How is it that you get two organizations, geographically separated, representing multiple lines of business to collaborate on innovation and operational goals? Is it even possible? Well, for the past five years, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) and the William J. Hughes Technical Center have accomplished this and a whole lot more!

On February 4, leaders from the MMAC and the Tech Center gathered to review their commitment to working together. The two Centers originally signed a collaborative Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2015 and then formally extended the agreement in October 2019.

For the past five years, MMAC and the Technical Center have worked together to leverage resources and achieve mutual goals by sharing knowledge. As a result of their collaboration, the Centers have developed action plans containing several key initiatives and pledging innovative deliverables. "We really value this relationship with the Tech Center, as demonstrated by the recent signing of an updated Memorandum of Understanding," said Michelle Coppedge, Director of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. "It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our successes together."

Technical Center Director, Shelley Yak, agreed. "It’s great that our teams speak on a monthly basis and that we share our research, development, testing and evaluation," Yak said. "The ongoing MOU strengthens the strong working relationship between the two Centers and allows us both to showcase and build productive global relationships with industry, academia and other government agencies."

The Centers’ combined products and activities reinforce collaboration, amplify capabilities, clarify communications and strengthen the connection between the facilities. Ever more frequently, efforts at one Center cross over to the other with full, mutual support, forming a dynamic and productive partnership dedicated to fulfilling the FAA’s mission.

The two Centers have committed to developing a prioritization matrix to determine technologies targeted for joint effort. Each objective will be held to particular criteria that determines the level of complexity, resource availability and stakeholder priority.

Some of the projects currently slated for 2020 include:

Collaboration:

• Validation & Verification Summit – Summit held annually to reinforce current aerospace technologies
• Human System Integration Summit – Summit held annually to reinforce human factors in aerospace
• Tech Center Tuesday – Demonstrations to employees and industry to draw attention to current technical activities across the two Centers.

Capabilities:

• Comprehensive Capability Repository – documentation of all laboratories and capabilities within the FAA
• Storyboard – a tool used to convey complex information at a layman’s level

Communication:

• Continuance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Strategic Direction – develop goals and initiatives each year for team collaboration.
• Create Awareness of MMAC / WJHTC capabilities through a demonstration of various capabilities and linkage of services

Connection:

• Patents and Collaborative Research and Development Agreements (CRDA’s) / Technical Transfer Opportunities – Examining key process initiatives with projects
• Human Factors Plan – A modern document to guide developments and research
• Mini-National Airspace System Training & Research Lab - Connecting laboratories between the two Centers for testing and research
• Big Data Analytics Working Group – Examining data to find cost savings and risk avoidance solutions

As both Centers implement their Strategic Partnership Roadmap for 2020, they will continue their collaboration to facilitate timely implementation, ensure operational integration, and measure quantifiable benefits of all NextGen products and systems.