A virtual Aeronautical Center Town Hall was hosted on September 23, 2020, went down as one for the books. It was the first time in many years that a Center-wide Town Hall was conducted, and the first time ever that it was conducted virtually. Over 800 employees and friends of the Aeronautical Center came together for this historic information sharing session. Members from nearly every organization on the Aeronautical Center were present, representing an incredibly diverse collection of FAA jobs, skills, and functions.
Aeronautical Center Director, Michelle Coppedge, kicked-off the Town Hall with a look back over the past 6 months and the challenges the Center has faced navigating the global health crisis. The employees of the Aeronautical Center have taken on the obstacles and opportunities presented by the pandemic and have performed incredibly! Coppedge looked at where we are now, pointing out that 72% of the Center’s workforce continues to telework, while approximately 2,000 employees are working on-location at the Center. In looking forward to the future of the Center, she noted that while the pandemic still exists, the Center’s workforce continues to thrive and employees are accomplishing things never before thought possible. They are perfecting "The Art of the Possible."
The FAA’s Aeronautical Center is experiencing an explosion of new tools, technologies, systems, and processes that are creating new aviation realities and possibilities. New aerospace companies in Oklahoma, such as Skydweller and Kratos are bringing new technologies to the mainstream. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) drones are creating a new means of commerce, transportation, exploration, and national defense. The Aeronautical Center is excited to partner and collaborate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to "leverage the Center’s expertise and infrastructure to accelerate the realization of emerging aerospace markets for passenger and cargo transportation."
David Zahn, the Aeronautical Center’s NASA liaison, presented the audience with Airspace Theory updates regarding developmental testing, and FAA regulatory framework, among other subjects. Zahn touched on the challenges of technologic advances over time in Airspace Technology, and the collaborative efforts between NASA and the Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) and the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) just to name a few.
Kevin O’Connor, Aeronautical Center Deputy Director discussed the Center’s ongoing partnerships in advancing these emerging technologies: "True value in any organization comes from horizontal integration – collaboration - working across organizational boundaries – breaking down silos – sharing data and sharing ideas."
Dr. Melchor Antuñano, Director of the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, a valuable tenant at the Aeronautical Center, shared a fascinating look at the possibilities that exist as humans interact with emerging technologies. These technologies consist of a wide range of smart devices such as smart contact lenses, smart clothing, and skin patches that interact with the human body, providing monitoring and data collection. He pointed out that all of these technologies have aviation applications that enhance performance and help monitor pilot, and even air traffic controller health.
Numerous organizations within the FAA are finding and implementing new "possibles" in their workforces and workflows. Jim Doskow, Director of the FAA Academy, presented several new technologies and approaches used in the Academy’s educational programs. The global health crisis requires that the Academy "think outside the box," and find new and improved ways of delivering training. Solutions such as the Academy’s Virtual Training Network (AVTN) and the use of the HoloLens training equipment are opening new possibilities in how training is conducted.
The Office of Facility Management is on the forefront of new technologies and infrastructures. Corey Black, Program Director for the Office of Facility Management, spoke on the Solar Panel Project being installed to provide efficient and ecological power at the Center. He also described the new WiWAVES Research Facility, which will house new aviation and life safety research projects upon its completion.
Additionally, Derrick Rollins, an employee in the Enterprises Service Center demonstrated how the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software and technologies can automate repetitive business processes, thereby producing cost avoidance, as well as creating more efficient business systems while reducing errors and inaccuracies.
The future is just around the corner and what once were possibilities are now becoming realities. The Aeronautical Center is recognizing and influencing the "Art of the Possible." Looking ahead to the future, Coppedge offered this: "My challenge for you is to – Think about the "Art of the Possible" in what you are doing every day. How can you contribute to the success of your organization, the Center, the FAA, and the aerospace industry? How can you be engaged and be a part of creating a culture that’s innovative, cost-effective, communicates well, and insists on collaboration to propel the Center forward?" She concluded the Town Hall by pointing out, "The Center is already making tremendous strides in collaborating across Lines of Business, with external stakeholders such as NASA, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and more. We are helping to lay the foundation of safety today for tomorrow’s technologies."
