FLIGHT INSPECTION INNOVATIONS

FLIGHT INSPECTION OF AIR NAVIGATION FACILITIES DURING COMMISSIONING, AND FOR PERIODIC REINSPECTION PURPOSES, IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE FAA RELATED TO SUPPORTING INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PROCEDURES. THE FAA NOW FINDS ITSELF AT A CROSSROADS. FLIGHT INSPECTION IS A COSTLY AND RESOURCE-LIMITED ACTIVITY UNDER WHICH CURRENT RESOURCES ARE ALREADY STRAINED. WITH THE IMPENDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NUMBERS OF NEW FACILITIES (E.G. MLS), AND WITH USERS PRESSING DEMANDS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND APPROVAL OF LARGE NUMBERS OF NEW LORAN AND GPS-BASED INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES, THE DEMAND FOR FLIGHT INSPECTION SERVICES IS ANTICIPATED TO DRAMATICALLY GROW RATHER THAN ABATE. THE PROPOSED MULTI-PHASE RESEARCH PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND FIND INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES, AND TO BRING THESE RESULTS TO BEAR ON THE FLIGHT INSPECTION PROBLEM. PHASE I OF THIS RESEARCH PROGRAMWILL ADDRESS POSSIBLE CANDIDATE TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES WITH THE INTENT BEING TO IDENTIFY THOSE APPROACHES WITH TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC MERIT, AND WILL THEN DETERMINE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP THOSE TECHNOLOGIES DURING FUTURE PHASES OF THIS PROGRAM.