The NGATS Institute

The landmark legislation "Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act", Pub. L. 108-176, provided that the Department of Transportation would establish within the FAA a Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) to develop and implement an Integrated Plan for a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS). In doing this, the JPDO is empowered to work in conjunction with relevant programs of the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and Homeland Security, and NASA.

"Vision 100" also directs that in developing and carrying out its plans, the JPDO must consult with the public, and ensure participation of experts from the private sector including representatives of commercial aviation, general aviation, aviation labor groups, aviation research and development entities, aircraft and air traffic control suppliers, and the space industry.

Concept
Just as the NGATS Integrated Plan represents a bold departure in the way that Federal agencies work together to achieve common objectives, "Vision 100" envisions a new and revolutionary way for government and the private sector to interact to achieve the objectives of the NGATS Integrated Plan.

The new guiding principle is that, rather than observe and comment, the private sector will now join with the government as a full partner in the NGATS development process. Technical experts and system stakeholders from the private sector will participate as full members of the interagency Integrated Product Teams. And the private sector contribute its best and brightest technical, scientific, and professional talent to serve on selected work groups, perform studies and R&D projects, and conduct technology demonstrations in support of NGATS objectives. And the stakeholder community itself will manage how those private sector resources are selected and applied to the NGATS mission.

NGATS Institute Structure and Operating Procedures
Cooperative enterprise between Government and the private sector will take place through the NGATS Institute.

The NGATS Institute is an alliance among organizations representing major aviation stakeholder communities, who will support the NGATS mission by recruiting, selecting, and assigning private sector experts and technical resources to participate on IPTs, and perform technical work for the IPTs/JPDO.

The Institute will operate under guidelines set forth in the funding agreement between the FAA/JPDO and the host organization, the National Center for Advanced Technologies (NCAT). The agreement provides that the NGATS Institute will be governed by a sixteen (16) member Institute Management Council (IMC) that is broadly representative of the aviation stakeholder community. Chaired by the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) and the Air Transport Association (ATA), the IMC includes representatives of regional commercial airline operations, business aircraft operations, helicopter operations; small aircraft general aviation, commercial pilots, air traffic controllers, airport operators, manufacturers of air vehicles, manufacturers of airborne/spaceborne and ground based equipment, federal advisory committees, universities, and nonprofit research organizations. The JPDO Director will serve on the IMC in a non-voting capacity.

Day-to-day operations of the NGATS Institute will be managed by an Executive Director, selected by an Executive Committee of the IMC and employed by NCAT.

When the JPDO tasks the Institute to recruit an expert for assignment to an IPT or working group, or to perform a specific project, the Executive Director will publish an announcement and initiate a search for candidates and/or bidders. In consultation with a panel of at least three advisors, the Executive Director will make a selection. An IPT assignment is subject to review by the IMC; project award decisions are subject to review by a standing Contractual Awards Oversight Board, a subcommittee of the IMC.

Participation in the Institute is free of charge, and open to everyone. The Institute will hold at least one public meeting per year. A report of the Institute's activities will be given, and comments invited.

Information and Contact
For additional information on the NGATS Institute, contact Karl Grundmann at .