Dale Strong Presses FAA Administration Chris Rocheleau About Airport Infrastructure Funding Approval Timelines

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During Wednesday’s House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL) questioned Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau about airport infrastructure projects.

Transcript

00:00Thank you. Mr. Strong. Thank you Chairman Womack and Ranking Member Clyburn for

00:05holding this hearing today. I'd also like to thank the subcommittee staff for

00:09their hard work. It does not go unnoticed. Mr. Rushlow, thank you for being here

00:15today. My district in North Alabama is home to Huntsville International Airport.

00:19I'm proud to say Huntsville has been named the best small airport in the

00:23country for the second consecutive year. Airports can find it difficult to plan

00:27long-term infrastructure projects when they don't have clarity on funding

00:31timelines or FAA approvals. Mr. Administrator, has the FAA considered

00:37establishing response deadlines for project approvals allowing them to move

00:42forward if no determination is issued within a set time frame? So yes sir, I

00:50know by law and let me just say been Huntsville a number of times both in the

00:54Air Force and within the FAA and it's it's amazing how Huntsville's grown. With

00:59respect to timeline specifically, I know that reauthorization requires that

01:04deadline to be 45 days. In addition to that we have the NEPA requirements which

01:08is a year for an environmental assessment and then two years for the EIS, so the

01:15Environmental Impact Statement. And we work closely to that within the

01:20airports division. Thank you. I serve on as the co-chair of the Army Aviation Caucus

01:26alongside Ranking Member DeLauro. I would like to express my deepest sympathies for

01:30those impacted by the horrific collision at DCA on January the 29th. In the

01:35aftermath, the Army's use of automatic dependent surveillance broadcast

01:40affectionately known as ADS-B transponders and information communicated to the DCA air

01:46traffic control control has come under focus. Reports from more recent close

01:53calls from have highlighted that even through Army aircraft have been

01:57transmitting ADS-B information and haven't deviated from approved flight paths. Air

02:04traffic control has issued go-arounds to commercial airliners because they have

02:09been unsure of the helicopter's position. Mr. Administrator, does air traffic control

02:15utilize ADS-B data for deconfliction of aircrafts at DCA? If so, is it the sole

02:23means of tracking aircraft or does it use a mix of different systems? Yes, sir. We use

02:30a mix of systems. We, in fact, use ADS-B. We also use radar and we use visual

02:36separation as well as appropriate. Does using the mixed systems, does this create an

02:42ability or degrade ATC's ability to ascertain the aircraft's position? I think the

02:49multiple systems offer the controllers the ability to manage the airspace as

02:55efficiently but safely as possible. Despite previous actions to increase

03:01funding for the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, the industry

03:06still faces long delays in licensing for launch and reentry. What is the FAA's

03:12strategy to streamline licensing while maintaining public safety? Are there any

03:17specific tools or systems the FAA is investing in to ensure regulations don't

03:23ground our space industry? So I'm very excited about the commercial space

03:27industry and it's certainly one of the areas that I've been focused on in coming

03:31back to the agency. We did 142 launches last year. We're expecting close to 200

03:37this year and it's really an exciting time to be. With regard to what

03:42we're using to streamline, so we recently issued a part 450 and we are working with

03:47the space operators to better understand how we can do that more

03:52efficiently going forward. And with respect to airspace, we use what we call the

03:57space data integrator. So our air traffic people work very closely with the launch

04:01operations to make sure that we can minimize the time that we need to open the

04:05airspace for the launches so that we can have smooth transitions between

04:08commercial airlines and commercial space launches. What steps is the FAA taking to

04:14integrate space launches into the National Airspace Center effectively? I know

04:18you've mentioned a couple there. Yes sir. So the space data integrator that's

04:23located out at the FAA's command center is really a key element of that because as we

04:30see normal air traffic operations within the system and we see the increase in

04:36space launch operations themselves, we want to make sure we de-conflict first and

04:41foremost and second minimize the impact of the traveling public through airlines.

04:45Thank you. I know that Chairman Cole and Chairman Womack mentioned this. You look at

04:50this budget, it is not a budget that is divided partisan. Four billion for equipment

04:56account, one billion for modernization of telecommunication, communication network,

05:01radar replacement program, hiring and training, add 2,500 new ATC. That's what

05:08America is looking for. We want to be sure it's safe. I thank you for your efforts. Mr.

05:12Chairman, I yield back. Thank you. Mr. Quigley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Administrator, how many

05:18told you that it would be on? All Statesor Cand alive.

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