Transcripts For CSPAN3 FAA Reauthorization Act Implementation Hearing Part 1 20240713

Good morning. And i want to thank the witnesses for joining todays hearing on the implementation of the faa reauthorization act of 2018. One year ago, this committee wrote comprehensive Bipartisan Legislation to raise the bar on aviation safety, improve the flying experience for the traveling public, better prepare and diversify the aviation workforce and foster innovation in the u. S. Airspace. Todays hearing is a critical milestone in the subcommittees oversight work to ensure the timely implementation of the law in accordance with our intent and to address new challenges. Although the faa has made some progress on fulfilling the laws directives, ongoing implementation delays threaten the important work needed to advance u. S. Aviation and aerospace and maintain our global leadership. Our first panel of witnesses are dan ellwell, faas deputy administrator and joel savat. Mr. Elwell and zavt, i expect your testimony administrations efforts to swiftly implement last years law. I would note theyre joined by staff from faa and d. O. T. And the staff will be available to help us answer any of our questions as well. Witnesses on todays second panel reflect a broad range of aviation stakeholders who are uniquely positioned to comment on what is working, what is not, and what congress can do to keep the faa and d. O. T. On track. I expect well cover a lot of ground today. So let me walk briefly through a few of my priorities. Safety is the committsubcommittp committee. The Congress Must ensure appropriate safety rules are in place to safely accommodate this demand. Notably, the lack of modern rest rish requirements for Flight Attendants remains an issue. Allows airline to roster flight attenadapt attendants for eight hours of rest. Instead of modifying the 1998 rule, provide at least ten hours of rest by november 4th of last year as directed in the bill, the faa just this week issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking, soliciting comments on the cost and benefits of compliance with the mandate. Im concerned that this action is yet another unnecessary delay. So mr. Elwell, ill expect you to shed more light on the fa oorkss decisifaas decisi decisionmaking related to the issue. Particularly, as some 15 airlines have already implemented the mandate are currently working toward compliance. The bill requires the faa responding to incidents involving smoke or fumes in cabins, as well as a commission to study incabin air quality. These directives are overdue, so i hope you can provide an update on how the faa plans to fulfill these mandates. Congress as well must assure the faa officially integrated Unmanned Aircraft systems or uas into the National Airspace system. Congress must also ensure that integration is safe. This committee made the necessary reforms in last years bill to ensure the agency could move forward on a Remote Identification rule. Although, rulemaking was initiated more than one year ago, the publication date has been repeatedly delayed. In july, i joined chair defazio and Ranking Member sam graves and garret graves raising questions about the delays in issuing the remote i. D. Rule. But our questions remain unanswered. Iministrator elwell mr. Szabat, i expect youll provide us with those answers today. The faa in partnership with three uas sites has successfully completed test flights under phase one of the uas Traffic Management Pilot Program and look forward to hearing more about the Lessons Learned from that program to date. As the committee continues to support advances in u. S. Aviation, the success of those efforts is possible with the investment in the next generation of engineers, pilots, mechanics and innovators. The authorization act includes a comprehensive Workforce Development title including my provision to create a new task force to encourage High School Students to enroll in aviation manufacturing, maintenance, and engineering apprenticeships. With global aviation becoming more competitive im concerned by the faas lack of progress on this mandate as well as continued delays to establish a women in aviation Advisory Board and encourage women and young girls to pursue aviation careers. Improving access to workforce training and diversifying the aviation workforce is an allaround win for employers, job seekers and the aviation and aerospace sectors. The faa reauthorization act includes numerous provisions to improve the air travel experience for more than the 900 million passengers who fly in the u. S. Each year. Years of championing the effort to improve accessibility of air travel for passengers with disabilities and pleased to see the reauthorization act included a robust title focused on improving the curbtocurb experience for these passengers. However, the departments commitment to these goals has rightly been called into question as significant delays on rulemaking, several key mandates persist. Moreover, the public is still waiting for the final action on rulemaking to ensure passengers with disabilities can access lav to lavatories on singleaisle airplanes, an action i asked be includesed in 2016. Last years act includes safety for the traveling public, airline employees, addressing Sexual Harassment and assault through open reporting and increased accountability. Theres no doubt the faa and d. O. T. And this committee have our work cut out for us. Timely implementation of the longterm reauthorization act will provide stability for the nations Aviation Community, support the advancement of new technologies, improve american competitiveness and above all, ensure aviation safety. I want to thank, again, the witnesses for being here today. I look towaforward to the discussion. And for Opening Statement i turn to Ranking Member garret graves. Thank you, mr. Chairman, and thank you for holding this hearing. I want to thank all the witnesses for being here today. Often, we pass laws and move on. We send out press releases. We have signing ceremonies. We move on. This law was signed in this bill was signed into law about a year ago. Almost a year ago. It includes over 400 pages of text, as undersecretary szabat includes in his testimony, it includes nearly 360 deliverables to the congress to this committee. 360. Theres an awful lot of work that went into this legislation, and we need to make sure that the outcomes actually yield or represent that congressional intent. The process of signing a bill into law is just the beginning. The reality is that implementation is everything, as is the case in many circumstances. This bill lays out or addresses policy debates in any longstanding areas where there has been dispute or been differences or a lack of a decision. It truly lays the groundwork for the future of aviation and the future of aviation infrastructure. This legislation makes a lot of progress in terms of addressing the future of aviation safety, how that applies not just to the aircraft but also to the Information Systems and the ontheground networks adds w s. This bill is a bipartisan bill. Strong, strong support from republicans and democrats. Strong vote in the house of representatives moving forward. But i want to say it again, all of this is for naught if the faa doesnt do what we directed them to do in the first place. Mr. Chairman, im glad were holding this hearing today. I think that we need to ensure that we stay on top of this and stay on top of the implementation and carry out our oversight responsibilities properly. I understand what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done. Its important we look to the future and decide what were going to do next. We fully understand the implementation of this legislation. I want to thank the witnesses on both panels for being here today and for your input. Im interested in hearing how the faa implemented provisions related to the new technology such as unmanned aerial systems, aircraft systems. Also want to learn the status of numerous safety process streamlining and Consumer Protection efforts. Thank you, again, mr. Chairman, for holding todays hearing and yield back the balance of my time. Thank you, mr. Graves. I turn to the full committee, mr. Defazio of oregon for five minutes. Thanks, mr. Chairman. Welcome the witnesses here today. We did send a lot of mandates. The chair listed a number. I share his concerns over those. Ill list a few others that are at the top of my list. I understand it was a big workload, but if you prioritize and address the principle concerns, particularly those that relate to safety, you know, that will be Good Progress. Flight attendant fatigue. 25 years. The faa realized fatigue is a real issue and that, you know, when youre dealing with safety critical personnel, pilots, weve adopted rules, when it comes to Flight Attendants, safety critical personnel, we havent. The rules allow an airline to keep a Flight Attendant on duty for 14 hours then you get an 8hour break. Eight hours to get off the airplane, get out of the airport, get on the shuttle, go to the hotel. Maybe make a phone call, take a shower, go to bed, get up and be back within eight hours. I dont know. Maybe you get three, four hours sleep if youre lucky. I thought we were very, very defe defendtive and clear and it would not be necessary to go through a lengthy rulemaking and im hoping that we can expedite that in the near future. Then we had the issue of cabin evacuations. When i first came to congress, i was aware of the manchester crash where people died piled up like cordwood trying to get out the overwing exist. It was a survivable crash. It took me five years in congress to get a rule that said we would take out and make space to get at the overwing exits. Two years later the industry came back with a fake study said, oh, no, that actually delays evacuations if you take those seats out. Well, we pushed back on that. They didnt put them back in. Now theyre cramming in more and more and more seats closer and closer together. People are getting bigger and we havent done a real safety evacuation drill in i think 20 years or 25 years. Were using computer simulations. I dont believe we can meet the standard anymore of 90 seconds which has been deemed to be critical. Now, if the faa thinks you can have five minutes in a survivable crash in a fire, well, then, tell us that. But if you dont think that, then we have to find out whether or not the current rules accommodate a 9 osecond evacuation. We had we have a reallife example which was the americanairlines flight in chicago which was a wide body, so it wasnt one of the new really crammed in planes, and it took them well over 2 minutes and 21 seconds to evacuate the plane. The plane wasnt even full. So telling me that these new economy carriers that cram people in so theyre sitting like this, i want to get the ceos here someday. Im going to get some of those seats and going to put them in them and keep them here for four, five hours, see what they think i wont be chairing that meeting. Secondary cockpit barriers. Bill lapinski, not dan, and i were on this issue before 9 11. The vulnerability of the flight decks. And united actually installed a few barriers in 757s. I was down there visiting their Maintenance Facility in San Francisco once. I said, what do you call that . They said, we call those defazios because youre bugging us so much. They didnt equip all the planes and we had a preventable tragedy, had we been able to prohibit access. Yes, weve armed the doors and now we have Flight Attendants menacingly behind a cart. And it would be very hard for a person with strength and skill to vault over that cart, knock the Flight Attendant down, take out the pilot and get to the flight deck. That was really, really clear. Now, the industry is very opposed. Its going to put a little more wa weight on the plane. And the manufacturers and the former chairmen tried to say, no, no, we didnt mean what the law said. We meant we meant new types. No, the law is clear. All newly manufactured airplanes will have these barriers. And, again, you know, this is being slow walked. I see that they, you know, asked for another delay. Theyre not releasing their recommendations. We got to get that out. Drones took took me about five years to rule the very, very powerful airplane lobby and chinese toy manufacturers to require that we could have remote i. D. They prohibited the faa from regulating these things. Sooner or later, were going to ingest a drone. Whats going to happen . I asked the faa three years ago, what happens if one of those crappy little quadcopters goes into a turbine . We havent had the live test. I dont know what the delay is. This is very serious. And if this you know, the commercial drone people are all with me on this. Its like, because if we have one accident because of some jerk illegally flying a toy drone, theyre all going to get grounded and its going to be quite a mess. So we really, really need that rule and now i think were not even going to see a proposed rule until december. You know, i dont know. Is it the model aircraft people, is it the chinese . Whos keeping whos holding this up . Then finally foreign repair stations. We just had an incident last week of what appears to be a terrorist action on domestic soil by a domestic employee. And, you know, i have for years, again, with bill lapinski, thats how long its been, expressed concerns and with Jerry Costello about foreign re pa repair stations. We did some visits. K we cant do unannounced visits. The state Department Says then they can do unannounced visits here. Who cares, we dont have anything to hide i hope. They dont do drug testing, as we require by law, doebnt do alcohol, drug, and background checks. Were doing massive, massive, amounts of maintenance overseas. Just like this guy tried to sabotage the plane there, what about somebody doing a decheck down in one of these foreign repair stations . Thats a way to thats a way to take down a plane without having to get onboard and without having to access the flight deck. So these are safety critical, potentially lifethreatening rules that we need. We need them as quickly as possible. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thaurnk you. Now turn to Ranking Member graves for five minutes. Thanks, chairman larsen, Ranking Member graves, for having this hearing. Very glad the subcommittee is focusing on this for 2018. Very glad about that. This act is the longest reauthorization in more than two decades and its passage last october was very bipartisan. It was widely praised. But among other things, faa reauthorization, it gives the faa and industry muchneeded stability. It provides steady funding for airport and infrastructure across the country and allows manufacturers to get products to market on time, stay kpiscompete and provides millions of good paying american jobs. It also streamlines the regulatory progress to encourage innovation in new technologies. Im particularly proud in the reauthorization of the provisions that address issues important to the general Aviation Community such as supporting small and rural airports through the new supplemental grant program, increase in aircraft registration, times from three years to seven years. Common sense changes in faa hangar use and policy related to the construction of an aircraft. Tackling important general aviation safety issues such as marking towers. And faa fees for large aviation events such as air venture in oshkosh, wisconsin, and one in lakeland, florida. Clarified faa policy relating to nonprofits when it comes to accepting donations for living history flight experiences. Promoted the streamlining and evaluation of regulations represented to certificates for pilots of experimental aircraft including the restoration of the all makes and models certificate. Supporting programs to develop the aviation workforce of the future. This is just to make a few. Its vitally important the workforce Training Programs and studies directedly the law. Its very important that theyre implemented in a timely manner. During the next seven days, General Assembly of the general aviation organization, iko, is going to meet in montreal. Im pleased faa leadership is going to be there with other regulators to discuss International Standards. And im also pleased that one of those items to be discussed is International Pilot training standards. And i understand the United States is going to present a white paper on automation and dependency in the cockpit. And ive said before, ive said this before, and im going to say it again because i dont think it can be repeated enough, that the pilot is the most important safety feature in any cockpit and his or her ability to fly the plane when Technology Fails is absolutely critical to safety. The growth of the commercial Aviation Industry around the world is so important to our Global Economy and it has numerous benefits, but that growth and rapid expansion, especially in developing nations, cannot come at the expense of safety and good training. I look forward to hearing from todays witnesses. I wish, and this isnt a criticism, mr. Chairman, but i wish that we could hear from other segments of the Aviation Community, such as general aviation, the airlines, manufacturers, airports, safety inspectors, air Traffic Controllers on the g. A. Community, so i hope todays hearing is just the first in a series on the implementation of the reauthorization law and, again, i want to thank our witnesses for being here today, and i yield back the balance of my time. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Graves. So noted on your request. I want to welcome the witnesses to our first panel. Mr. Dan elwell, deputy administrator of the faa and honorable joel zsabat, acting undersecretary of policy at the u. S. D. O. T. White house objection, our witnesses full statements will be included in the record. Since that is the case, the subcommittee requests limit your oral testimony to five minutes. Mr. Elwell, you are recognized. Thank you, chairman larsen, chairman defazio, Ranking Member get close and speak up. Thank you, chairman larsen, chairman defazior, Ranking Member graves and Ranking Member graves and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the faas ongoing work to implement the revisions of the act 20618. Before we begin, id like to recognize our guests today, the family and friends of those who passed in the accidents in indonesia and ethiopia. Its in honor of their loved ones we stay so intensely committed to improving safety. Although the act authorized aviation programs for five years, the vast majority of the specific mandates require faa action within the first year. We remain committed to completing the work you have given us, and i am pleased to report we have made substantial progress on fulfilling the mandates. Ill discuss accomplishments in several key areas including aircraft certification, aviation safety, Unmanned Aircraft systems, and commercial space. The faas approach to aircraft certification has evolved over time in order to adapt to an everchanging industry with safety always paramount. Continuous improvement is an integral component of the faa safety culture, and were committed to learning from our experiences and using what weve learned to improve our process. The 2018 act furthers this work. As required in the reauthorization, secretary chao this summer established a 22 Member Safety oversight and Certification Advisory Committee to advise the department on policylevel topics related to certification including Organization Designation authority or oda. The reauthorization also require the faa to establish an oda office within the Aviation Safety Organization to ensure consistency in oda oversight functions throughout the agency. We formally established the oda office in march. The 2018 act requires the faa to initiate 33 separate rulemakings in addition to creating new aviation Rulemaking Committees and expanding the work of the existing aviation rulemaking Advisory Committee, arac, to consider new objectives. We made significant progress on rulemakings. As the chairman mentioned, we established an advanced notice of rulemaking yesterday that asks respondents for data to assist us in developing the proposed rule. In a related requirement, in june, we published advisory information to airlines for developing Flight Attendant fatigue Risk Management plans. Currently, were receiving and reviewing these plans from airlines. In june we also directed the arac to evaluate a reauthorization requirement for airlines toinstall secondary cockpit barriers in new passenger aircraft. The faa is committed to implementing congress mandate for this safety and Security Enhancement and were working with the arac to ensure its done correct ly. The faa is making Good Progress on several requirements ranging from contract towers and Environmental Concerns with firefighting agents to streamlining the passenger facility charge program. Were acutely aware of the need to continue balancing the interests of airports, airlines, and other aeronautical users, neighboring communities and traveling public among others. The 2018 devoted considerable attention to the faas continued work on the integration of uas into the National Airspace system. Key to this integration will be the ability to remotely identify a uas and link it to its operator, a capability that is fundamental to the safety and security of uas operations. A notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject is presently an executive branch clearance. Recognizing the capabilities of commercial uas operations to carry cargo, congress required that the faa update existing regulations to allow for the practice. The faa and industry have been demonstrating increasingly complex operations in this area as part of the uas integration Pilot Program. Were using exemptions and waivers in the interim to meet the intent of the mandate while gaining the experience necessary to change the rules. The commercial base industry is booming with an increasing number of launches and r reentries every year. Congress recognizing the growing importance of this industry require the faa stand up an office of space force within the faas office of commercial space transportation. Im pleased to say the office of space ports is up and running and were actively working with licensees and stakeholders. In conclusion, i want to assure you that were fully committed to carrying out the reauthorization as quickly as possible, make sure we dont the substance behind each requirement in a rush to completion. Be happy to answer your questions. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Elwell. I now turn to joel szabat for five minutes. Youre recognized. Chairman larsen, chairman defazio, Ranking Member graves, the committee, thank you in congress for passing the 2018 faa reauthorization last fall and for inviting me to testify on behalf of the department of transportation. I also thank the committee for allowing ms. Blane workie to join us, assistant general counsel for the Departments Office of aviation enforcement and proceedings and thanks to provision in the reauthorization, our new aviation consumer advocate. The more than 550 sections of the act cover a wide range of aviation issues, many supporting secretary chaos and this committees First Priority of safety and the departments mission to ensure the safest and most efficient airspace in the world. Despite the Government Shutdown last winter and our daily operational safety priorities within the department, we have made great progress on the safety, civil rights, and Consumer Protection provisions of the act. The reauthorization includes more than 360 deliverables for the department of transportation as Ranking Member graves noted, including those assigned to the faa. We are not able to tackle every deliverable simultaneously or produce all the required reports and regulations within the first year. We remain committed to accomplishing all of the provisions of the reauthorization as quickly as practical. We have already responded to key reauthorization requirements by establishing new offices to deal with important issues such as Office Process voiding oversight of the Organization Designation of authorization and relating to consumer advocacy and support of our nations space ports provis law provide usef fuful guidance authority, and that innovative programs such as the integrated Pilot Program for Unmanned Aircraft systems, or uas, can continue and expand. On the safe transportation of lithium batteries, the faa and the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration coordinated to match our rules with International Standards and allow lithium battery carriage exceptions for medical devices. They have established groups to provide research, evaluation, and safety recommendations on the issue. The reauthorization bolster our efforts to maintain the worlds safest airspace through the formation of several new advisory bodies. In addition to calling for reviews of the certification process for the boeing 737 max, the secretary and administrator also created groups such as the safety oversight and Certification Advisory Committee, to augment the work of multiple ongoing inquiries. Within one month, d. Omt t. Reconstituted the aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee and established the National Inflight Sexual Misconduct Task force. We are determined to address the problem of inflight Sexual Misconduct to enable a safe flight in every sense of the word. To ensure more accessible air service, we will develop the Airline Passengers with disabilities bill of rights. We will review with input from stakeholders, and if necessary, revise regulations to ensure that passengers with disabilities receive dignified, timely, and effective assistance from trained personnel. Well also ensure regular training occurs for personnel charged with providing physical assistance to those passengers with disabilities. We have also issued notices and solicited application fs for th air ambulance committee. Both committees are established now. Well announce dates after coordination with the Committee Members. We have taken steps to advance each of the 33 required rulemakeings that deputy administrator elwell mentioned from the act. We expect to publish recommendations harmonizing the carriage of Dangerous Goods including lithium batteries and providing for Remote Identification of uas, a critical step in enable and advanced operations. Other planned regulations will ensure were being responsive to the flying public. The upcoming rulemaking agenda for the fall will include seven rules focused on improving Customer Experience with airlines. These proposed rules will advance requirements for limiting cell phone usage on aircraft, ensure the public receives refunds for denied or unprovided service, and clarify the rights of passengers. While we have not yet completed all our obligations under the reauthorization, we have demonstrated our commitment to meeting them and we have the right principles in place to accomplish the work. On behalf of the secretary, i commit to continue our work to a achieve a safe, accessible vision for aviation. Im happy to join the deputy administrator dan elwell and our staff to answer any further questions you may have. Thank you. I recognize myself for five minutes and i think the Committee Members appreciate both of you saying that faa and d. O. T. Remain committed to completing the mandates that we put into the bill. I also think i convey the frustration that you havent moved fast enough. For instance, on the tenhour rest rule, we were very specific about what we wanted to see and how we wanted to see it and when we wanted to see it. I guess we thought that we didnt leave a lot of am ambiguity in the law of what we wanted, here zstill we are in cement waiting on a tenhour rest rule. Can either of you address what has been the delay specifically to implementing tenhour rest . Yes, chairman larsen, thank you for that question. Ill start we will implement that rule and that provision consistent with the law, and you, i believe, mentioned it or chairman defazio, i think you mentioned that we are in the process of processing the fatigue Risk Management plans. There are 48 airlines in the country that have Flight Attendants. Weve received 28 fatigue Risk Management plan s to date. Ten have been approved. And these are plans that are designed to meet the requirement. And you it was not ambiguous language, sir, but what we werent cleared from doing is normal Administration Procedures act requirements. We have to notice in comment for rule like this, have to do a cost analysis and that entails rulemaking. So as we said, it has been dropped, yesterday, i believe. Sir, you and chairman defazio, we commit that those comments that come from the anprm will inform and actually should my hope is should accelerate the eventual passage of the rule because the writing of the nprm will be informed by those initial comments and i think lead to a better written rule and hopefully expedition. We have every intention of getting that done, sir. Im sure others will have followup questions on that. I want to ask mr. Szabat what your timeline is for establishing the disabilities the bill of rights for travelers with disabilities. Thank you, mr. Chairman, for the question. As i mentioned in my testimony, we are committed to fulfilling the requirements of establishing a passengers with disabilities bill of rights. We have established the air carrier access act Advisory Committee and one of our very first steps, the first charges to that committee, is for them to take a look at the requirements that are set in statute for developing such a bill of rights and to make recommendations back to us. So if you will, the first step is weve established the committee to look at this. They will make recommendations back to us. Then our obligation is to look at those recommendations and implement them as quickly as possible for the passenger bill of rights. On the next panel, well have the president of the paralyzed veterans of america, so just prepping the pva to help us give us some guidance on how we can give you guidance to move forward more quickly. Also, with regards to workforce the Workforce Development title, i assume thats under your jurisdiction as well, mr. Szabat . Yeah. So the law directed faa to establish a women in aviation Advisory Board to get moving on youth access to american jobs and Aviation Task force. It does not seem that the d. O. T. Has moved forward an those aspects of Workforce Development. Do you have ideas for timelines on those . Thank you, again, for the question, mr. Chairman. As with you, the importance of first developing a strong workforce, recognizing the shortfalls in the workforce, and one of the key possible ways to address that and just on its own merits by bringing more women into the aviation workforce, are High Priorities for us. As it happens, within the last few days the paperwork for the women in Aviation Task force crossed my desk. We can expect to see an announcement that that task force has been formed within days, not weeks. How many more desks does it have to cross, then, for it to become a reality . In this case, i think its crossed the last desk, but until its announced, i dont want to make any commitments except to say it will be out within days, not weeks. All right. Mr. Elwell, followup on anything there . Yes, sir. Workforce is a very big priority to us as it is to the department. We are working a pace on 631 and the workforce grants. Theres some technical difficulties on getting that processed and getting it forward. We also have a huge emphasis on s. T. E. M. , aviation and Space Education initiatives. Weve increased our Employee Engagement with young people by 200 in the past year and thats a program voluntarily faa folks reach out to young people for getting into this industry. Its a its a difficult challenge because s. T. E. M. , theres a shortage of s. T. E. M. Graduates across all sectors, but, so were competing with other sectors on a shortage of these graduates, but were trying to get them early. Were talking to them in elementary school. So ill have my staff followup with you rather than ask a question about how we can help you get through these technical difficulties on the grants and conclude and recognize Ranking Member graves of louisiana for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Elwell, you and i have discussed a number of occasions my frustration with scenarios where congress implements a law and have an agency to come back and not follow it or invent their own interpretation it wasnt consistent with congressional intent. And when deadlines are in the law, those deadlines arent adhered to, it does cause a great bit of frustration now. I know there was some anomalies with the faa bill in that the conference negotiations between the house and the senate were very quick. I know that there was some feedback expressed by the agency about the inability to meet certain deadlines without some expedited procedures including potentially waiving the apa in some scenarios but i do want to reemphasize the deadlines are important. We want to make sure we continue to Work Together to ensure we comply with many of these, including as the chairman mentioned, the Flight Attendant rule, although i know, as i recall, im sure wu can get an update later, i believe a number of the contracts that have been implemented between airlines and the Flight Attendants do include the ten hours. You mentioned in your testimony remote i. D. Can you give a bit more verbose update on remote i. D. And what the administration can do to expedite implementation . I think that this is one of the key areas as you and ive discussed in the past about the evolution of this technology, all the, i think, advances that it potentially brings to different sectors including safety Disaster Response and many, many others. Could you talk a little bit about efforts to expedite . Yes, mr. Graves. Thank you for the question. And i was remiss earlier when i started to not introduce the lady to my right, ms. Lirio liu, the faa, all things rulemaking, the acting deputy of the office of safety. I expect i will be leaning to her a few times during this hearing today particularly on this, perhaps, lirio can weigh in. First, let me say, sir, i share your frustration. I hate to miss deadlines, but i wont, and as the agency, we wont make a deadline and compromise, of course, safety. You wouldnt want us to. Were not going to do it. Not all deadlines are missed because because of that, but youre right, in this case, theres just a volume of firstyear requirements that in light of other things going on in the past year, that deadline slipped. On the remote i. D. , i, too, share your points that it is the foundational rule upon which Everything Else we do with uas is going to flow. And we need we need to get it out. We had a lot of issues, a lot of technical issues, with it at the beginning. A lot of it was interagency, quite frankly. Law enforcement requirements and issues and title 18 requirements and the like. And we are very appreciative of chairman defazio changing the provision on recreational modelers. However, that caused us to basically start almost from scratch on writing the provisions. The provision, so theres been a number of things, but nevertheless, the rule is moving. Were going to get it done, and i would turn to miss lou if theres anything on the actual technical writing side of it that you wanted to add. Thank you. I have to get close. Yes, on the remote i. D. , it has been one of the priorities for the organization for a long period of time and i think you heard of that at the faa in the testimonies here this its been the lynchpin for integrating the u. S. In the future. The rule never stopped from the time we started to work on it and i think as mr. O indicated we had drafted a rule and was very close to finalizing it, but it had a lot of carveouts as it relates to the section 336 of the previous authorization that accounted for recreational users. Because of that limitation, we had to do identification with various scenarios and that was one reason why when we got the provision to include them which we consider was quite a benefit and we had to go back to rewrite the rule and wed end up with a Regulatory Framework in the end. The rule is at the office of information and Regulatory Affairs at omb. We expect that well be expediting that review, as well because they recognized the significant and weve done a brief with them last friday as well as with the Technical Office with the United States at the office of management and ooim sorry. Could you move the microphone closer . Its me, its not you. We have the rule and it is as mr. Oh indicated it is a technical rule because it will set the basis for how we will do what we do equivalently for manned aircraft is the edsb and it will also set the framework for utm in the future which is the uas Traffic Management system, and i think whats important is even if the rule is not in laplace, what were tryi to do through a number of other aspects is include the compliance and expedite that. Another thing thats important is this will be a unique rule and i think its pretty innovative on our part because it will be a Partnership Similar to what we do with the notification right now to get authorization through uas and its through our website. I think that we have yeah. I think that we actually have a good framework in place. There was an rfi request for information that was outlined with the provisions so that the remote i. D. Standards could be put out forward so they could start to design towards that, and i feel like even though theres a delay in the rule making there is little progress being made. Thank you very much. I will submit, section 506 regarding cybersecurity and mr. Sabat, i want to know about the status of emotional support animals and what youre doing there. We submitted questions on those as well, thank you, mr. Chairman. Before i recognize mr. Defazio for five minutes. Just the next three on the republican side will be webster, mitchell and gallagher and the next three on the democratic side will be after defazio will be lipinski, quarters and davids and heads up for folks. Chairman defazio for five minutes. Thank you. Can you assure me that the congress had an irreducible tenhour break, thats not going to change, right . No matter whats going on in this rule making or whatever . If were that explicit, even if airlines complain it will cost them a bunch of money you cant reduce that, is that correct . Thats a statute. Sir, and i can commit that under the confines of the reviews that it has to go through and the other agencies that have to weigh in, that that is the intents is is to meet y rule i had a lengthy hearing with gsa yesterday where the law isnt the law. I want to make sure that in this case the law is the law. It says ten hours. Its very explicit. I understand, and i, you know, perhaps in the future when we have to do these sorts of things we have to obviate the rule making process and also that air carriers and part 121 are supposed to submit the fatigue Risk Management plans with no later than 90 days. They dont have to go through a rule making. They just have to send you a plan. Whats the hold up . You said youve only got 11 who completed this. We have 28 submitted, and as far as their meeting that 90 days, we are talking to them along the way. Is there a possibility of finding them if theyre not in compliance with that . Ill have to get back to you on the enforcement side of it. I dont have that right in front of me. Were pretty explicit and it shouldnt take more than 90 days and im just informed that united had that the first in january. So i dont want some low, common denominator out there dragging this out unnecessarily, and then on the secondary barriers, we ask that an order be issued. Essentially it would be a corrective action having to do with something having to do with the structure of the plane or whatever in order, but now were going to go through a rule making or an Advisory Committee on secondary barriers. What would happen if you just ordered the airlines to do it . Mr. Chairman, even an order would require rule making unless its an emergency order. It could be an emergency order. We dont want to have another 9 11. Sir, that that process still requires rule making. Making changes to the interior of the 121 aircraft is an stc a supplementarytype certificate and that requires approval from the faa. The faa has to provide for all the carriers the standards and the performance requirements for the barrier which again would normally entail rule making, and we have to think about these barriers have to cover everything from a 50seat regional jet to a twinaisle international carrier, and so there are serious things to consider both on safety the manufacturer of these doors ithats good. I get that, but you do agree with what the law says. Theres no question that the former chairman was incorrect in saying we met new types and that we set all newly manufactured aircraft. Reproduction aircraft. Yes, sir. Thats good. And then the uas rule with omb and perhaps miss lou can answer. The trolls at omb delay a lot of necessary things. This is a critical rule. How are they going to calculate their cost benefit when we dont even know. We havent done a test yet on ingesting a drone and were not sure if it will cost uncontained failure. What are they using . What are the costs that are involved . There are no costs to the government. I dont think we can address directly the aircraft engine of the uas and the intent of the i. D. Is to allow for us to detect before you would have that encounter. Right. So there are benefits because of what we have seen already with resources to do the tracking for uas, and i think its more the benefit that we can find in allowing the new industry to operate in the safer manner than what we have been using in some cases with manned aircraft. I just dont know what omb has been and for instance last summer, we had a bad fire summer and i had planes and the whole fleet of planes and helicopters were taken down because some jerk was taking photographs of a fire and there was a drone in a restricted airspace. I dont know that anyone cant find that there is a huge benefit. Weve shut down airports when weve had drones in the airport. Theres no down side for this. Those are accounted for in the cost benefit analysis. Thank you. My times, pi expired. Thank you, mr. Webster. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I would like to discuss an issue concerning the registration of an aircraft where a constituent of mine has gone through kind of a nightmare experience in trying to get his aircraft which he purchased from the u. S. Marshalls auction, and it was owned by a member of a drug Cartel Cartel in mexico. He tried to get it registered here and it was still registered in mex de. And he tried to get it done and they aided him in trying to do that and the mexican authorities basically answered politely. Your request has been warmly received, but theyve done nothing. Theres no dispute over ownership or anything like that, so the mexican authority, i think are operating in bad faith. He hired a lawyer in mexico. They told him that giving 150,000 and well get your plane registered for you come is a little steep. Its plane and simple extortion. Something, i dont know, whatever you want to call it. So the the particular case kind of sheds light on a growing flaw in the u. S. Policy because its questioning the sovereignty of this country. In a sense, theres clearly a negative impact on citizen if a Foreign Government can stop the United States citizen here of getting an aircraft registered. Its like some kind of hostage. So, anyway, i guess my question is what is the next step, if the Mexican Government continues to refuse to give him or to deregister the plane in mexico . Ive been apprised of this situation and its a new area for me and my understanding are that there are International Agreements that dont permit us to register an aircraft, and in the past this has been a very quick thing done between state departments and the agreement is met because our state department calls their state department and the government in question says yes, we released the registration. Go ahead. For some reason, in this case as you rightly described, the government of mexico is not doing what they normally do. So we are looking into it. Were talking to the doj and were talking to the state department and the intent is to get this resolved, sir. So youre committed to going to the highest level with the mexican authorities to try to get this squared away . Yes, sir. Well do everything we can under the current agreements and law to get to the bottom of this so that your constituent can register the airplane. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, i have id like to ask unanimous consent for insertion for a letter that goes to the issue that several have talked about and thats the unmanned vehicle. So if i could do that that would be great. Without objection. I also have sort of an issue here and you brought it up and others did, and a district where there are parks, theme parks, burches of them and theme parks and theyre worlds in some cases. So theres real concern about that in that area, too and how theyre going to be able to proceed especially with some of the smaller parts, really. Im more concerned about how theyre going to proceed in getting some sort of ability to stop in proximity of the park and im in on whatever i can do to speed that up. I know twice i was with the reauthorization bills and anyway, it would be good to get on it. Yield back. Thank you. Mr. Lipinski is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. A lot to talk about the delays in rule making. The reason why its important is we have to be concerned about delays because were talking about first and foremost, safety, and i know chairman defazio. I know those that have talked about the secondary cockpit period with the flight attendance and so a delay in rule making in safety. You also have quality of life issues that were talking about here both from people who fly and those who live around airports, and im going have a question about that. You also have delays in technology which hurt the United States and the remote i. D. Rule has to do with safety, first and foremost, but it also has to do with the advancement of uas, and that is impacts impacts jobs in this country. We want to be the leader in innovation in all areas. I want to start out by asking the Technology Side i included a provision in the faa, section 192, for rnd demonstrations for zeroemission technology, and i wanted to ask what the faa has been doing to implement this program. This is advanced technology and zero emission, obviously. It is important to looking to protecting the environment and is there anything well, you can tell me about this. Mr. Lipinski, im not immediately familiar with the section that youre asking about. I will certainly get back to you if thats okay with a detailed response. I will tell you that innovation is a major priority in for secretary chao, for the administration and for us. In fact, one initiative that were trying to affect within the faa is to create an office of innovation whose charge would be to take in new technologies and assimilate them into our culture quicker than we currently do. Technology today moves, as we all know so much faster than it did a few decades ago and the faa and aviation were slow to begin with as you point out because of our safety concern, but anything that we can do on the rnd side or on the Operational Testing side. Anything that we can do to accelerate innovation especially as fast as its moving. Im all for that, sir. Section 192. Were you doing it also and what youre talking about in terms of innovation and what we can do to be helpful on that. I wanted to move on to a quality of life issue. Ive been to the airport to the district, for the economic engine that it is. Everyone hates the noise, obviously and this is a onesquare mile airport that has houses on all four sides. They are required to report on the average sounds. When can we expect the report to be completed on that . Well, sir, the section asking for a report on d and l im not sure i can give you a date on the completion of that report. Ill have to get back to you on that. I was wondering if theres any expectation that the its currently at 65 decibels that it could be maybe lowered after this comes out, the report comes out. Sir, well get the dnl report out before the end of the year. Okay. Thank you. Its been an issue with next gen and new technology. There has been increases in certain areas around airports and this is something that i would like to talk more with you about and we need to continue to work because this has been a major issue for many people who live not just in my district and ohare is outside my district and across the country. Thank you. I yield back. Recognize mr. Mitchell of michigan for five minutes. Thanks, mr. Chair. The faa discussed numerous mandates and expectations and one of the things was next gen, how it is to be structured and moving forward and it is no secret our air Traffic Control system is not kuwaited and it needed improvement and how we got there was by a significant discussion. We came to a bipartisan agreement and over the past year we spent billions of dollars and countless hours and we had an update on next gen which is really helpful and well have to rehash the details of how we got here and i do want to talk about one provision. In the bill we included section 547, the enhanced air Traffic Services provision. The amendment to describe briefly required a creation of Pilot Program to provide limited access for planes that have full next Gen Technology and to demonstrate the benefits and the cost savings as a result of that and the safety to be honest with you. There was a timeframe of 90 days. We talked before the hearing and id like an update on where we are on the Pilot Program and when we can expect to move forward. Thank you for that question, mr. Mitchell. This is a project that we have Energy Behind and the air traffic system and testing, i believe its for continue therehour blocks and its been tasked and that is the commity of the stakeholders and invested in next gen, to they program itsed us and that we would do and the air Traffic Services from 21 to 23. We dont expect any further progress until the spring of 2020. Yes, sir. In 2020 is when well have the airports named . We required three. You were talking maybe more. Its currently three, but, sir, i will take that back to the knack and its a very valid and worthwhile program to be able to look at what full equipage to your points. What will it do to efficiency at any airport . I think in your report i would ask not only about its e fesh enzi, but its impact on safety. Because of your ability to route aircraft are far more accurate leigh using that type of system. Thats important as we move forward and i encourage that to be as timely as we can. Let me change gears a little bit. I share mr. Defazios concerns about evacuation. Establishing the air carriers. It would surprise you to know im not exactly a dainty guy. I want you to look around the room. Im around not so dainty people. Seat size, dimensions between seats and exits and im not sure the models, to be honest with you, reflect air travellers and certainly not in the United States and north america at 62 and 240 or so, you know, where are we at in terms of moving forward because we established the evacuation procedures in time and that could become pretty critical. Can you advise us on how we move forward on that because besides whether i cram my back side in a seat, getting out would be a useful thing. So can you update us . Yes, sir. Thank you for that question. Mr. Mitchell, we are were looking at the language and thankful for mr. Cohens provision and we were asked to look at pitch size and divisions and the construct of safety which is what our mandate is. We are going to perform testing including human testing and later thisiary were going to establish the necessary seat pitch with length based on safety which would be the basis for any rule making. Let me stop because hes going to hit the gavel in a minute and will you have more videos and feedback . Do you have an update on the timing of it . Pardon me. I understand its supposed to occur before the end of the year. We set up the aviation Advisory Committee as well that will also look at the evacuation study. So taking all of that data in will will be the rule. We have 12 days of testing planned in november with 720 live bodies and the collection of 3,000 data points. He like that gavel. Thank you very much. I do yield back, sir. You were doing so well, mr. Mitchell. I appreciate your questioning. And i roo your absence from the congress and i understand your logic and i commend you on it. In the past congress we had the authorization act and along with representative adam ken singer, the cdakota which mandate tad you provide us within a year for safety purposes, pitch, width and the whole rigamarol with seats. The tests in the past have been done with computers, and im not totally incorrect, i think they were provided by the airline or the manufacturer, and they were simulations provided by them. We dont need to have another crisis like we had with the boeing airplane, that we have a crash and we come back and we have to ask the faa. People couldnt get out of the plane in 90 seconds. Why did you not comply with the seat act . So tell me again why this hasnt been accomplished. Were almost a year and if its going to be human conditions to where you have people, mr. Mitchells size, and mr. Defazios size, mr. Trumps size, all in coach class trying to get out of a plane in 90 seconds, are you going to have those people . Yes, sir, we are looking at it. Obviously, as chairman defazio said, americans are getting bigger and so seat sizes is important, and its got to be looked at in the context of safety and in chairman defazios earlier question, the live, full evacuation testing was done in 2018 and it was the airbus 350 and weve done it and despite when you do this test with the airbus, was that done here or in europe . It was done in europe. Why has not the faa done it in america with americans. Were widening out. Theyre doing glutenfree, vegan, and we arent. Weve done live testing and as i said, were lined up to do 12 days of evacuation testing in november with 720 people. Were going to collect 3,000 data points, but one thing i want to elay your concerns a little bit and in the most recent example of full loss of accidents, 100 evacuation. Within 90 seconds and San Francisco and aeromexico. Were they done within 90 seconds . I can get back to you on whether it happened in 90 seconds, but surviveability today is much, much better due to a lot of great work that we do with the tech center in new jersey or great improvements in surviveability and youre right. We need to do testing on evacuation. Were going to do live testing and well get you an answer on the seat pitch as it pertains to safety, sir. And where are you going to get these people . Youre not going to go to slimfast, are you . Sir, were going to try to use a good demographic sampling and well maybe invite you. It would be good to invite me because ive got a bad leg and youve got people in this country who are larger and you have also people with disabilities who fly and you need a representative sample and youve got children and whatever. Sir, we do incorporate all of those things, lap children, animals. We incorporate all of that and we will in the testing, and i dont know if there was anything ive missed on how we do that testing. I can reflect back on my certification days. Yes, we will block half the exits and it will also be in a dark dark environments and the attendants dont know which exits are blocked and the demographics are typically volunteers from anyone and there is no specific sought for, and as you will see it will be dark in the cabin and they try to simulate the worstcase scenario. If you would like to invite me i would like to be at least an observer. Mr. Gallagher is recognized for five minutes. I have much less exciting and dainty questions. The Technical College which is located in green bay, wisconsin, is concerned about the implementation of section 631, a program known as the community and Technical College centers of excellence and small, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technology training and the program was intended to help Community Colleges like they extend their role in education in training for Small Drone Technology and the Technical College reports there hasnt been much progress made to implement this program even though it was created with the deadline of 180 days after the enactment which should have been april 5th 2019 if my math is correct. So i would ask, what is the current status of establishing a process to designate Community Colleges uas centers of excellence. Thank you for that question, mr. Gallagher. We did mention 631 recalliea and one of the ways this was presented is the centers of excellence which are not grant recipient programsy is were working through that and i told chairman larsen we will work through the wording issues so that we can get this done. Im a huge probone int and i was recently up at Vaughn College which is a cti college for controllers and had a wonderful conversation with a student, a young lady who is a dynamo aviation enthusiast and will graduate in the spring with 86,000 in debt. If well excite young people into this profession for Government Service and industry, we have to get a we have to get. We hope to have that done by the end of the year and it will certainly help Community Colleges specialize. So we understand the need, sir, and i hate to talk about technicalities, but were going to work through them. Well, we often find ourselves dealing with technicalities here. Can you give us a flavor and i dont know which one of you two would address what the consultation that has taken place between faa and the department of transportation and all of the other interagency players in this on 631, or perhaps do you feel there is interagency buyin to the program . So im not aware of an inner agency discussion on 631, and im not sure its required, if its a program that we can implement and do. I am just advised from from the language has been a problem and i certainly will get to interagency discussion if well have to do it andwell use it. I know last year around this time we had a workforce summit at National Airport where we had the air force secretary and we had secretary chao. We had the department of labor, department of education all coming together to come up with solutions on these workforce issues. So were its a its a high priority of ours and we will get back to you on the work and if theres anything that you can do we certainly wont be shy to ask how you can help, sir. I appreciate that and look forward to working with you. Final question. For the Technical College e like the Technical College in wisconsin, the colleges that want to be forward leaning and want to take advantage of 631, what advice would you have for them right now . First of all, i think getting the cti accreditation twoyear programs will suffice for that. Get recognized as a preferential do preferential hiring and its a separate school, and i think thats an incentive on to itself, and then the extent to which a college can be eligible for federal assistance and thats getting back to you on. I appreciate that. Theres an opportunity here and theres a bipartisan around the idea of elevating our technical and vocational schools and this would seem to be a growth industry and an industry that could attract the attention of millennials and whatever were calling the generation thats younger than millennials these days. Appreciate it. Mr. Gallagher, before i go to representative craig in order we have ballerson, rouser and perry and on the other side, craig, davids and cash jal. Get people prepare recognize you for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. It is absolutely clear that our communities that are near our airports have benefited from the Employment Opportunities and convenient access to domestic and international travel, but those who live around those major airports also live with the burden of often overwhelming overhead noise especially as the mrits become more stream heine period and precise. Where i live in minnesota we are impacted by the noise and the city has come up with some measures to address and mitigate these issues which i applaud. Although i wasnt in office for the passage of the 2018 faa reauthorization, im encouraged by many of the provisions that address these noise concerns and problems nationwide. Mr. Elwell and mr. Shabbat, i would like to ask you a few questions on the status and intended outcomes on a few of those provisions if you dont mind. Section 189 instructs the faa to conduct a study on the potential health and impact on everflight noise. You entered into a partnership for this research which is a great first step. Can you tell me a little bit more about the parameters of this study on how youre awaiting the effect and noise like our city in e good afternoon . Thank you very much for that question, miss craig. We have entered into an agreement with m. I. T. In Boston University on the commencement on that and i can get back to you on the parameters and what the agreed parts of that study are with the i. T. In Boston University. Mr. Shabbat, anything to add to that . Madam secretary, thank you for the question, but no. Thank you. Section 175 is entitled addressing Community Noise concerns and it effectively compels the faa administrator to shift flight take off and landing patterns if they joint me make a reasonable and safe request to do so. The city of egan has the metropolitan airports commission. As a member of congress how i be certain, and what more can my constituents do on issues related to noise concerns. Mr. Elwell . Well, Community Engagement is critically important. We understand that. We are refining and improving our Community Engagement and we have our naming noise ombudsman and all of our regional offices. Those noise ombudsman will report to the administrators and in your case i believe it will be great lakes and Community Engagement and crossagency engagement led by the regional administrators and the ombudsmen is critically important. It is to engage, listen, as you said and make adjustments as necessary and there are quite a few communities around the country where were doing that. I would say just a couple of data points. In 1970 there were 200 million passenger, and 7 Million People subjected to the significant noise over the 65 dnl. Today we carry 900 employments and 400,000 people are subjected to noise above 65 dnl. We acknowledge for your constituents and many others a critical issue and were engaging it, but i will tell you that both an engine sdierngs procedural design, and there are huge advances getting made in getting aviation quieter and we are anxious to engage with the stake holders to see how we can make the air quieter above your constituents. Thank you so much. I appreciate the thoughtful answer you gave, and i hope that you will also be given the opportunity to review the very thoughtful recommendations from the city of eagan. Thank you so much and mr. Chairman, i yield back my time. Thank you. Mr. Bolerson for five minutes. Thank you. Mr. Elwell, and i will direct my question to you and the Workforce Development is something thats very important, but what is thes f faa i kno theres extreme shortage for the pilot projecting there will be 790,000 pilots short by 2037. So what are you all doing for that pipeline . Thank you for that question. As i referenced, the workforce summit. I think in the daylong summit we had maybe five different. Panels that covered the gamut. We do anticipate a Pilot Shortage in the coming decade. Its not just pilots and its all of the technical field. If a sector and its not the mandate of the faa to ensure a large population, a shrinking pilot is not good for the system and not we are enforcings Workforce Task group in the faa and women in of a yag, for instance, the owner and the alphabet groups that represent interests in our sector. The air force junior rotc, they came to the faa and said were trying to do a program where we take kids after their sophomore year in high school, send them to a university, i think auburn is one of them that they contracted with, we take a kid coming out of tenth grade who doesnt know what a plane looks like and by the end of the summer they have their pilots license. But the faa, you have a limit of 17 years old, can you work with us to get it back to 16 so we can get those kids before they commit to some other profession . These are the kind of engagements that we have. Women are woefully underrepresented in our sector, and i think thats a huge demographic and population that we should be creating interest for for this industry, and to look at their Pilot Training research and theyre doing some very, very interesting things in Pilot Training that could be mirrored in the civil sector. This is a huge initiative and were anxious for any and all ideas and hope that we can, and we know your committee is as passion adabo passionate about this as we are and were ready, willing and able to engage the strength of the work force. Congressmen, if i can tag on for a minute in support of mr. Elwells comments and this matters to the department as a whole as well as the Aviation Administration and secretary chao kicked it off working with the air force to allow the transition for the qualified Aviation Personnel to move to the civilian sector. Dan also mentioned women in aviation. The department of state internationally, a. P. E. C. , the Asian Pacific economic council. Were working for women in aviation prioritization within all of the countries that board or the pacific. Sorry. Thank you. Do you believe the faa currently has the necessary resources to take on the pilot and short comings. I know you said reaching out to us, but my office would love to communicate with you all, of giving you leads or some way of not necessarily leads, but how we can make it so you can attract young adults and whether i have a good friend of mine and his friend is finishing his pilots license right now and you are correct. He is 17 years old, probably could have started flying earlier than that. Not much, but we would love to work with you in ways to change that. So thank you both very much for your response. I yield back, mr. Chairman. Thank you. I recognize the vice chair of the subcommittee and representative davis of kansas. Thank you, chairman. Ranking member and thank you to the witnesses for coming here today. I appreciate your time and your expertise. I wasnt here when we passed the reauthorization previously and im hoping for just a little bit of insight. So my first question is for deputy administrator elwell. I know youve been here before and welcome back in your new role. Theres been a troubling number of media reports about passengers and crews falling ill or becoming sick because of cabin fumes and air quality in the cabin and im hoping to hear from you briefly about how the fumes and smoke might even make it into the plane for folks who dont already know that. Thank you for that question, miss davids. We are working toward completing all of the requirements, including engaging with stake holders on youthful education materials and this is part of what was in the bill. Developing reporting guidance for carriers and reminding carriers to use their sms, their Safety Management system to identify issues and thats what sms is for and thats what its all about to identify issues and share with crew, their crew members and their technicians and engaging. We are engaging in the research of bleed air. You know, when it comes to cabin air issues it often comes down with the bleed air to pressurize the cabin from the outside and the refresh rate. The recirculation rate. So we are being looking into it on all of the areas that the bill mandated. And i if its okay, id like to check if you can expand on that. That would be great. It is part of the Certification Requirements of the aircraft. Thank you. I dont know that i have more to add to that. It is underresearched and we have working groups starting the process and it was indicated by the deputy administrator. Actually, thats a great point to hit a followup question i had which is i know that there were a number of requirements and commissioning a study was one of those requirements and it seems as though thats been something thats been delayed and im curious if you could give a progress update on what the what kind of research youve been able to do into if i have the language correct to have the potential Health Effects from bleed air and any other updates you mate have about that. Yes, maam. We have begun that process and begun that research and that testing, and i remember reading to it, but i will have to get back to you on the details of that research, but im getting a note ooh, i love this. Were actually meeting next week with the stakeholders and the participants and well have well get back to you, maam, on exactly what were doing in that area. That would be great. Of course, im very concerned about passengers and im very concerned about all of the folks who make their livelihood spending time on planes and thank you for your time and i yield back. Thank you. I recognize representative rouser for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman, and i want to thank each of you for being here this morning. My home state of North Carolina is one of the nine part participants of the Pilot Program and their focus has been on routine drone delivery of medical packages and so far there have been more than 1200 operations on the campus there in raleigh. This is the first routine drone medical Package Delivery operation for compensation in our country and a significant step forward for delivery toward medical facilities and can you speak how the data is helping the faa find solutions to restraints on integration within the Regulatory Framework such as restrictions on the line of sight or flight over people. How are these efforts coming along . Thank you for that question, mr. Rouser. The ushlgs as implementation and Pilot Program specific to your district has been a huge success, as you mentioned. The delivery on campus back and forth has expedited the delivery of samples which, of course, in turn gets results quicker for patients. Ups will be like google wing has operationalized their ipp project in blacksburg, virginia, to do deliveries and what the ipp has done, the project in North Carolina and in virginia and at seven other pilot projects around the country has given us the data we need to start certifying these operations for integration. The google wing, for instance, went through a part 135 certification and thats it was unprecedented and it hadnt been done before. We did it for that drone operation to prove that we can use our regulatory structure that exists today and modify it for uas operations. We have about a year, a little bit more than a year left in the study and the Pilot Program for the nine different projects and well take the Lessons Learned and there are many and that tied to rules like remote i. D. Eventually well get the out of sight rule and over people rule and these are not easy tasks by any stretch and putting them together well be able to get them safely into the airspace and our goal is that when this Pilot Program rolls up were not going to tell the nine participants, thank you very much, go home. The idea is to allow those that wish to become and stay and operationalize their programs, our goal is to help them do that. If i may add to the administrators comment, congressman. With the ipp allows is in so far as its possible to become a cutting edge regulator and this is on the cutting edge of developing regulations to as dan mentioned and integrating drones safely into the manned airspace. Other countries are experimenting as we are and what theyre doing is on an exception basis so that we could have the regulations in place based on the Pilot Programs that will allow us to have more 135er is the if i kalgs so whatever we learned can be locally. Think about the role and the interface there ask how that would, and we wanted the nine purposes plus preemption. What we dont want to foster are hundreds of Regulatory Frameworks that the industry would eventually have to comply with. If im in this county, i have to do this, but at the same time we have to strike that balance to allow localities. Localities know their issues better than the federal government and we have to strike that to your point to allow municipalities and states and tribal organizations and to make restrictions that dont challenge federalism, but are good for the community and good for the industry, but ultimately safe for all the participants and were learning a lot from the Pilot Program in that regard. What about sharing the radar feeds . You anticipate the faa to share radar feeds at the local and state level . Yes or no. No. I did not hear the question. Well take it for the record. Well get back to you, sir. Youre welcome. Mr. Cash jal, before representative cash jal starts, on our side it will be carbajal, stanton and lynch in that order and it will be stauber in that order and representative carbajal for five minutes. Thank you for coming to our subcommittee today and for giving us an update of this faa reauthorization act of 2018. Building on some of the questions by my colleagues regarding colleges and College Center of excellence, section 631 of that measure authorized the new program known as community and Technical College centers of excellence in small, Unmanned Aircraft systems and technology training. This section is intended to extend a role for training and various applications with Small Drone Technology. In my district, Allen Hancock college is a Community College that has the interests in the section 631 center of Excellence Program. The college is located on a site of the former Hancock College of aeronautics which opened its doors 90 years ago and trained thousands of piles for service during world war ii. Section 631 provides opportunities for a school such as Allen Hancock college to train students in the latest applications of drone technology. April 5, 2019 was the deadline for the faa to have established a process to designate Community Colleges and uas centers of excellence. Could you update this subcommittee on the status of section 631 for the centers of Excellence Program and, 2, what type of consultation has taken place with the department of education of labor to develop this program . Thank you, mr. Carbajal for that question. In the discussion with mr. Gallagher, we have no issue with the intent nor the deadline. The problem we ran into ultimately was that centers of excellence are not we have many of them, agreements with the center of excellence agreement, but theyre not vehicles for grants. So i would love to see a lot more small colleges get help with providing uas training. So would secretary chao. That was one of the key conversations we had in our workforce summit last year around this time. I will commit to get back to you, sir, on the engagement that we had with dol and d. O. E. To the extent to which we have brought them into the discussion and if if we need to expand that interagency discussion we will certainly do that. The goal is to improve and increase and energize our secondary education in these fields and so i commit to work with you and the other agencies as necessary. To that end, how can a school such as Hancock College prepare for future consideration of this sections benefits . I think a desire to have curricula that address these emerging technologies is preparation enough. I think its incumbent upon the Government Entities to facilitate and certainly not to provide any sort of hindrance to those who are willing and want to bring that in and bring that into their curricula. One of the things that we have at the faa is accreditation for aviation schools. We have fouryear accreditation and twoyear accreditation and were trying to advertise to young people that you know what . Education is expensive, but you can go to a twoyear Vocational Tech School for aviation in the aviation world and come out with really good careers and really good professions and im sure that as the uas industry grows there will be more and more opportunities in that area, as well. Thank you. As was discussed by some of my previous colleagues, i, too, have been contacted by a number of my constituents about airplane noise, and the faa reauthorization included several provisions to address this issue. What is the estimated timeframe for the faa to implement these mandates and how are they with communities like mine to address these issues . Well, sir, there are noise is a huge issue nationwide and we are actively working all of the provisions in the bill. We have every intention of meeting all the requirements since there are a number of different provisions and different requirements, different lengths of implementation, i can assure you, sir, that we are working all of them and well have ey intention of meeting the requirements of the bill. Since im out of time, if you could just give me some timelines, that would be great. I will get back to you on the timelines, sir. Mister chair, i yield back. I recognize the representative i just want to clarify the record. The last time the United States conducted a full scale evacuation was 1999, for the triple seven, and boeing, basing their certification on the 787 through comparative analysis to that. And i dont know whether the aasa requires, but airbus did that in europe, and not under our auspices. And finally, in terms of recent incidents, a number of people died on an air flight plane who were unable to evacuate. We dont know all the circumstances, since it took place in russia. Mr. Perry . Thank you, mister chairman. Administrator elwell, a provision that i had placed in the bill required the faa to update existing for compensation or higher. In your testimony, you say that the work is ongoing and that the faa is meeting the intent of the mandate through an exemption process. I am pleased to see the faa grant therefore certification this year, but it came only after a long and process of seeking numerous exemptions from part 135, positions that do not and cannot apply to uas. Was the intent of the mandate, the deadline to update these rules is october the 5th of this year, nine days from now. But we have yet to see any faa action on this mandate, so it doesnt appear that this deadline will be met. Can you just provide us with a status update on the mandate, and a new timeline for a meeting, if you have one . Yes, thank you for that question. The desire to have uas perform those certificate activities, we share. We share the goal to get that done. Its important to point out that there is frustration, how long this is taking, but i think what we need to understand is, unlike a lot of other countries that are trying to integrate or fly uas or get uas to do things, many countries are doing that segregated. They are taking uas and flying uas airspace where there is nothing else. We are integrating uas and it is a far more complex and endeavor, and some of the activities you mentioned, sir, would mentioned be an individual line of sight carriage or people. These are rulemaking activities that have significant safety implications, and we have to make sure that we do the rule making for those specific abilities, the ability of an unmanned aviation vehicle, to fly over the individual line of sight, or beyond. In both of those capabilities, which would eventually be needed for commercial activity, they rely upon remote id, which we talked about, will take a while. So i absolutely share your desire to see this happen. I think we are in a very dynamic time in aviation in this country, between the attempts to integrate uas, the doubling of commercial space launches. Theres so much going on. But its not going to be done as quickly as many would like we have to. We get it, im sure, and we know its complicated. And at the same time, also, deadlines, suspense is, requirements, they motivate agencies and individuals to get to a result, right . The federal government isnt immune to producing what is asked of it. Its bosses and my bosses, the taxpayers and constituents, demanded. They dont want to hear they understand that sometimes things dont go as we wish they would, as we hope they could, or what have you. It doesnt sound like you have any idea, i had to say that way, but if you do, this was the timeline that we had. So i think, its fair to say, we are not going to meet it. But. Six months . 100 years . What are we looking at . The only real suspense in putting new type of activity into the airspace, the only deadline, the faa really has at the end of the day, is safety. And i agree with you, placing day deadline out there does motivate people, but at the end of the day if it can be effectuating, and it cant be done, and signed off on, safely, its going to be extended. And for that reason, i always hesitate in these questions, whats the timeline to do x or why . Im not asking you dependent down to a day, but can you give us some idea if this is years, months, you tried to meet a deadline, to find out whats in your way, and then you figure out whats it going to take to get through these six barriers or three things or whatever. You make a new timeline were gonna represent perry with a timeline. Can you give perry in the committee a timeline . Yes. We recognized representative stand in for five minutes. The key purpose of the congress of appropriate things into the law and ask about the timeline and the only objection is one of the key roles of the people here on this and i appreciate the concerns about this and thats all we do for the people that we represent. The faa reauthorization act has changes related to the contract including section 1 52 authorizing the faa to make reports from any small airport fun which will construct to improve the air Traffic Control towers in arizona they make a fastest knowing Regional Airports and the air Traffic Control tower in the country in the past five years animal operations at 80 in reflectivity in the role in double digits and existing tower was reconstructed in 1970 by the air force and not intended for commercial use. The citing identified that they had several safety issues with the existing tower. The Traffic Control tower was with 90 of design completed four new tower in federal funding and construction must be a priority. Whats the status of the faa in section 1 52 . We were meeting all the requirements and we dont see any problem with it, were going to meet them all. With respect to the williams gateway, personal connection there, its where i learned to fly in the Williams Air Force space and it came full circle in one of the first meetings i had in his capacity as the mayor of mesa telling me we need a tower bar only eligible for 2 million towards it im really got to see we can fix that and that youre going to get a new tower and it is the busiest contract tower in the country. Im glad to see that we just gave 1. 3 million for the design study and its going to be a 20 some odd million project that will be funded. For nostalgic for the name in the gateway and now it is gone cover show what we appreciate your service very much. Then a series of workshops in the phoenix area to hear from residents about flight rules. And in 2017 lawsuit settlement over noise in the area and loss in phoenix when i was mayor. I appreciate the faa and there were jobs and Going Forward its important that the faa work closely with the communities to incorporate these workshops and to make adjustments necessary with the eastbound flight path. One of the faas next process in particular of the engagement with the communities of scott still and whats expected timeline . Sir, its a two step process as you are aware. We finished up one looking at the changes based on the Community Engagement. We have now completed the engagement phase of step to and its looking at those recommendations as you know, there is no commitment to make change after consultation of step to but anything we can do were going to do. I have to get back to you in a timeline of that. Im sure that for the folks that are having those meetings have a deadline for when theyre going to get back. Well follow up and i appreciate that very much. The Staffing Shortage in the faa and the impact its having on your regulatory functions. Staff shortages are causing delays in these environmental reviews and members of congress are concerned that these delays will have a Ripple Effect in the important construction projects. What steps are the faa taking to address those staff needs in the regulatory side to and sure the environmental reviews . I have to get back to you on that. To get any specifics on the Staffing Shortages for environmental reviews a lot to get back to. Depending on whether its cat acts or eea or years they can be brother lengthy and the size of those examinations are making a big impact. Will follow up and i appreciate you taking the time to get back to me on that issue. I want to return to the airport in flagstaff, which averages more than 100 inches of snow annually. It has at least 1 million total feet of cleared one way it must be clear during snow events constructing a multi use equipment building. The current Storage Facility is full capacity, it doesnt have room for additional equipment, including no additional room for snow equipment that the airport purchased last year. I proposed multi use building will protect the equipment, i just want you to know that i support the requests in the fourth working with you and want you to keep me updated on the status of that project. We will keep you updated on that, serve. Thank you so much. Thank you. Recognizing representative katko for five minutes. Thank you, mister chairman. I want to know for the record, that it gets much more snow than that. So noted. laughs i think it is fine today. I want to talk to you about something i presume you are familiar with, and thats the Unmanned Aircraft system facilities and Testing Programs we have in central new york, in my district and adjacent, this new are complex, which is on the former roam griffiths airbase, theres a testing quarter from there to syracuse, its wellestablished, it has a tremendous amount of state support, local support, municipal support, its also partly included in a tribal reservation, and theres a lot of testing and Research Going on already, which we are quite proud of. Who spent two times that weve submitted funding requests or test pilot requests to the faa, and given our very mature program, it was shocking to see that both times, despite having very high rankings, neither time were we chosen as test sites. Some work clearly inferior and chosen over. Us to say the least, concerning to us. Here we are again, and in, june the uas office from participating uas test sites. We submitted a proposal, we being the new air complex, we submitted a proposal, and we are waiting on the status, it was supposed to be reported this month. I like to know what the updates are on what we are going to find out about that. Thank you. Could you repeat what the program you are playing for is . Its the uas Integration Office at faa, issuing abroad Agency Announcement calling for Development Proposals from participating uas test sites. We submitted a proposal, we being the griffiths. And i say we, are a team, all of us together. All levels of government. And its been very frustrating with the lecture process in support of these things. Im asking now, i know we are waiting for it decisionmaking process, which we are suspected to get this month, and thats what we were told. We havent heard anything. So we are asking if you can give us any update on that . I will give you an update on that. I am not familiar with that particular application of proposals, but i will look into it and get back to you on that. Are you familiar at all with the test site . I am. What do you know about it . I know, i believe at least, a year or so ago, gibson was running a part of the operation there, and a colleague and a friend who i worked with that the faa. I know that they, i dont familiar with the corridor, and familiar with. The testing and the activities they are doing there. Are you familiar with the application that they put in a year or two ago for the integrated Pilot Program . To be selected as one of the sites, and we would have been the most well funded site, they all have excellent ready and we didnt get it, are you familiar with that process . I know that remember but i remember the process but i dont remember all of the individual applicants. Are you familiar with the second application that they made in the Pilot Program which were already working on that is well established and again, we have superior marks on everything and are you familiar with that process . Im familiar with the you tee am program here but i cant say that im familiar with the details of that application. I got to get a Quick Response to my first question. Which was the storied application weve made id like to get that quickly. It brings up a broader point, the u. S. Testing is part of our country and Homeland Security is clear that the safety component in the Anti Terrorism component is doing is extremely important to the future of this industry. It seems like some of the programs at faa has rolled out and the Testing Programs and Pilot Programs are influenced by things other than getting the best possible sites get the money. I would ask that you take a look at that and i asked the faa to take a look at that lord. Knows theyve heard for me, but it is concerning that is such a Important Program that these things seem to be influencing the pilots about who gets priority in funding and the priority in testing. They are the best base and one of the best supported test sites and all the country and are supported by the great industry which will take it more seriously moving forward and i yield back. Thank you for those members who are here and are on our sides we have mentioned garcia and on the republican side, fitzpatrick and i just want to ask if you want to get in on who has the most snow in the world contest. Mister chair, i was thinking the same thing and ill get back to you. Winds will go with representative lynch from massachusetts. Thank you chairman and to the full committee. I do want to take a moment to recognize and acknowledge the stumo from my state of massachusetts and by all accounts when shes remarkable young woman and was killed in the ethiopian max air disaster and is here with other members of the families and are indeed grateful for our willingness to come forward and to hold people accountable with their loved ones. Mr. Elwell, i have to take some exception to your description of the faas willingness to engage with the community and you know where this is going, right . And response to miss craig and misstated you talk about the way the faa goes around and communities that are affected. I have to tell you, i pin here 18 years. Ive been looking for meetings probably for the last 12 and we had one Community Meeting in my area in our airport in milton. Thats 700 people there and there is a celtics came less i know we still got 700 people there. My phone blew up of how good the faa was with engagement and i know people in milton that are throwing stuff at their tvs right now because of the statement. That is totally false. We need to do better, okay . Im not going to go further than that but its deplorable of your outreach. The only thing we had the month one meeting that we had was because i put a member on it but 25 Million Dollars from the last faa authorization because you are doing outreach. Mr. Shooter was the republican chair and then we have a meeting with the secretary and myself and 24 25 Million Dollars they were drawing my adjournment to have 45 Million Dollars from the faa budget and ill do it again if thats what it takes but it shouldnt. By the way, there is some good news from the faa. I was one of the people at sponsored this health study because youre putting thousands and thousands of planes over the same houses that are built in massachusetts and south boston and or chester i think it has an impact on my constituents. We could do a meeting where the faa could come in and talk about this with the Boston University school of Public Health and doctor levy is running that and thats good news. We talk about the fact that the faa has funded the faa has funded the admissions study that we asked for, for pollution under these homes. And no a study. Youve done that as well and thats good news. You came into my district and talk to my constituents and explain the things they are trying to do. But thats not the history we have with you its like pulling teeth to get the faa to come in and talk to people. I have to describe the attitude of the Boston Office of the faa, they treat us with contempt. They really do they really do. And people are upset. Youve got some good news to tell of the things you are trying to do. You just need to tell them, come in and tell them. They yell at me, they will probably the folks are pretty mad about whats going on. Youve got thousands and thousands of flights over the same homes over every single day. And that gets people upset. Youve got a study in here to talk about dispersal. Lets talk about that. We need to do better. Also, on behalf of my colleague, also my cochair of the quiet skies caucus, weve been trying to get the new minister for the faa to meet with the quiet skies caucus for a while, we sent a letter on august 5th, and we have not heard back, so we would like to appreciate if they were to attend with us and talk about these issues, but i think thats all ive got, mister chairman, but we really have to do much better and i think i speak on behalf of my other colleagues that represent metro areas that have airports in them that we really have to do a much better job with Community Communication between us and the faa, thank you, a yield back. Thank you, recognizing representative stauber for five minutes. Thank you, mister chair. I appreciate you holding this meeting. I want to give you a scenario and i think i can be pretty detailed on it, lets say husband and wife, for kids, one with special needs, that states down syndrome, the child is walks very slow, lovable kid, and that family decides to leave duluth, minnesota, to come to washington d. C. , for example. And the special needs child in that family is walking slow, being pushed down the aisle, and the plane is delayed, the family has the connection in minneapolis to come to d. C. , the plane is delayed, and the family asked, can you help . We have a special needs child. We are delayed now, is there some Wheelchair Accessible folks that can mean that family to get them, to make their flight to d. C. , and keep in mind, this child walks slow, he walked out his pace. And the answers were not sure. So the family gets out of the plane, theyve got about 17 minutes to get down to a gate thats a different part at the airport, and they make their flight barely. Mom and dad are stressed, the other kids are frustrated, and so is the child. Can you imagine . I give you a scenario. Do you know who that family is . Thats my family. The new reauthorization act requires the assistance of individuals with special needs to have the best practices. I would say, mr. Is about, as you put this forward, talk to the special Needs Community and the people with disabilities, they know the best. As the gentleman spoke earlier, the faa is doing great things, i flight every week, i see the successes, but please take that seriously, when there are suggestions. Because the stress that my family was put under to make the inauguration of me, the swearing in, was critically important. And it was very stressful, that period of time. When we couldnt get that assistance we needed. And im not blaming anything, or anyone, mr. Szabat, im telling you the experience of someone on this subcommittee. Im here to share this with, you because i think personal stories matter. And i trust that you will take not only my concern, but the others concern as you put in best practices for our special needs and disabled community. I want to quickly ask, what are we doing are we seeing some good suggestion coming forward to make it easier and less stressful and to make the special needs population word are treated fairly and equally. Can you give me some ideas we are right now . Thank you for the question congressman and for your passion on the issue and your work of putting these provisions into the faa reauthorization. The wheelchair access and service for the people who are required to take wheelchairs. We take these requirements seriously and with that i want to turn this over to the assistant general counsel was all sorry aviation advocate on this issue. Thank you for that question. Im very sorry to hear about what happened to your family or any family that experiences that kind of difficulty in obtaining asks access when they travel. But that simply not acceptable. We enforce the air carrier access act with disability and we investigate the complaint that we receive and we send a response to the complainant and let them know how their complaint has been resolved and we also work very closely reasons i just have 30 seconds. Do you have anything today on some best practices that you implemented and are looking for information i only have 20 seconds. If you only have 20 seconds i will say to take a look at our website and we do have the best practices available on our website under air consumer the u. S. V. Dot glove. Theres information about access and were also going to be working on these issues with the carrier access act. Reasons i look forward to the results and thank you mister chair for bringing in the population in your home statement. Youre very welcome. Ill turn now to mr. Garcia for five minutes. And the Ranking Member as well when i was not a member of the congress with the 15th Congress Passed the long term reauthorization of the implementation. Mr. , elwell and i understand that the sum of over 400 mandates in the faa being built had short implementation timelines. Having said that, up could served about the tide as taken to advance some provisions i personally think ought to be advanced more quickly. Ill just leave it at that but the question for mr. Elwell. Before i get into the 2018 faa bill i want to ask you what like i did earlier this year about the safety workers testifying before this committee. In 2012 in 2016, they directed the faa to adjust safety camps between the Aircraft Repair stations and foreign repair stations and the faa is now work to seven years overdue to create an enforceable rule to raise the standards of these stations regarding security background checks and alcohol testing. When will the faa implement this rule . The mr. Garcia, thank you for that question. Obviously, as testified before this committee on many occasions its a very complex rule and requires a navigation and the law requires a new navigation for the home country and laws with regard to alcohol testing. But obviously also, at the beginning of this rule making and the law that was first passed it predates me so if you would permit i would ask our expert. Briefly piece. Good afternoon sir. So, we had a proposed making in 2015 and were seeking compliments on the provision because of working with the various international partners. We were able to get some information on costs and analysis as well as these systems that are in place in the foreign location where we prepared statements that are certified. We drafted the in coordination and its not easy to draft a rule on ability with the various International Frameworks that our existing with this testing. It is a rule that we had drafted and hope to move through the executive coordination that published that would comments so that we can gather some information. However, in the meantime, i think we made improvements to address the risk under part 1 45 certification repair station that established an mou with background checks so that we can address the security aspect of those people and we can look at the security adaptation in background checks. As a 1 21 operator which as the responsibility to have a Management System in a part of our system which has prepare stations that they would be utilizing to contractual benefits and what they would see their which would have the risk. Thank you. That will suffice for now because my time will read out if i let it continue. In the topic of safety in the 2018 bill, the questions of minimum seed size and distance between rows and safety and evacuation times have been addressed by chairman defazio and i thank you for that. The third question mr. Elwell, after leaving them out in the 2012 bill. The 2018 faa bill has struck a department of transportation to implement a rest period for Flight Attendants. These Flight Attendants can often work up to 16 hour shifts and the rest period does not take into account time for the planeing, to work from hotel and to actually rest in to implement the rule of 2018. And did not begin a process until february of this year. Theyre starting reaction now of why it took so long and why do you feel the need to do a common period when they gave no discretion to implement saudi regulation should be. Thank you for that question. As we talked about this earlier, with the law was clear, however it did not have the responsibility to notice and comment in rule that does not impose directly on the faa which has no choice with rulemaking and noticing the cost analysis. Its the biggest reason why its taken so long and as we mentioned earlier, he be fatigue Risk Management plans of being submitted by the 48 different carriers that have Flight Attendants. Myth it meets the needs while we go through this to keep it here. I yield back mister chair. Mr. Massie and mr. Fitzpatrick there are members who come and take a five minute break to reset the panelist and however, if folks on the second panel want to take an opportunity now for a comfort break and the timing is about right so well think about that. Will be taking a five minute break between panels. With that ill turn to mr. Massie who is next. I merely think standing between them in their break . laughs you can handle the pressure tom. Mister elwell, the pilot in your position im sure that is helpful to the taxpayers and to all of us to have your view of things. I want to focus on the Data Communications portion specific and specifically the controller pilot utah and the benefits of that its innocent its and some of the benefits weve seen. Thanks for that question. Computer pied it data link and the test base for that was miami when i was flying to 7 57. Im proud to be one of those pilots to strip that piece of paper. So i dont mean to be light about it but the data calm as its called now has huge benefits especially when we implemented it in these towers on the surface because instead of sitting there for 20 minutes getting a word in edgewise you just get a display of the clearances and you accepted and new vastly eliminate the transcription errors and its more of fishing and not having to chatter on the radio with the awareness thats enhanced for a long time about the value of it. I know where youre going theres a lot of cbc. Thats exactly what im going. The safety are benefits with what im told by people who like the system and they say its a bright spot in the next jen implementation is that there are less bright spots and delays here in there where its been helpful but at the cbg shrewd airport that they have the Capital Investment to implement this and that most of the planes that landed take off their is for you and just for your information which im sure you are probably already aware, the cbg cargo has doubled there and dhl moved their hub there and flights are originating and they were there for the last five years and theyre wondering, when can they turn that on this. Because all open it up to you. Sir, im well aware of that and cbg exciting growth and they have the capacity for the growth so one of the criterias for putting data into an airport is to assess the rate by all operators because if you dont have the equipment of Critical Mass then turning it on doesnt make much sense. Who are in the process of looking about that and once we have the capabilities of the tower and the equipment on the ground i dont see a reason why we were turn it on. Will get back to if there is something that either cbg can help to get there will let you know, but i agree, its the right thing to do and every place we can do it will try to do it. They would need some training on it but the Capital Investment is sitting there unused and thats the taxpayer the airports have made an entire fleets that have this Technology Already indicating that we are told you make this investment and the faa will and hold the insider deal and will repeat bellow and have made these investments and the faa as made those investments in its a volume there which justifies it. Maybe five years ago the planes were put forward. But im glad there 62 airports that have it. Please get back to me and let me know why you think you can get that at cbg. Im concerned that the focus is already move on to phase two slip the other system but its a little bit of a rocky roll out. Why dont we get in and get some of the benefits of the system where it works and other airports. Thank you very much for your time and thank you loving aware of that situation. Thank you representative massie. I now recognize miss fitzpatrick. Senator elwell, the question that i have for you to an issue of itself by democrat hopscotch amber and the Democratic People who can colleagues with the issue of this with inaudible she is with us here today and is the widow of the constituent of mine was a flight one 75 that flew into the tower of the world trade center. We last year, Congress Passed the faa reauthorization including section 3 36 of the aviation safety act of what he teed which is in the cockpit and the mission is a complete and we will not stop until every single aircraft carries passengers. Its one of the few if not the only 9 11 report to be implemented 18 years later after 9 11. The implementation of secondary barriers. Where does the process stand in the slow progress of limitation . Thank you for that question. As someone who was intimately familiar. With 9 11 disease, d. C. Based American Airlines at the time. As someone who knew the entire crew flight 77 i, can connect very strongly to this effort. We are committed to seeing that he gets done consistent inconsistent with the law into question and to answer your question. The aviation with the committee has this task to provide a comment and weve had this discussion back and forth of you times and rulemaking is required just required for the second are very fine with the secondary barriers on and has begun that process and will see it to its conclusion. They will apply to new production we but we have to do it safely and i have to do it by the law and when it were going to get it done. We have any idea why everybody done by the hidden on some im sorry quickness that biden 18 month and the question is by the 18 month so. We wont have the rulemaking done by the time. Do you know what it will be done . We will work expect as expeditiously as the rule allows and the issue of forces given enough common time for each stage of the process which is elongates rulemaking and its i can get back to you on a more efficient prediction but i dont have one right now. Please do sir. And theres a letter written by sarah sunni in this committee. She thank you mister chairman. But one last question in the United States with the rest of the world which we really stifling innovation. Whats the reason for the delays committee and that the faa will stick to its current schedule. Were working on all of the lawmakings hes i dont write this day i dont describe to the statement that were falling behind other countries. We know other country that can compare to rule 1 07. There is no country that can hit the waivers in doing the other programs that we have which integrate the most important distinction of what it makes with other countries and primarily in operations this in the way its segregated or the west of the airspace. The u. S. Will be integrated into much more complex and i wouldnt characterize it as a swelling behind. We are tackling larger issues in the most complex and largest and most complex airspace in the world. Time expired mister chair i yield back. I represent norton for five minutes. Thank you very much. He and im pleased to be here and the and mean i made i call the only one of my colleagues that wasnt on the airplane every week. I just go nine blocks to capitol here will hill where it is. I went recently to see something the troubled me hes nancy and i was pleased to hear that the end under this existing regulations and it was to evacuate and aircraft within 90 seconds. If thats a very short period of time as the plane goes down. But, what these incidents reported to what the press reported and as people were out of the airline they were grabbing their carry on baggage is this an or their voice slowing up of the life and death baggage but you dont survive. Our authorization does asked the faa to fully assess of but it asks the faa to assess and report to congress. On whether the assumptions and methods certifying the compliance of evacuation which should revise. Mr. Elwell, we are bringing that up because it already seems to me that some revisions whitaker and that the faa hasnt initiated the Rulemaking Committee to address this issue. I would be very interested given the recent events to know the status of that mandate that youre apparently working on now. Thank you miss norton for that question. We have created a diversity evacuation in the committee arc and its first meeting was cities manner in a matter of weeks. Were going to use what we know is a gathering of stakeholders in these experts and further comments and their advice of moving forward. We have an active conversation with this committee and with our stakeholders and i cant remember if you were here when we talk about ground evacuation in life tests. We have 12 days of testing that is scheduled for november and it starts november 3rd or fifth to december. Or going to have to tell the 12 days and 720 folks that are going to participate in over 3000 data points. To your point, i agree with chairman defazio that we need to look at evacuation we and we have the right assumptions and to ensure that in these instances folks can get out of airplanes in emergencies. I didnt hear that it would be testing these assumptions were people getting often on airplanes . My last question was where did in 90 seconds come from. One of the things are be interested in this is everyone test to see if its realistic to believe the people for airplanes and can get off in 90 seconds and if that was just pulled out of the air or if it was based protesting. I can get back to you on the assumptions of the 90 seconds. The assumptions of getting off an airplane have to do with survive ability, cabin filling with smoke or not and every incident is different of course. 90 seconds could be enough in some instances and nowhere near enough or the accident or the incident could be such that they have all the time in the world and other times its just a matter of seconds. Its very complex which is why weve performed and asked the Industry Experts to give us advice on what we need to be looking at. One of the right things it expeditiously we had to answer the right questions. Thank you very much mister chairman. Thank you mr. Defazio. Ill make this brief and the amount of time but he wont be here for the second panel and this goes back again to the secondary barriers and from alabama. I was not aware of this that knew the faa was previously developed and published guidelines for secondary barriers and the our tce corporation that had designed characteristics and performance criteria of guidance. You the video three to nine 2011 and that seems like maybe we dont need to go through all the evaluation processes and that we can rely on that and move forward. Was not a question sure . Are you aware of that. We are aware of it and thats what the task since 9 11 which has the airline have been hearing to because when you do the example of the Flight Attendants that he behind the cart thats part of the deal 3 29 guidance. Alpha is saying that it has actual design on characteristics in the performance criteria and installation in certification thats for secretary barriers and not and i dont know enough familiar with the documents but i would suggest that we get the document ad review it is and there is more in there than menacing looking five attendance. Thank you mister chairman thank you. Thank you your team. The spot in your team and thank you very much for testifying today and you can tell by the questions theres a lot of interest and the full orientation of the bill we passed last year and partially you can tell by the questions of the timelines. Ill ask you to keep us informed of meeting the timelines that we have set out and on a variety of issues. Thank you and with that we will recess for five minutes and will reset, thank you. Were in recess for five minutes