aviation Recovery Task Force to provide consistent guidance for air carriers to protect workers and air travel passengers from virus exposure and transmission
  • Our air traffic control experts collaborated to prioritize flights carrying vaccines and medical personnel, who were critical to our respective nations response and recovery.
  • In the U.S., while ensuring that all safety needs were met, we issued necessary, temporary regulatory relief for the industry, and after vaccines were approved, we responded within hours to provide medical guidance for pilots and air traffic controllers.
  • We kept aviation operating, to keep the flow of people and medicines moving, but also to kick start the global economic recovery, which is essential.

CLIMATE/SUSTAINABILITY

Action is what President Biden is doing regarding climate change. On day one of this administration, the president fulfilled his promise to rejoin the Paris Agreement and set a course for the United States to tackle the climate crisis at home and abroad, which includes a goal of reaching net zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050.

Global aviation is a key front in this battle, and the FAA is committed to make aviation greener for the future.

  • We are standing up a third phase of the Continuous Lower Energy Emissions and Noise program to accelerate the maturation of aircraft and engine technologies that improve fuel efficiency while also reducing noise and emissions.
  • We continue to research feed stocks and processes that can be used to develop sustainable aviation fuels and find ways to increase the amount of SAF being used by aviation.
  • And we continue to look at ways to minimize aircraft fuel burn through more efficient air traffic procedures. For example, the FAA is currently focused on implementing Trajectory-Based Operations, which will increase predictability and allow flights to absorb delays caused by merging and sequencing in a more fuel-efficient manner over the full trajectory.

But these efforts will take time to achieve their full potential, and we need to do more to reduce emissions now.

Thats why the United States continues to support the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or CORSIA. We believe it is a practical, market-based way to address the CO 2 emissions that we cant immediately reduce through technology, air traffic operations, or sustainable aviation fuels.

Industry supports CORSIA as well, seeing it as a way to help them meet their commitments to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Of course, we cant do this alone. Since most of the worlds air transport happens across borders, we need broad global support for climate action in multilateral forums like ICAO, and through direct, bilateral outreach with international partners.

In our U.S.-EU Safety and Sustainability webinar on June 30, the FAA and the European Commissions Directorate-General for Mobility and TransportDG MOVEaffirmed their commitment to increasing aviation safety and building a more sustainable industry. Underscoring this commitment is our strong track record of aviation safety, as codified in bilateral agreements, as well as our shared priority to address climate change.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Safety is an area where all of us have no choice but to take firm, consistent, and data-driven action as regulators of the global aerospace industry. I know we all agree that we can compete vigorously when it comes to our nations industries, but that we never compete on safety. Theres no better example of this than your actions and constant coordination during the safety evaluations for the grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and the reintroduction of MAX into airline service in Europe.

Your cooperation was key, and it has improved the transparency and sharing of knowledge between us. This teamwork is particularly important as we harmonize certification policies and processes, address continued airworthiness challenges, and take a fresh look at human factors in the design process.

The collaboration on the MAX gave us a big head start on reassessing our processes in advance of major aircraft certification reform legislation that was passed by the U.S. Congress in late December. That legislation directed us to improve our relationships with all foreign partners and ICAO, with a particular focus on broader use of Safety Management Systems and better understanding human factors from a global perspective.

Regarding Safety Management Systems, we have initiated a rulemaking that would require aircraft manufacturers that hold both a type certificate and a production certificate to implement safety management systems, consistent with international standards and practices.

Ill add that our relationship with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, continues to be positive, and were collaborating on certification reform through the Bilateral Oversight Board.

Action is what we both did when Belarus intercepted a civilian airliner in its airspacea clear violation of the international agreements that are the lifeblood of the international aviation system.

The U.S. strongly condemns any action taken by a foreign government that may potentially compromise the safety and integrity of international civil air navigation, and we strongly support calls for an international, transparent, and credible investigation of the May 23, 2021, Ryanair diversion to Minsk Airport.

INNOVATION

Action is also synonymous with innovation, and we are seeing rapid progress on that front both domestically and internationally.

The FAA recently granted Virgin Galactic a license to fly spaceflight participants from the companys New Mexico or California launch sites through July 2022. The approval required Virgin Galactic to show that its launch vehicle’s hardware and software worked safely and as intended during a previous test flight.

In the orbital domain, we marked a first for U.S.-European collaboration in commercial space in May. Thats when the FAA and NASA launched four astronautsone from the European Union, one from Japan, and two from the U.S.to the International Space Station aboard a Space X Falcon rocket as part of the Crew-2 mission.

This was the first U.S. commercial space mission to fly an astronaut from the European Space Agency. Along with three others already on the International Space Station, the crew is conducting biological research that could help all people by solving some of the complex questions about the human immune system.

The FAAs role was to ensure the commercial space operator, SpaceX, met all federal licensing requirements, as well as regulations to protect public safety during the launchand they did.

To date, we have an excellent record with our commercial space licensing. In fact, since 1989, we have conducted more than 400 FAA-licensed commercial launches, none of which have resulted in fatalities, serious injuries, or significant property damage to members of the public during any FAA-licensed launch.

That doesnt mean were resting on our laurelsits quite the opposite. It means were working even harder to uncover any threats that could lead to a problem.

Progress in space, as well as the many new technologies were putting to work closer to the earthlike drones and Urban Air Mobilityleave me optimistic about great progress to come in the transportation realm. And I know thisbecause of our trans-Atlantic partnership, it will be a shared destiny.

CONCLUSION

And that gets me back to my opening, which was also my conclusion: Based on our shared history, we cannot overemphasize the power of this partnership.

It was 10 years ago in May that we signed the bilateral aviation safety agreement, the BASA, between the U.S. and EU. The BASA enables EASA to validate our approvals of aviation products and parts, and allows the U.S. to validate EASAs certifications. This trust-based reciprocal acceptance of safety findings has steadily reduced the duplication of work by both organizations. It enables all of us to concentrate on new technology and higher risk safety issues. Thats good for our agencies and for the travelling public.

Without trust and collaboration, the BASA would not have been possible. And the same is true for all of our work together, now and into the future. Safety is a journey that we will embark upon together, as we have always done.

Ill close with something that Administrator Dickson said at the Safety and Sustainability webinar in late June that drives home the point: Weve proven we can accomplish more, with better results, when we work together.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to the meeting.

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Speech – Transatlantic Partnership is Strong, Critical to Safe, Green Global Aviation

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Administrator Stephen Dickson
Virtual

Remarks as prepared for delivery

Thank you, Andrew [Charlton]. Its great to join some of the most respected leaders in global aviation.

I thank the European Commission, Henrik, and everyone at DG MOVE for co-hosting todays event.

Usually, this is the part in the speakers introductory remarks where they say:This is an important period in aviation.

However, has there ever been a period in aviations history that was NOT important? Growth and recovery. Disruptive global events. And, the unrelenting pace of technology.

For these reasons, this period is no different nor less important.

Our industry connects the world. Aviation can accelerate recovery. And, more importantly, this industry can be a catalyst for change for new solutions and technologies that make our world better.

And, in this moment, it is for us to ensure the safe resurgence of an aviation industry battered by COVID-19, and in the longer term, make flying safer while protecting the environment. Thats why were gathering for this webinar.

Lets take a look

Were beginning to see an increase in passenger travel after more than a year.

Were seeing rapid innovation with drones, rockets, and other new vehicles.

And were facing heightened challenges too like cyber threats, and climate change.

The FAA is committed to making aviation safer, more efficient, and greener around the world. We do this as both an operator and as a regulator. And we can only meet that goal through strong alliances with other nations.

President Biden made this clear on his trip to Europe earlier this month for the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Summit. He reaffirmed the primacy of the U.S.-European alliance. The bonds we have forged through NATO and countless other areas continue to serve the interests of both sides.

The FAA strongly values our safety partnership with the European Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The U.S.-EU Aviation Safety Agreement is the bedrock of our partnership.

As part of this agreement, EASA validates our approvals of aviation products and parts, and we validate EASAs certifications. The reciprocal acceptance of safety findings has steadily reduced the duplication of work by both organizations. It enables all of us to concentrate on new technology and higher risk safety issues.

Together with the EU, we are working with stakeholders, manufacturers, and operators to enhance safety around the world. Weve proven we can accomplish more, with better results, when we work together.

One example is our close work on the safety evaluations for the grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The U.S.-EU cooperation improved the transparency and sharing of knowledge, and showed us new ways that we can work together in the future.

Ive said many times that safety is a journey, not a destination. Aviation safety must always be approached with humility. Its important that we always keep this in mind. And most journeys are better when you have trusted travel mates taking that journey with you!

If the last couple of years have shown us anything, it is that passengers expect the same level of safety no matter where they travel. As a worldwide aviation community, it is incumbent on us to work together to deliver on that expectation.

This requires us to constantly look for ways to make flying safer whether its through a better understanding of human factors or finding more effective ways to train flight crews of varying experience levels to operate increasingly complex aircraft, in an increasingly complex aviation system.

We must also broaden the use of Safety Management Systems to include aviation manufacturers, and strengthen oversight and international engagement. The success of our work together on the 737 MAX reaffirmed why these kinds of safety improvements are necessary, and why we must continue to pursue improvements in all areas.

In the middle of our work on the MAX aircraft, COVID-19 showed up. Here again, the United States and Europe stepped up. We worked multilaterally through all three phases of the ICAO Councils Aviation Recovery Taskforce.

Through this forum, we provided consistent guidance for air carriers and airports to protect airline passengers and workers from virus exposure and transmission.

We also provided guidance on virus testing, quarantining, and transporting of vaccines.

In the U.S., we acted quickly to issue regulatory relief for industry, and exemptions for airmen on medical certificates and recurrent training while ensuring that all safety needs were addressed.

After vaccines were approved, we responded with lightning speed to provide medical guidance for pilots and air traffic controllers.

We also worked with air carriers to ensure the safe transport of dry ice, which is necessary for the transport of some vaccines.

And air traffic control on both sides of the Atlantic coordinated to prioritize flights carrying vaccines and medical personnel who were critical to our nations response and recovery.

All of these efforts allowed vaccines to get into arms more quickly, slowing the spread of the virus.

The FAA has taken countless other steps against the pandemic, and were willing to share our experiences and our approach with our international counterparts.

Of course, COVID-19 is not the only major disruptor in the aviation industry. Were seeing rapid technological advances with drones, rockets, and other new vehicles. The pace and breadth of these advances will only accelerate.

The FAA issued two major rules on drones earlier this year: Operations Over People and Remote Identification. And weve stayed in close contact with our EU colleagues on drone regulatory developments.

The U.S. and Europe must continue to work together to promote global integration of these new technologies, while ensuring that all safety, security, and environmental needs are met.

At the FAA, safety will always be the prevailing principle and purpose that guides everything we do. Were also concerned about the potential safety risks of climate change and extreme shifts in weather that could affect aircraft performance. And we recognize the need for aviation to be environmentally sustainable.

Under President Bidens leadership, the United States has made tackling the climate crisis a major priority, and we reentered the Paris Agreement.

The President announced a 2030 target to reduce our domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent compared to 2005 levels. And the Administrations American Jobs Plan makes key investments in our nations sustainability efforts.

Of course, aviation is a key front in this battle. And the FAA is pursuing a number of efforts to make flying greener.

We continue to research technology improvements to improve fuel efficiency.

We continue to research feedstocks and processes that can be used to develop sustainable aviation fuels.

We continue to reduce aircraft fuel burn through NextGen and other ways to achieve more efficient air traffic procedures.

But these efforts will take time, and we need to do more to reduce emissions in the near term.

So the United States continues to support the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or CORSIA. We believe CORSIA is a practical, market-based way to address CO2 emissions.

The U.S. cant do this alone. We want to broaden global support for CORSIA and ensure continued global implementation by all ICAO Member States.

To do this, we must continue to work together in multilateral forums such as ICAO, and through direct, bilateral outreach to enable a sustainable global aviation recovery.

Climate change is the worlds greatest environmental threat. And we are eager to expand our research collaboration with our European colleagues to address this significant challenge. The Sustainable Aviation panel discussion can be a jumpstart to this effort.

Todays event is a chance to shine a spotlight on the safety and sustainability challenges affecting aviation today. And we look forward to continuing the dialogue and progress in the months ahead.

Before closing, I thank my colleague, Ali Bahrami. After three decades with the FAA, and four years as head of the Aviation Safety organization, Ali recently announced his retirement.

Ali, youve made a substantial and positive difference during your career. I thank you for your service and for your steadfast commitment to aviation safety.

Until Alis successor is named, Chris Rocheleau will act as Associate Administrator of Aviation Safety. Many of you know Chris from his work in our international office, or from his time as the FAAs Chief of Staff. We know he will bring the same energy, focus, and commitment to his aviation safety role as he did to his previous endeavors.

Thanks everyone, and Ill turn it back over to Andrew.

Thanks, Andrew, for moderating todays webinar.

We had a robust discussion today. I thank all of the panelists for joining. You each brought a unique and important perspective to the discussion.

The Safety Panel demonstrated that the U.S.-EU Safety Agreement is at the heart of what we do. It lays out the framework for us to work collaboratively on safety issues and there is ongoing conversation on a multitude of issues at the technical working level.

The FAA, European Commission, and EASA work with one another and industry to come to the safest, most efficient processes.

Our technical teams communicate regularly on a wide range of issues like eVTOL, drones, and environmental approvals to collaborate, share best practices, and harmonize where possible. This way, when we each make policy, it is based on data and well-thought out decisions.

The recovery pace for international travel is still unpredictable. But we know that people expect and deserve a high level of safety when they return to the skies, regardless of where in the world they are flying.

The citizens of the US, the EU, and around the world, are expecting us to work collaboratively to build upon current levels of safety. Whether with traditional aircraft, or with emerging vehicles, we must work together to certify civil aviation products in the safest and most efficient way possible.

On the safety panel, I was impressed with the focus on cooperation and collaboration. Its absolutely critical. The US has a different regulatory system than the EU. We work to harmonize, but that doesnt mean we always agree. Thats a good thing in my view. Ultimately, lets use that process to get to the best possible solutions.

Today, weve also talked about making aviation greener. Weve looked at ways to reduce fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions.

Weve also looked at the development of sustainable aviation fuels. And we want to ensure global support for CORSIA.

The Sustainability panel highlighted the importance of having a plan and the U.S., EU, and industry are looking at a multitude of ways to address aviations climate impact.

To be successful in drastically reducing emissions, we need to work together and work towards globally implementable solutions.

Coordinating research projects, connecting researchers, and making smart decisions with our respective areas of expertise helps us develop the data and tools we need to address the climate crisis.

The FAA is eager to take the next steps. As I said at the start of this meeting, we value our longstanding partnership with the European Commission and EASA. By working together, well continue to be successful.

Thanks again for an informative and beneficial event. And we look forward to continuing and expanding our partnership in the months and years ahead.