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Speech – National Civil Rights Training Conference (NCRTC) for Airports

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Administrator Stephen Dickson
Virtual

Good morning, everyone.

Im honored to be here on the opening day of the 12th annual FAA National Civil Rights Training Conference for Airports.

We gather here at a consequential time, to talk about equal opportunity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and the importance of making sure that our nations airports are open to everyonetravelers, operators, and concessionaires alike.

We come to this years conference with a new Administration that has an energized emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion across all government and transportation modes.

That means a lot of emphasis on airports. There are new executive orders that emphasize the importance of achieving equity in federally funded programs at airports.

There are new DOT internal orders related to environmental justice and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the law that governs how the FAA oversees airports for nondiscrimination compliance.

Part of our job at the FAA is to help airports make sense of all these changes that advance civil rights, but at the same time may affect your eligibility for federal funding. And thats a big part of why weve asked everyone to join us for this conference today and tomorrow.

Working with the DOT, weve had many years of practice in making the travel experience a model for equal access and opportunities for everyone.

Starting in the 1970s, we established requirements for nondiscrimination on the basis of disability at federally funded airports under Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. We issued guidance to airlines on how best to assist passengers with a wide variety of disabilities, including people who are blind or deaf.

We expanded anti-discrimination actions in 1986 with the passage of the Air Carrier Access Act, which required airlines to become as accessible and accommodating as possible. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act sought to level the playing field in all areas of the American experience for people with disabilities, including at airports.

Today, approximately 30 million people with disabilities are already regular travelers in our aviation system, and we expect the numbers to grow substantially. To me, this means airports and airlines have greatly improved accessibility for all air travelers.

Thats reassuring, because the accessibility requirements can be highly technical. In addition, they are continuing to evolve. There have been several updated regulations for aviation accessibility in just the last few years, including requirements for accessible kiosks, and service animal relief areas in our nations airports.

The work never stops. Right now, there are ongoing discussions at the DOT, the FAA, and in Congress, for ways to improve the requirements, including through the accessibility issues advisory groups and studies required under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.

Case in point: Congress recently passed a law to better ensure that nursing mothers, parents of any gender, and people with disabilities can travel freely and with dignity.

Starting this year, airports are required to have private and accessible nursing areas in every airport terminal. They are also required to have accessible changing tables for children, in all types of restrooms, not just womens restrooms.

Were rolling these requirements out to larger airports first, but soon all large, medium, and small hub airports will need to comply if they want to be eligible for FAA grants.

Compliance can get more complicated when you consider the latest treasure trove of census information about the communities surrounding airports. Consider this: With the new information, airports will need to update their tools for evaluating potential impacts on communities, to ensure that there are no disparate impacts.

Updated census information also means that airports, to remain in compliance with executive orders and DOT guidance, will have to analyze language assistance needs for individuals with limited English proficiency.

As I said, it gets complicated, and the public is very aware of their rights, as they should be! In fact, as numbers of travelers has increased again since the onset of the pandemic, weve seen more complaints concerning potential civil rights compliance issues.

Airports are also facing new challenges as they incorporate new protections, including mask requirements, in a way that ensures that the rights of people with disabilities and people of different religious faiths are also protected.

It is important that airport sponsors give these complaints the attention that they require, keep records, provide responses as required by law, and work with FAA in order to address any critical or complex issues.

And thats the key phrase: Work with the FAA.

As I said earlier, part of our job is to make sure you can do your job. We need each other to make the travel experience as good and accessible as it can possibly be when it comes to civil rights.

Its clear that we in government have the will and means to make all of this happen, but airports are on the front lines for actually delivering a great travel experience. We need each other.

So thank you for being here and working with us to eliminate all forms of discrimination in the travel experience. And thank you for helping us make sure airports will be accessible to everyone.

I know that John Benison and his team will provide you with the necessary guidance, tools, and support to ensure this will be a productive experience over the next two days.

Thanks again.

Speech – Policy Leading to Trusted Integration

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Administrator Stephen Dickson
Atlanta, GA

Thank you, Brian (Wynne), for that introduction. I can honestly say its a pleasure to join you here, in person, in my home town of Atlanta. I think its fairly well known that Atlanta is also home to a hotbed of activity in the drone aerial photography and cinematography world.

In fact, one of my sons runs a drone photography business here. While I didnt teach him to flysince Im not yet a drone pilot myselfI do know he will think of me often….since my name is on his Part 107 certificate.

But I was thinking about Atlanta and drones recently as I watched the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. The last time the U.S. hosted the summer Olympics was here, in 1996.

Now I dont know about you, but Im partial to the opening ceremonies for these eventsI find them to be very uplifting.

In the 1996 opening ceremonies, we had a fantastic rendition of Georgia on My Mind from Gladys Knight, but there were no drones. In fact, the word drone at that time was still associated with male honeybees.

Just 15 years later, dronesof the UAS specieshave become synonymous with Olympic opening ceremonies.

In Tokyo, Intel Drone Light Shows stole the show when they flew more than eighteen hundred Shooting Star 3, LED-equipped drones in mesmerizing formations high over the stadium at night, at one point forming a 3D model of a rotating earth. It was breathtaking.

In 2018, the Intel folks flew twelve-hundred drones in formation for Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

Who can imagine whats next for Beijing in 2022 or Paris in 2024? The only thing thats for sure is that drones will be involved, and the show will get more and more amazing.

These are great examples of how fast this industry moves, and how hard it is for someone like me to watch the events and wonder how to balance all of this innovation with the safety afforded by smart and fair regulation.

After all, thats the FAAs job.

The public fully expects all aspects of aviation to be as safe as commercial airlines have become. Businesses and operators who dont understand that are probably not going to be in business for long.

So how do we, the FAA, fairly and equitably integrate all of this cool technology into our National Airspace System and do it in a safe and predictable way?

This is where I take off my Braves cap, put on my FAA hard hat, and we roll up our sleeves to have a talk about Policy Leading to Trusted Integration, which as you know, is the title of my keynote.

Lets start with policy.

Picture thisan aircraft in flight with the four forces acting on itlift pushing up, gravity pulling down, thrust propelling forward, and drag tugging rearward. Theres an old joke that the rearward force is actually the FAA….holding everyone back with our draconian policies and regulations.

Now, I come from the commercial side, and I have to admit, I had my own opinions about the FAA in relation to drag back then. On this side of the fence, you see things differently.

As FAA Administrator, I see policy and the accompanying regulations as a protective sphere or envelope around the aircraft. The envelope gives the operator a comfort zone within which he or she can be assured of a safe operation before reaching any edge, where safetyyours and the publicsmight not be assured.

For drone integration, weve done our best to allow for as much development and operational work as possible within the existing regulatory framework. But obviously weve had to make changes occasionally to make sure the protective envelope is as robust as it needs to be.

Were actually at the point right now where were bumping up against that envelope, so there are some very important and groundbreaking performance-based rules on the horizon, especially in relation to Beyond Visual Line of Sight operationsBVLOS for shortand drone certification.

Before we talk about that, lets first take a look in the policy rear view mirror.

Policy affecting what we now refer to as drones started 40 years ago, when we issued Advisory Circular 91-57, outlining certain operating standards for model aircraft and encouraging voluntary compliance with safety standards.

All was quiet until 2012, when the small drone industry discovered a huge untapped market potential. Suddenly, there was a need to make sure we had a protective envelope around an entirely new kind of aircraft.

Congress required the FAA to create a way to authorize these so-called non-hobby drone operations, and set out methods to obtain waivers or exemptions for operations. The law also created the small UAS classification for drones weighing less than 55 pounds.

We followed up in 2015 with registration and marking rules and guidance for small drones. The idea was to link an operator to an aircraft.

In 2016, we published Part 107known as the Small UAS Rulewhich created the Remote Pilot Certificate that now has my signature on it. Part 107 rule also set operational standards for commercial small drone flights.

Two years later, in 2018, Congress required that we synchronize requirements for recreational flyers to be more in line with Part 107s commercial operations, and that we roll out safety tests for recreational pilots. That ultimately led to The Recreational UAS Safety Test, or TRUST, that Ill talk about later.

Finally, in January of this year, we expanded the protective envelope with two more rules. First, we published a rule that modified Part 107 to allow routine operations over people and routine operations at night under certain circumstances. Second, we published the remote identification rule, which has compliance dates of September 2022 for manufacturers, and September 2023 for remote pilots.

Regarding night operations, I want to emphasize that Part 107 pilots must complete the new online training course and equip with the proper anti-collision lighting.

Working with the industry, weve also done a great deal to make the public comfortable with the technology, particularly over the past year or so when drones displayed their unique value.

The package delivery companies, in particular, were innovative and flexible, modifying their services to deliver medications, supplies, food, personal protective equipment, vaccines, and even schoolbooks. For a brief period, news stories about drones were all positive!

With that backdrop, weve now built a solid foundation for some amazing things to come.

Well be working on rules for BVLOS, often referred to as the holy grail of drone ops. This is a necessary evolution if this industry is to continue to grow.

We get that, and all of us know that our rules, as written, are not adequate.

For one thing, approving operations on a case-by-case basis is not a feasible or efficient way forward. So well have to have new rules, and were working closely with everyone here to do it right.

We will also evolve the way we certify certain drones through the MOSAIC rule, which stands for Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates.

Yes, we have to have an acronym for everything! In a nutshell, MOSAIC will enable more drone operations by appropriately scaling our aircraft certification requirements with the risk of the operation.

We wont be developing these rules in a vacuum; we need everyone at the table. Ill say a bit more about how were doing that for BVLOS in a moment.

But first, lets talk about the second part of my speech titleTrusted Integration.

What is trusted integration? To me that means, wethe FAA, the industry and academia, and the user communityhave confidence that were all on the same page and moving in the same direction to get drones safely and efficiently integrated into the National Airspace System. We trust you. You trust us.

For the FAAs part, were building trust by doing our best to achieve consensus when we make rules, and were making it as easy as possible for operators to follow the rules once theyre implemented.

Ill give two examples for how were making it easier to follow the rulesTRUST and LAANC

First, TRUST. In my timeline earlier, I noted that Congress in 2018 required that we roll out a safety test for recreational pilots. In response, we created TRUST, which stands for The Recreational UAS Safety Test. TRUST is online; its easy to use; its free, and the reviews have been positive.

Second, LAANCthe Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability. In plain terms, this was the file and fly capability you asked for and we delivered on. Right now, its available at more than 500 air traffic facilities and more than 700 airports. Weve approved more than 775,000 airspace authorizations to date.

LAANC was a big step forward in terms of automating systems to support a large volume of UAS operations, with near real-time authorizations within UAS facility map locations. LAANC continues to be an agile solution that adjusts to support new UAS policies and regulations such as changes to Part 107 for Night Operations.

We have also been able to expand airspace access, with the incorporation of more granular UAS facility maps known as Quad Grids. LAANC has become a pathfinder for how we are envisioning we will operate the drone air traffic management in the future.

So now lets talk about how we can gain your trust when making new rules.

This is a tough one. I say that because getting us all on the same page when we make new rules is not easyanyone looking at the number of comments we received in the remote ID rulemaking knows this…..There were 53,000, and we read every one.

But thats a good thing. This is a diverse industry, and there are multitudes of competing interests for businessand for the FAAs attention.

At the end of the day, not everyone will get exactly what they want, but we try to find solutions that, hopefully, everyone will agree are best for the industry as a whole.

Thats why we started preparing for the BVLOS rule by launching an Aviation Rulemaking Committee, or ARC.

The ARC charter was approved on June 8th, and I publicly announced it in my talk at our UAS Symposium the next day. Within an hour of that announcement, we sent out e-invitations to potential ARC members, and the group started its work immediately.

You can be sure the debates will be intense, but when we receive the ARCs final recommendations at the end of the process later this year, we will know for sure that everyone had a say.

Ideally, well also have everyones trustand maybe even consensusas we move forward with BVLOS as a new phase of airspace integration.

And in the end, thats what its all aboutgovernment and the UAS communitycoming together to provide solutions that enable this fast-moving sector to continue delivering groundbreaking solutions for the public, and doing so safely.

Policy provides the path to get there, and trusted integration makes everyone a part of the solution.

Like that massive formation of Shooting Star drones over the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, if we work together and in harmony, well create works of art that people will remember, and that move this industry forward.

Thank you for listening, and have a great Xponential!

Speech – Safe, Sustainable, Equitable Transportation

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Deputy Administrator A. Bradley Mims
Virtual

Thank you, Rob [Hampshire]. Im happy to be here, among friends Ive worked with throughout my career.

Robert provided a good framing of the Biden administration priorities for transportation. Id like to discuss how were meeting these priorities at the FAA, and also with our investments in the Federal Transit Administration.

Lets start with safety which is our highest priority. When it comes to safety, you have to be ahead of the curve. The FAA continues to take a proactive and data-informed approach.

We believe strongly in collecting, analyzing, evaluating, and sharing safety data with our stakeholders, and engaging them in the safety management process.

Were taking the same proactive safety management approach to integrate the latest airspace vehicles like drones, rockets, electric systems, and other new technologies into the national airspace system.

The FAA is playing a part in supporting our nations economic strength. We continue to help the aviation industry recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Airline passengers are coming back strong for leisure travel this summer, and were safely ramping up air traffic service as needed.

We took many steps to address the economic impact of the pandemic for example, we provided $20 billion in grants to eligible U.S airports to keep airport workers employed and airports open and operating safely.

Robert also mentioned the priority of modernization, which supports our economic recovery. The FAA supports modernization by investing in our nations infrastructure through our Airport Improvement Program. In 2021, were planning to award more than 1,500 AIP grants, totaling approximately $3.2 billion in funding.

Later this summer, we are planning to announce an additional $400 million in Supplemental Discretionary grants. These funds support projects that improve airport safety and capacity, and create jobs-providing an economic catalyst to our communities across America.

Many of these investments are supporting the DOTs goal to achieve equity in transportation. For example, were funding projects that will increase airport accessibility for remote communities (for instance, in Alaska), and improve airport access and amenities for people with disabilities.

In the Federal Transit Administration, the DOT is making sure that our policies and investments fully consider the importance of equity. Households of color are twice as likely to use public transportation, so its important to push

Transit has the ability to open doors by putting everyone urban and rural, rich and poor on a more level playing field. Rather than making infrastructure decisions that divide communities, like designing highways to cut through majority-minority neighborhoods, this Administration is focused on building connections, and providing access to opportunities.

President Bidens American Jobs Plan directly addresses equity. The plan would put $20 billion toward expanding bus and rail service in new communities and neighborhoods.

This will reconnect neighborhoods cut off by gentrification and inequitable investments.

AIP funds are also supporting green projects and that brings me to another DOT priority-Environmental Sustainability.

Under President Bidens leadership, were tackling the climate crisis. The President announced a 2030 target to reduce our domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent compared to 2005 levels.

The Administrations American Jobs Plan makes key investments in our nations sustainability efforts. Along with AIP funds, the FAA is pursuing a number of efforts to make flying greener.

As part of our Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise Phase 3 program, were going to award $100 million for companies to develop technologies that reduce aircraft fuel use, emissions and noise.

We continue to pursue alternatives to PFAS-based firefighting foam, and research ways to develop sustainable aviation fuels.

And we continue to develop more fuel efficient air traffic procedures through NextGen and other efforts.

The final area I want to discuss today is the need to recruit a diverse, new generation workforce in aviation and aerospace.

Were doing this in an equitable way. We need new pilots, engineers, dispatchers, air traffic controllers, drone operators, and aviation maintenance technicians and mechanics.

We also need cybersecurity specialists, data analysts, and other professionals who play an essential role in the aviation and aerospace industry.

We want the best, brightest, most diverse group of people from all walks of life, especially women and people of color, to be part of these fields.

The FAA is conducting education and career outreach in countless ways. We have a robust internship program for college and graduate students. We sponsor aviation education through an Adopt-a-School program and through the Airport Design Challenge.

This year, we started a $10-million aviation workforce grant program to support the training and education of pilots and aviation maintenance technicians.

And we have two federal committees that are helping us determine how we can attract more women and more young people into these fields.

In closing, the Biden administration believes that aviation, transit, and other forms of transportation are key enablers of opportunity for our citizens.

Federal policy and investments must ensure that we meet the priorities of safety, sustainability, and equity, while helping our nation build back better in the post-covid-19 world.

Thank you.

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.

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.