Congress Passes FAA Extension with Increased Role for South Jersey’s Technical Center

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, applauded the passage of a bipartisan extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorities and programs until Sept. 30, 2017.
“While not the multi-year full authorization I and many of my colleagues had hoped for, this 15 month extension will give some certainty and long-term planning for FAA employees and contractors on critical aviation programs and research,” said LoBiondo, Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. “More local to South Jersey, I was able to include provisions that will benefit the FAA Technical Center’s ongoing research and development programs, particularly those related to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and cybersecurity. The extension also includes bipartisan aviation security proposals to strengthen and streamline TSA’s operations and screening of passengers and luggage.”
The 15 month extension does not include the proposal to spin-off the air traffic control program into a not-for-profit entity that was previously approved by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Subsequently, operations at the FAA Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township – including its air traffic control operations, research and labs – will continue as normal through this extension.
Specific research programs in which the FAA Technical Center is expected to have a role in executing are as follows:
SEC. 2111. Aviation Cybersecurity – FAA to create a comprehensive and strategic cybersecurity plan.
SEC. 2206. Pilot Project For Airport Safety And Airspace Hazard Mitigation – FAA to pilot three more hazard mitigation projects to test the detection and mitigation of rogue drones.
SEC. 2208. Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management – FAA to partner with NASA and industry to develop research plan and execute pilot program for a drone traffic management system.
SEC. 2211. Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research And Development Roadmap – FAA and NASA to create a milestone chart for the integration of drones.
SEC. 2212. Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Manned Aircraft Collision Research – FAA and NASA to conduct study on the collision of drones with traditional aircraft.
SEC. 2213. Probabilistic Metrics Research And Drone Development Study – FAA to partner with universities to develop risk and threat model of integration of drones with traditional aircraft.
Also included in the FAA extension (H.Res 818) is an additional three (3) year authorization of the UAS test sites, including the New Jersey-Virginia-Maryland site, until September 30, 2019. A list of additional aviation safety and security provisions as well as consumer-friendly policies is available here.