The Technical Analysis Applications Center: Progress toward Certification and Operation in the NAS

摘要

A necessary condition for routine ROA flights in the National Airspace System outside restricted andrnwarning areas is a level of safety equivalent to manned aircraft. Two factors constitute a safe capability: (1) a ROA that is airworthy, and (2) a ROA that can operate in the NAS under the same operational criteria as manned aircraft. The FAA has not established airworthiness certification criteria for ROA, and the ability of ROA to comply with manned aircraft operational criteria is considered case-by-case. The appropriate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) region must approve each operation by issuing a Certificate of Authorization. This process is lengthy and sometimes results in different standards from region to region. A result of these constraints is the inability of the US ROA industry to achieve its full growth potential. Collaboration between the FAA and the industry is essential to address the issues and ultimately permit routine ROA flights in the NAS. The ROA Technical Analysis and Applications Center was established by New Mexico State University’s Physical Science Laboratory specifically to work with the FAA and the ROA industry in this effort. TAAC personnel possess extensive experience in aircraft certification, flight standards, air traffic operations, and ROA operations in the NAS. In the year since its inception, the TAAC has established a ROA flight area and approval of a COA that will provide developers and users opportunity to perform airworthiness and application flight demonstrations in a safe, controlled environment is expected soon. This presentation will apprise the ROA industry of the TAAC capabilities and the progress it has made in researching and validating airworthiness certification criteria and operational requirements.