FAA Introduces Air Transportation Center of Excellence

According to the FAA, academic team members have nationally recognized collegiate aviation-related education programs, and core members own and operate their own aircraft and airports. Principal investigators from the universities will conduct the research projects, and teams will include senior faculty, as well as graduate-level and undergraduate students.

The agency has established 12 Centers of Excellence in critical topics focusing on unmanned aircraft systems, alternative jet fuels and environment, GA safety, commercial space transportation, airliner cabin environment, aircraft noise and aviation emissions mitigation, advanced materials, GA research, airworthiness assurance, operations research, airport pavement and technology, and computational modeling of aircraft structures.

In addition to studying human factors issues such as changes in learner expectations and academic best practices for training a new generation, the FAA Center of Excellence will examine innovative training methods that include new technologies like mobile learning and new ways of collecting and managing training data.

The FAA Center of Excellence is supported through a long-term, cost-sharing partnership between academia, industry and government. Congress legislated the Air Transportation Centers of Excellence under the Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering and Development Authorization Act of 1990, which enables the FAA to work with center members and affiliates to conduct research to assure a safe and efficient air transportation system.

Learn more about the COE program.