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COE HISTORY FROM ENABLING LEGISLATION TO THE PRESENT
For the past decade, the Air Transportation Centers of Excellence have represented a major commitment by the FAA to support multi-year and multi-million dollar research that ensures coordination and innovation. These investments result in significant advancements in aviation science and technologies, and technology transfer. From the enabling legislation in 1990 to the present, 8 Centers of Excellence (COEs) have been formed with more than 60 university partners and over 200 industry and government affiliates partnering to produce research in specific areas of aviation considered critical to the mission of the FAA .
Dr. Patricia Watts, the National COE
Program Director, has been at the helm of the COE program since its
inception creating the environment of the COE community for the FAA.
This vibrant environment has grown since Congress designated the first
COE, the Joint Center for Computational Modeling of Aircraft
Structures in
1992. This first Center conducted research in
technological areas dealing with fatigue-damage, residual-life and
residual-strength estimations, mechanical and composite-patch repairs,
life-enhancement methodologies, and discrete source damage. In 1995, the COE for Airport Technology (originally called Airport Pavement Technology R&D) was competitively selected. All COEs since that time have been selected by the Administrator from a field of applicants after a competitive process. Airport Technology concentrates in high performance concrete, non-destructive evaluation of pavements, stabilized base materials, structural behavior and modeling, airport pavement design concepts/procedures, and wildlife research.
The COE for Operations Research (NEXTOR) was established by the FAA Administrator on June 26, 1996. In collaboration with the FAA and industry, NEXTOR was formed to do research in the areas of air traffic management and control, safety data analysis, communications, data collection, distribution, human factors, system performance and assessment measures, and aviation economics.
The following year saw the
selection of the COE for Airworthiness Assurance (AACE). This center
was
As the Centers of Excellence program developed, it became a noticeable force and, at this point, members recognized the need for a joint meeting. Members from each of the Centers gathered in 2001 for the first COE Annual Joint Meeting held in Cincinnati. This meeting was hosted by Ohio State University and General Electric Aircraft Engines. The Annual Joint meetings have become a vibrant forum for legislatively mandated information dissemination and a basis for new alliances and the development of future research ideas and direction
Between 2003 and 2004, three new centers were selected and announced. The first of these was the COE for Aircraft Noise and Aviation Emissions Mitigation (PARTNER) established in August 2003. This Center was formed to do research in the effects of noise and emissions impacts, noise and emissions abatement flight procedures and technology, compatible land use management, airport operational controls, noise and emissions measurements and health impacts, aviation atmospheric effects, interrelationships between noise and emissions, and communication and continuing education.
In December 2003, the Joint COE for Advanced Materials (JAMS) was announced by the FAA Administrator. Two university teams came together to form this center to conduct research in bonded joints processing, structural substantiation, damage tolerance and durability, advanced material forms/processes, flammability and crashworthiness, nanotechnology for composite structures, life management of materials for improved aircraft maintenance practices, and material standardization and shared databases.
In August 2004, the COE for Airliner Cabin Environment Research (ACER) was formed to ensure the safety, security, and health of all human occupants of aerospace vehicles. Among the targeted technologies are cabin sensor system development, contamination mitigation technology development, air quality incident analysis, airliner occupant health issue linkage, and field and laboratory analysis of potential contaminants.
In early 2005, the COE for Airport Technology (CEAT) completed its ten-year evaluation and became the first successful Center to be designated as a member of the COE Alliance. The Alliance represents a special designation for a Center team once it has proven to be a viable and vibrant member of the aeronautical research community for a period of ten years. The COE for Operations Research (NEXTOR) team is expected to become the second COE Alliance member in January 2007.
The progress made by the COE Program members and affiliates has enabled the United States to continue to build a safer and more efficient air transportation infrastructure. The FAA has supported over $260M of research and training through grants, contracts, and matching funds with eight Centers, funding more than 500 research tasks, and graduating more than 1,000 Master and Doctoral students in math, science, and engineering. COE scientists have published more than 2,000 articles, reports, and doctoral theses since 1993. Centers have made major contributions that have impacted rule making and certifications; members have testified before Congress and with their industry affiliates, they have generated close to $100M dollars in matching funds.
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