article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering, and Development Act of 2002''. SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) Amounts Authorized.--Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7); (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and inserting a semicolon; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(9) for fiscal year 2003, $261,000,000, including-- ``(A) $211,000,000 to improve aviation safety; ``(B) $18,000,000 to improve the efficiency of the air traffic control system; ``(C) $16,000,000 to reduce the environmental impact of aviation; and ``(D) $16,000,000 to improve the efficiency of mission support; ``(10) for fiscal year 2004, $274,000,000, including-- ``(A) $221,000,000 to improve aviation safety; ``(B) $19,000,000 to improve the efficiency of the air traffic control system; ``(C) $17,000,000 to reduce the environmental impact of aviation; and ``(D) $17,000,000 to improve the efficiency of mission support; and ``(11) for fiscal year 2005, $287,000,000, including-- ``(A) $231,000,000 to improve aviation safety; ``(B) $20,000,000 to improve the efficiency of the air traffic control system; ``(C) $18,000,000 to reduce the environmental impact of aviation; and ``(D) $18,000,000 to improve the efficiency of mission support.''. SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF NATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY RESEARCH PROGRAMS. (a) Development of Plan.--Not later than June 30, 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, and the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security shall prepare and transmit an updated integrated civil aviation research and development plan to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee on Science. (b) Contents.--The updated integrated civil aviation research and development plan shall include-- (1) identification of the respective aviation research and development requirements, roles, and responsibilities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Transportation Security Administration; and (2) review of steps they could take to facilitate the transfer and adoption of new technologies in an operational environment, including consideration of increasing the exchange of research staff, providing greater details on funding at the project level in joint plans, and providing for greater use of technology readiness in program plans and budgets to help frame the maturity of new technologies and determine when they can be implemented. SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM TO IMPROVE AIRFIELD PAVEMENTS. The Federal Aviation Administration Administrator shall continue the program to consider awards to nonprofit concrete and asphalt pavement research foundations to improve the design, construction, rehabilitation, and repair of concrete and asphalt airfield pavements to aid in the development of safer, more cost-effective, and more durable airfield pavements. The Administrator may use grants or cooperative agreements in carrying out this section. Nothing in this section requires the Administrator to prioritize an airfield pavement research program above safety, security, Flight 21, environment, or energy research programs. SEC. 5. ENSURING APPROPRIATE STANDARDS FOR AIRFIELD PAVEMENTS. (a) In General.--The Federal Aviation Administration Administrator shall review and determine whether the Federal Aviation Administration's standards used to determine the appropriate thickness for asphalt and concrete airfield pavements are in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration's standard 20-year-life requirement using the most up-to-date available information on the life of airfield pavements. If the Administrator determines that such standards are not in accordance with that requirement, the Administrator shall make appropriate adjustments to the Federal Aviation Administration's standards for airfield pavements. (b) Report.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall report the results of the review conducted under subsection (a) and the adjustments, if any, made on the basis of that review to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee on Science. SEC. 6. AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. (a) Objective.--The Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, in coordination with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator, shall participate in a national initiative with the objective of defining and developing an air traffic management system designed to meet national long-term aviation security, safety, and capacity needs. The initiative should result in a multiagency blueprint for acquisition and implementation of an air traffic management system that would-- (1) build upon current air traffic management and infrastructure initiatives; (2) improve the security, safety, quality, and affordability of aviation services; (3) utilize a system of systems approach; (4) develop a highly integrated, secure common information network to enable common situational awareness for all appropriate system users; and (5) ensure seamless global operations for system users. (b) Implementation.--In implementing subsection (a), the Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, in coordination with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator, shall work with other appropriate Government agencies and industry to-- (1) develop system performance requirements; (2) determine an optimal operational concept and system architecture to meet such requirements; (3) utilize new modeling, simulation, and analysis tools to quantify and validate system performance and benefits; (4) ensure the readiness of enabling technologies; and (5) develop a transition plan for successful implementation into the National Airspace System. SEC. 7. ASSESSMENT OF WAKE TURBULENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. (a) Assessment.--The Federal Aviation Administration Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council for an assessment of the Federal Aviation Administration's proposed wake turbulence research and development program. The assessment shall address-- (1) research and development goals and objectives; (2) research and development objectives that should be part of Federal Aviation Administration's proposed program; (3) proposed research and development program's ability to achieve the goals and objectives of the Federal Aviation Administration, and of the National Research Council, the schedule, and the level of resources needed; and (4) the roles other Federal agencies, such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, should play in wake turbulence research and development, and coordination of these efforts. (b) Report.--A report containing the results of the assessment shall be provided to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee on Science not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Aviation Administration Administrator for fiscal year 2003, $500,000 to carry out this section. SEC. 8. DEVELOPMENT OF ANALYTICAL TOOLS AND CERTIFICATION METHODS. The Federal Aviation Administration may conduct research to promote the development of analytical tools to improve existing certification methods and to reduce the overall costs to manufacturers for the certification of new products. SEC. 9. CABIN AIR QUALITY RESEARCH PROGRAM. In accordance with the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences in its report entitled ``The Airliner Cabin Environment and the Health of Passengers and Crew'', the Federal Aviation Administration may establish a research program to answer questions about cabin air quality of aircraft. SEC. 10. RESEARCH TO IMPROVE CAPACITY AND REDUCE DELAYS. The Administrator may include, as part of the Federal Aviation Administration research program, a systematic review and assessment of the specific causes of airport delay at the 31 airports identified in the Airport Benchmarking Study, on an airport-by-airport basis. Passed the Senate November 18, 2002. Attest: JERI THOMSON, Secretary.
summary: Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering, and Development Act of 2002 - (Sec. 2) Amends Federal aviation law to authorize appropriations out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund for FY 2003 through 2005 for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for specified aviation research and development (R&D) projects.(Sec. 3) Requires the Administrators of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), to submit to specified congressional committees an updated integrated civil aviation R&D plan that coordinates national aviation safety and security research programs of NASA, the FAA, and the TSA.(Sec. 4) Directs the Administrator of the FAA to continue the program to consider awards to nonprofit concrete pavement research foundations to improve the design, construction, rehabilitation, and repair of rigid concrete airfield pavements to aid in the development of safer, more cost-effective, and more durable airfield pavements.(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator of the FAA to review and determine, and report the results to specified congressional committees on, whether FAA standards for airfield pavements are in accordance with its standard 20-year-life requirement using the most up-to-date available information on the life of airfield pavements.(Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator of the FAA, in coordination with the Administrator of NASA, to participate in a national air traffic management R&D initiative designed to meet national long-term aviation security, safety, and capacity needs.(Sec. 7) Directs the Administrator of the FAA to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to assess, and report the results to specified congressional committees on, the FAA's proposed wake turbulence R&D program. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003.(Sec. 8) Authorizes the FAA to conduct research to promote the development of analytical tools to improve existing certification methods and to reduce the overall costs to manufacturers for the certification of new products.(Sec. 9) Authorizes the FAA to establish a research program to answer questions about cabin air quality of aircraft.(Sec. 10) Authorizes the Administrator of the FAA to include, as part of the FAA's research program, a systematic review and assessment of the specific causes of airport delay at the 31 airports identified in the Airport Benchmarking Study, on an airport-by-airport basis.