Intercom - William J. Hughes Technical Center · Technical Information Meetings (TIMs) are an important way for ... traveled at approximately 16 ... Paul Simon, along with Wayne Marks,

Dear Members of the Technical Center Family,

I am happy to announce the appointment of KayeDove Jackson as Chief of Staff, and I am delight-ed that Kaye accepted this new challenge. Themanagement team and I will benefit greatly fromher 23 years of service to the Technical Centerand from her wise counsel. Kaye’s appointmentwas effective November 17.

As Chief of Staff, Kaye will monitor the full rangeof programs and activities at the TechnicalCenter. She will oversee special programs andprojects, and provide congressional liaison serv-ices. She will also provide an executive linkbetween senior management and Center organi -zations, FAA organizations, collective bargainingunits, and local and state government officials.

Kaye has worked at the Technical Center since1979, when she came on board as a ContractingOfficer. More recently, Kaye was the Manager ofthe Communications Staff. She also served atthe Technical Center as the Manager of Appraisaland Planning, and as the Deputy Assistant ChiefCounsel. Prior to working for the FAA, she had aprivate legal practice in Elizabeth, New Jersey.Kaye earned a bachelor's degree and a lawdegree at North Carolina Central University.

Please join me in wishing Kaye all the best in hernew position.

Sincerely,

Anne Harlan

Terry DiPompo, the new program director for theOffice of Human Capital Strategies, came to theWilliam J. Hughes Technical Center looking forchange. However, she may not have expected it asquickly as it came.

Having been in her position for less than onemonth, DiPompo's department was involved in arestructuring at the Technical Center that broughther new responsibilities and challenges. The entireCommunications Staff, formerly under the directionof Kaye Jackson was moved to DiPompo's areawhen Jackson was named Chief-of-Staff underTechnical Center Director Dr. Anne Harlan, effec-tive November 17.

While many persons might have been taken abackby such a dramatic change, DiPompo sees it as anopportunity and embraces the new challenges."The reassignment of the communications depart-ment, under the Office of Human Capital

-continued next page

IntercomA Newsletter of the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center

Shaping aviation’s future - Creating possibilities and

Providing integrated solutions

In This Issue...WelcomeNew Chief of StaffNexcomISO 9000Girls in TechnologyNew HiresICAOA DiversityMasterpieceIcing ResearchA Visit to CAMIDiversity in ReviewNew EmployeeVoiceAward WinnersATC Pioneer ReunionNew Shuttle ServiceNews from the CenterATCA ConferenceCenters of Excellence

November 2002volume 5 issue 11

Human Capital StrategiesNewest Member

Center Director Names New Chief of Staff

Intercom can be found on-line at: http://www.tc.faa.gov/intercom/intercom.htmThe printed version of this publication has been temporarily suspended until theDepartment of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2003 Appropriations Bill is passed.

Intercom A Newsletter of the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center

Throughout the summer and fall of 2002, a cross organization-al effort took place, which ultimately resulted in the successfulimplementation of the STARS FS2+ at Philadelphia Tower onthe morning of November 17, 2002.

Starting in July, employees from the Terminal Business Unit, theAir Traffic Training Office, NATCA, Eastern Region ATD,Raytheon, the Air Traffic Domain Director, Philadelphia Tower,and ACB-3 planned for a training course which would train over100 controllers from Philadelphia Tower in the Air Traffic Labs ofthe Tech Center. Adam Greco, Air Traffic Domain Director (ACB-3) coordinated all of the activities between the various parties atthe Center.

The training consisted of a combination of 60 hours of ComputerBase Instruction, classroom training in the STARS String 3 lab,consisting of ATCoach scenarios with a live radar feed fromPHL, and culminating in performance evaluations throughhuman-in-the loop simulations at the conclusion of the trainingweek to certify that the controllers had mastered the curriculum.The process consisted of training 11 controllers per week fornine consecutive weeks. In November, two representativesfrom Miami Tower were invited to observe the training sinceMiami is expected to implement the STARS in July, 2003.

Because the controller training was completed on November 1,the opportunity to train Airways Facilities technicians from PHLTower at the Tech Center labs emerged and they were providedwith three weeks of lab time to conduct training and perform-

ance validation for STARS. During the week of November 4, agroup consisting of the National STARS Training team andRaytheon met at the Center to validate the training process andmaterials for the PHL STARS course.n

STARSPreparing for Tomorrow

At Right:Instructor

Rick Heckmanmonitoring PHL

controllers.

At Right: PHL controllersperforming self

study in the STARSComputer lab.

2

Human Capiital Strategies...continued from front cover

Strategies, provides us with the ability to influence communications and develop appropriate communication mechanisms to assist usin creating a high performing culture and model work environment that attracts and retains highly-talented employees and encouragesand fosters employee development and growth," said DiPompo. "It will enhance our ability to create a common understanding of themission, vision and values that all employees are being asked to work together as a team to achieve."

The message so far from the newest program director is change is good and should be embraced. After all, as a technical organiza-tion, change is inevitable and is a measure of our success.n

In September 1995, the FAA and NASA strengthened their part-nership by forming the FAA/NASA Interagency Air TrafficManagement Integrated Product Team (IAIPT). The mission ofthe IAIPT is to plan and conduct integrated research related toboth air-based and ground-based air traffic control (ATC) and airtraffic management (ATM) decision support tools and proce-dures. Oversight for IAIPT activities is provided by the FAA'sResearch, Engineering & Development (R,E&D) AdvisoryCommittee and NASA's Aeronautics and Space TransportationTechnology Advisory Committee.

Technical Information Meetings (TIMs) are an important way forIAIPT members to exchange information and perspectives.Recently, team members Paul Krois (AAR-100), JacquelineRehmann (ASD-100), and Richard Mogford, (NASA Ames), co-hosted an IAIPT Human Factors TIM in Washington, DC. Thefocus of the two day meeting, held November 19-20, was to dis-cuss the role of human factors in progressing capabilitiesthrough research and development (R&D) to acquisition anddeployment.

Meeting participants came from the FAA and NASA Ames andLangley, MITRE CAASD, the aviation industry, and academia.Participants discussed the important contribution of human fac-tors in transitioning research concepts and products through theR&D pipeline to acquisition and fielded systems. The meetingfocused on developing human factors guidance for transitioning

research capabilities across Technology Readiness Levels(TRLs). TRLs are the basis for coordinating various activities,roles, and expectations among research organizations and theFAA. The TRL model allows the research organization, inde-pendent of FAA, to describe, develop, and perform limited test-ing of its proposed concept. The TRL model represents aphased approach toward R&D.

Meeting participants agreed that transitioning research conceptsfrom exploration to development and onward to acquisition prod-ucts and fielded systems should be accompanied by increasing-ly detailed assessments of information requirements, displaymanagement/integration, human centered automation, andhuman performance measures, such as workload, situationawareness, communications, and human error.

Presentations focused on identifying and discussing human fac-tors and human performance issues across different levels ofcapability maturity.

Output from the TIM includes preparation of human factors guid-ance for IAIPT members in the form of principles, methods, andmetrics that can be used to guide human factors researchthrough the R&D pipeline.

For more information, contact [email protected] orcall 609-485-4739.n

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A Newsletter of the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center Intercom

Changes on the HorizonHuman Factors for Evolving Environments: Key FAA/NASA Activity

The Center recently held demonstrations of the technologythat will power the U.S. next generation air-ground communi-cations system. Dubbed NEXCOM, this system will move airtraffic control air/ground communications from the currentanalog voice only to the future digital voice and data. The sys-tem will ultimately replace all of the over 40,000 FAA groundradios and transmitters. A similar replacement will occur onthe airborne side with the eventual full participation of over200,000 U.S. aircraft with eventual international participation.The prototype demonstration was the first of three planneddemonstrations that will culminate in 2004 with a demonstra-tion of a fully developed prototype ground delivery system andcertificated NEXCOM (VDL Mode 3) avionics.

The first demonstration involved a simulated air traffic controlfacility and three aircraft. The facility was operated by air traf-fic controllers assisted by project personnel at the NEXCOMlab located within the Technical Center's ATC lab facility. Twoof the three participating aircraft, a Lear Jet (430) and theCenter's Convair 580, were located at the Technical Center'shangar and ramp, respectively. The third aircraft, N40, theCenter's Boeing 727, traveled at approximately 16 - 20,000feet on a race track pattern between the Technical Center andSnow Hill, MD. The demonstration displayed several ofNEXCOM's key features which included: a comparisonbetween the analog and digital voice capabilities of the newsystem; Controller Override: the ability for the controller toimmediately take control of the channel when needed; UrgentDownlink Request: the ability of the pilot to notify the con-troller of his urgent need to speak immediately; Stuck MikeResolution, the ability of the system to prevent a stuck mikefrom blocking the channel; Digital Data Link: the ability to

send digital text and graphical data; and Multi-channel opera-tion: the ability to simultaneously send two completely inde-pendent voice and two independent data links on the same 25kHz channel; Next Channel Uplink: the ability to uplink thenext frequency directly to the aircraft radio; and Anti-Blocking:the ability of the system to prevent the channel degrading con-dition which occurs one or more aircraft transmits while atransmission is already in progress.

In 2005, after successful completion of the 2004 demonstra-tion, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will be issued notifyingthe Public of the FAA's intention to transition to NEXCOM overa period that will probably span a decade. If all goes asplanned, owners can expect to begin equipping their aircraftand using the new services around 2010. n

Above: Nexcom in action.

NEXCOMTaking Communication into the Future


4

What is ISO registration?ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. It isa proactive quality assurance mechanism which promotescontinuous quality improvement through the documentation ofapproved processes. It establishes a registration process thatan organization or agency is independently audited for com-pliance with the applicable standard.

Now that we have a better understanding of what it is, let’sfollow one ACT division’s journey through registration.

The First to RegisterThe Facilities Services and Engineering Division (FSED),ACX-40 has achieved ISO 9001:2000 registration of itsQuality Management System. FSED is the first organizationwithin the office of Operations, Technology and AcquisitionACX to be ISO registered.

How it BeganIn June 2000, Basilyn Bunting , then ACT-400 Manager, AlexStoroz , Beth Burkett, Beverly Hite, Don Marple, MicheleHolmes, Paul Simon , along with Wayne Marks, then ACT-600, visited NASA AMES to study its registration to the ISO9000:1994 standard.

ACT-600, now ACX-40, began its quest to ISO registration inMarch 2001. The timeline for registration was March 2002.Workload demand after September 11, combined with a needto modify all documents as a result of the Center reorganiza-tion, necessitated the milestone be delayed until September2002.

The Bumpy RoadThe original ISO team was composed of Frank Seman, ISOManagement Representative, Al Lisicki, Audit Manager, andWayne Marks, Document Manager. As a result of September11, Frank and Al were reassigned to other duties. Ken Dobisbecame the Management Representative and Audit Manager.Three months prior to the registration audit, Ken was hospi-talized. In anticipation of Ken's leave, Carolyn McKinney-Bobo (ACB-3) volunteered to act as Audit Manager. Carolynput together an audit team consisting of Wanda Harris (ACB-3) Natalie Reed (ACB-3), and Maudie Powell (ACF-1).

This team, along with FSED's internal auditors Jill Sharra,Donna Taylor , Eugene Hidalgo, Reynold McPherson, andBrian Allen, completed the internal audits and documentationrequired for registration. During Ken's absence, WayneMarks was appointed Management Representative.

Our Strong Support TeamsThe recent FSED reorganization was tailored to customerfocus, a key ISO requirement, with each of the five groups inFSED specializing in specific customer groups.

ACX-41, managed by Ray Dumas, is the Facility Engineeringand Operations Group that assigns work to all FSED organi -zations and our support contractors through the Trouble Desk.

ACX-42, managed by Howard Kimpton, EnvironmentalEngineering Group, receives work orders from the troubledesk involving environmental and safety issues, in addition totheir normal environmental and safety work throughout theTechnical Center.

ACX-43, managed by Mike Beres, NAS A&E Group is thefocal point for all Engineering/Design work requested fromthe following organizations: ACB, ATQ, AOS, and ATB. Thisconsists of Architectural and Engineering (A&E) design,Engineering Consultation, Planning & Estimating and con-struction.

ACX-44, managed by Frank Seman, Technical Center A&EGroup, is the focal point for all Engineering/Design workrequested from the following organizations: ACF, ACT, ACH,ACK, and ACX. This consists of A&E design, EngineeringConsultation, Planning & Estimating and construction.

ACX-45, managed by Dave Dando, Aviation Safety &Security A&E Group, is the focal point for allEngineering/Design work requested from the following organ-izations: AAR-400, TSA, Coast Guard, Air National Guard,SJTA, AEA, AVN, and FIFO. This consists of A&E design,Engineering Consultation, Planning & Estimating and con-struction.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road?The Quest for ISO 9001:2000 Registration

5


The IntranetKeeping the user interface for our ISO documentation simplewas one of the goals. The team felt that this would be key tohaving employees understand and follow the ISO procedureswithout intensive and recurring training on finding information.The FSED's ISO documentation can be found on FAA intra-website at http://plant.act.faa.gov/iso/.

Our View on QualityThe Facilities Services and Engineering Division is committedto consistently providing high quality professional servicesresponsive to customer requirements and continually improv-ing the Quality Management System.

Staying InformedThe ISO process can only be implemented with the coopera-tion of all members of the Division. To achieve that coopera-tion, each employee must be fully informed of their responsi -bilities and given periodic progress reports to keep abreast ofthe latest advancement towards our goal. This was accom-plished by having a number of all hands meetings, as well asISO training conducted by the ISO management office andeach employee's group manager. A periodic newsletter wasalso generated and available on the web to publicize currentissues.

Consultant and RegistrarThe FSED's ISO consultant is David Lambertson of QualitecConsulting. Dave has guided the team through the ISOprocess with expertise, patience, and a steadfast commitmentto our goal of ISO 9001:2000 Registration. Among Dave'sother accomplishments is his role as the NASA HeadquartersISO consultant.

FSED selected QMI of Springfield, PA, and Mississauga,Ontario, Canada, as the registrar. This is the same registrarthat was selected by ACB-800, formerly ACT-400, for ISO9000:1994 and AAR-500 for ISO 9001:2000.

QMI conducted its pre-assessment audit in August. This pre-assessment was to determine if the team was ready for theregistration audit scheduled for late September. They weregiven a thumbs up, with a total of eight minor non-confor-mances that were addressed immediately.

THe registration audit was conducted in late September. Thefindings from that audit were: Major Nonconformance's: NoneMinor Nonconformance's: NoneOpportunities for Improvement: One

QMI's report stated:"The results of this Initial Registration Audit indicate that theQuality Management System of the FAA Facilities Servicesand Engineering Division, ACX-40, is found to be suitable andeffective, and will be recommended for registration to the ISO9001:2000 standard."

Management CommitmentThe number one ingredient to ISO success is managementcommitment. Without it you will be doomed to failure. Oncethe employees see that management is serious about processimprovement, their resistance to change is greatly diminished.This commitment also dispels the perception that ISO is theflavor of the month and will disappear as quickly as TQM andother "quality" systems that have been tried over the years.

The Road to OZ As Dorothy found out, the solution to a problem is not man-aged by others, but rather in our own hearts. The same is truewith ISO. Without 100% commitment, you will not achievewhat you desire.

Did you ever wonder why the good witch didn't tell Dorothythe power of the shoes at the beginning of the movie and saveall that trouble? n

“The Quality Policy comes fromManagement; the Quality Product comesfrom the Workers,” explains Gary Poulsen.

6


A thank you note from AAR-500’s John Tye.

I'm delighted to announce that on October 31, 2002, after twodays of intense scrutiny by the Quality Management Institute(QMI) auditor Mr. Wayne Blazek, our Explosives Program hasformally been recommended for registration. The purpose ofthis audit was to evaluate the suitability, adequacy and effec-tiveness of the organization's Quality Management System(QMS) with regard to the Explosives Program in meeting therequirements of the ISO 9001:2000 Standard, and the labora-tory's Quality Management System documentation, for thedeclared scope of registration.

During the audit procedure one nonconformance regardingthe approved vendors list was identified. This minor noncon-formance was resolved by the process improvementteam/explosives program team, verified by the auditor andclosed during the audit. The registration audit report has beensubmitted to QMI Headquarters for processing of the

formal certificate. Weexpect to receive the official Certificateof Registration by mid November.

I would like to congratulate the Explosives Program Team aswell as the ISO Process Improvement Team for the supportand cooperation provided during the audit. This was a signif-icant accomplishment that was completed in record breakingtime due to the hard work of the dedicated people involved inthis endeavor. Thank you for your help. n

Meeting the StandardsCore Processes of the Explosives Program

Recommended for ISO 9001:2000 Registration

Just for Fun:Here is a little humor to ease

the woes of your quest forISO registration...

The Facilities Services andEngineering Division (FSED), ACX-40, has planned a special ISO cele-

bration and has invited dignitariespast and present.

The following are the RSVP's we havereceived so far:

"Ampere was worried he wasn't current.Audubon said he'd have to wing it.Boyle said he was under too much pressure.Darwin waited to see what evolved.

Dr Jekyll declined - said he hadn't been feeling himself lately.Edison thought it would be illuminating.Einstein thought it would be relatively easy to attend.Gauss was asked to attend for his magnetic personality.Hawking tried to string enough time together to make space inhis schedule.Hertz said in the future he planned to attend with greater fre-quency.Morse's reply: 'I'll be there on the dot. Can't stop now, mustdash.'Newton planned to drop in.Ohm resisted the idea.Pavlov was drooling at the thought.Pierre and Marie Curie were radiating enthusiasm.Volta was electrified, and Archimedes buoyant at the thought.Watt reckoned it would be a good way to let off steam.Wilbur Wright accepted, provided he and Orville could get aflight.U.S. Track team came down with athletes foot.John Glenn suffered from missile toe." n

7


"It's Cool to be Smart!" was the theme of the Girls inTechnology II program. This program, developed a few yearsago by Carleen Genna (ACT-4) and Chinita Roundtree-Coleman (ACB-3), encourages middle school girls to becomemore involved in math, science & technology.

Why are girls the focus of this innovative program? It's sim-ple; girls start to fall further behind their counter parts duringthe middle school years in technological areas according torecent studies. To remedy this, girls from various school dis-tricts join together to actively participate in workshops thatincrease their knowledge and skills in areas of technology.

This year, approximately 50 young ladies from three differentschool districts were selected. PleasanTech Academy(Pleasantville), Bethel Christian (Port Republic), and EggHarbor Township Middle School took part in this educationalexperience.

The program began with a welcome by Annie Clark , ProgramDirector of Enterprise Performance, followed by theHonorable Frank LoBiondo, 2nd Congressional District ofNew Jersey, who emphasized the importance of gettinginvolved in technology careers and following your dream.

The workshops consisted of interactive presentations, suchas Computers Come Alive, a hands-on opportunity for theyoung ladies to dissect a computer to explore the internalworkings of the equipment. This was taught by Magda Colón(ACB-540). Pilots Jill Eichner (Titan), Barbara Para ( ACB-860) and Lorry Faber (ACB-870) shared their many experi -ences, the education requirements, how women progressedin their fields, and what they had to overcome to achieve theirgoals. Thanks to ACB-860’s Al Rehmann, GeorgeBollenbach, and Mike Cullum the girls were able to fly TheGeneral Aviation Trainer.

Additionally, they were able to learn about Advanced ImagingTechnology to see the application of technology and comput-ers in the graphic arts, audio-visual and film industries withVerna Artis (ACX-60), and Laurie Zaleski-Johnson (ART-Z-Graphics). The Community Outreach, Aviation EducationProgram at the Tech Center and the Atlantic County AdvisoryCommission on Women sponsored the program. Supportingorganizations were the National Black Coalition of Federal

Aviation Employees, andthe National HispanicCoalition of FederalAviation Employees.Teamwork is the key tosuccess.

Thanks to all the individu-als who gave of their timeand effort to make thisprogram a success. Weknow the girls had a greattime! n

Girls In Technology “It’s Cool to be Smart!”

Above: The young ladies dissect a CPU.

Above some of the contributors to the program: Ken Hitchens, Leona Wilkes,Jill Eichner, Barbara Para, Carleen Genna, The Honorable Frank LoBiondo, AirBear (Rosanne Weiss), Cheryl Wilkes, ChinitaRoundtree-Coleman, Magda Colón.

Contributors:Program Director of Enterprise Performance, Annie Clark; Atlantic County Directorof Administrative Services, Diana Rutala; Communications Staff Manager, KayeJackson, ACT-4; John Wiley, ACB-1; Holly Baker, ACT-5; Lana Haug, ACT-4; PeteCastellano, ACT-4; Butch Dansby, ACX-60; Paul D'Ambra, ACX-53; Linda Hinckley& Rob Geist, Congressman LoBiondo's Staff; Ginger Cairnes, ACT-4, MichaelCefaretti, ACX-53; Laurie Zaleski, ART-Z-Graphics; Verna Artis, ACX-60, ErniePappas, ACX-60; Advanced Imaging Technology staff; Annette Harrell, ACX-60;Bob Marks, ACX-60; Pat King, ACB-700; Mike Cullum, Lorry Faber, ACB-870;Beverly Hite, Donna Young, ACT-10; Lucia Van Pelt, AOS-21; Linda Stanton,Dynamic Security Concepts Inc.; Eduardo Colón-Madera, ACB-540; StacieGraves, Donna Kaiser, Hi-Tech; Lillian Anderson, Northrupp Grumman; PaulHodson & Colleen Berger, Wackenhut Security; Walt Vernon, Al Lisicki; Rick Page,Business Development Director, Maria Lemmetti-Fane, ACX-41; Jason Shaw,Nobil Food Services; Atlantic County Transportation, J.A. Jones Roads andGrounds, Commissioners from the Atlantic County Advisory Commission onWomen, Paula K-Merrill, Erica Thomas, Jennifer Bailey, NBCFAE, NHCFAE,Monica Macie, Atlantic County Vocational Technical School; Jim Taggart, AssistantProfessor Computer Information Systems, Atlantic Cape Community College;Linda Jenkins & Ms. Rosado, PleasanTech Academy; Paul Champion & JenniferBailey, Bethel Christian; Jill A. Pappas, Patti Deegler, Lori Blake, Jerry Goldman,Marge Fopeano, Egg Harbor Township Middle School, and Cathy Jaggard. 8


New hires and co-ops at the Technical Center recently par-ticipated in a Tech Center site tour and briefings providedby several of our expert personnel.

Familiarity with the work that is being done here is impor-tant in providing employees with an overall picture of whatwe are doing within the FAA. It helps them realize that ajob goes far beyond the area in which they work.

The facilities visited were: Airway Facilities TowerIntegration Laboratory (AFTIL); Research, Development,Human Factors Laboratory (RDHFL); National SatelliteTest Bed & Wide Area Augmentation System; Weather &Radar Processor (WARP); Display System Replacement(DSR); Crashworthiness, National Airport Pavement TestFacility; and the High Performance Rescue Vehicle(HPRV).

The attendees included: Roshanda Busby, TeresaFortson, Kris Gigliotti, Melissa King , Ginny Kisby , AnnMaseli, Anila Pastakia, Rosemarie Perri, JimPetrousky, Madeline Strano, Maria Torres , KimberlyTweedle, and Lee Williams.

Special thanks go to: Bill Vaughan, John Wilks , JohnAschenbach, Rodger Bawgus , Earl Stein, Tom Dehel,Bill Wanner, William Brown, Matthew Printy , ShelliePrice, Al Abramowitz, Keith Bagot, Steve Murphy, andRyan Rutter for introducing the group to some of the manyprograms taking place at the Technical Center.

The Visitor Program realizes the on-going need for thesetours and will be scheduling more of them within the nextfew months. n

Providing a Better UnderstandingTech Center Employees Tour Their Facilities

Above: Attendees tour the Airway Facilities Tower Integration Laboratory (AFTIL).Below: The William J. Hughes Technical Center’s new hires and co-ops.

Tech Tidbits:Did you know? The William J. Hughes Technical Center is known as the national scientific test bedfor the FAA. It provides numerous specialized simulation and testing facilities that support a vastnumber of research, development, and acquisition programs.

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The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) AirNavigation Commission visited the Techl Center in lateSeptember. The commission, chaired by Frank Price,Deputy U.S. Rep to ICAO, consists of a group of 15 indi -vidual experts from different countries who provide tech-nical advice and direction to the ICAO for the develop-ment of international aviation standards. The group usu-ally visits one or more segments of the aviation industryeach year to get a first hand look at the most recentdevelopments in civil aviation. Countries included in thisvisit were: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada,Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Uruguay, andthe USA.

The two-day visit to the Technical Center included toursand briefings on various projects that are supporting the

development of new standards or the imple-mentation of recently promulgated ICAO stan-dards. The briefings and presentations includ-ed were: Integration & Interoperability; VDLMode 3 digital voice and data link communica-tions; Global Navigations Satellite Systems;ADS-B; GPS Outage En Route Simulation;separation standards, Airport Pavement andAirport Lighting testing; Next Generation Air-Ground Communications; Fire Safety; HighPerformance Rescue Vehicle; AirborneLaboratory testing; Aging Aircraft, HumanFactors issues and operations; and AviationSecurity.

At the conclusion of this visit, the expertsreturned to their respective countries with thelatest research developments that will enable

them to compile updated standards for now and into the airnavigation future. n

ICAO Goes to New JerseyInternational Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Visit

Top: The commission members see the Tech Center facilities in action.Middle: Some of the commission members gather in front of the Tech Centers’ fireresearch vehicle.Bottom: Tech Center personnel describe the research conducted at this facility.

10


The Tech Center has an interagency agreement to develop acollaborative icing research program with NASA GlennResearch Center, of Cleveland. The five-year agreement hasan estimated ceiling value of more than $1.12 million.

In the agreement, AAR-400 and NASA will develop icing engi -neering tools focusing on super-cooled large droplet condi -tions. These are particularly hazardous icing conditions, nowthought to be more common than once believed. The condi -tions include freezing drizzle and freezing rain, which can beencountered while an aircraft is flying in the clouds, as well as

below the clouds. Super-cooled large droplet conditions arenot within current icing certification envelopes. The FAA isconsidering expanding the current certification requirementsto include these conditions.

The agencies will study methods for scaling ice shapes;develop test techniques using the NASA Icing ResearchTunnel and Droplet Imaging Flow Tunnel; and develop a proj -ect plan to simulate super-cooled large droplet conditions in atest facility.n

Collaborative EffortsTechnical Center Establishes

Joint Icing Research Agreement

A Work of ArtA Diversity Masterpiece

If the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is true then come January 24, 2003, the Cultural Diversity Committeewill be speaking in volumes! It's on that date that the Cultural Diversity Committee will be sponsoring the Center's first everCultural Diversity Art/Photo Contest. The purpose of the contest is to illustrate through art, the abstract, the sublime, the color-ful, the subjective, the graceful, and many other illustrative characteristics that make up the Center's work environment.

With January 24th as the target date, we need you to submit a picture or photo for display in what we hope will be a grand open-ing of Culturally Diverse Art in the Atrium. Whether you're an accomplished artist, an amateur photographer or somewhere inbetween your creativity and artistic talents are needed to make our art contest a success. So get the camera ready, pull out thepen and paper, or at the very least get your thinking caps on! We don't need you to be a Rembrandt, just someone who has aninterest in making diversity a picture of success at the Technical Center.

From a cultural artistic perspective, Diversity is like fine art, as its always changing yet it never goes out of style! So make plansto enter our art contest by picking up an entry form from your organizations diversity representative or visit the cultural diversitywebsite.

11


Anne Harlan, Director of the WJH Tech Center shares a note with the editor.

Dear Terry:

I recently had the opportunity to tour CAMI and see some of the crit-ical human factors and aeromedical work being done there. BothCAMI and the Tech Center support the agency in safety and humanfactors, so I wanted to see what types of projects they were work-ing on and if there were things we could collaborate on or share. Iknew several members of staff, but didn't know everyone, so for meit was a great trip.

I was impressed with all their research efforts, from the aircraftevacuation and survival, to the ATC selection, to the employee atti-tude survey, and I was really intrigued by the work they are doingwith commercial space. CAMI's director, Dr. Antunano, and I havetalked about a team from CAMI visiting the Tech Center and I haveasked him when he does come, to be one of our first technical sym-posia speakers describing the work they are doing withCommercial Space. It was a really great trip!

I stayed an extra day in Ok City, so I could visit Norm Bowles at theLogistics Center to understand how the franchise operation isworking. I also spent some time with Lindy Ritz and Dick Rodinetalking about the Aero Center in general. The two centers are alikein many ways and share several concerns and issues that don'timpact the rest of FAA.

Regards,

Anne

A Visit to CAMIA Rewarding Experience

At the Top: Dr. Antunano shows Anne Harlan CAMI’sresearch capabilities.Middle: Anne Harlan takes part in an aircraft evacua-tion test.Bottom: Norm Bowles and his staff show AnneHarlan the research efforts at CAMI’s LogisticsCenter.


12

A little more than two years ago, the Associate Administrator forResearch and Acquisitions demonstrated his commitment todiversity by establishing the ARA Diversity Advocates Program.The program was designed to support the ARA Diversity Officer,Kathy Randall. Employees applied and were selected for a two-year term during which they would serve on a collateral basis.Twelve advocates spent the next two years helping provide afocused, accountable, and structured approach to diversity inARA. As their two-year term winds down, advocates have spentsome time taking stock of where they have achieved results andwhere their successors will need to focus. The next ARADiversity Advocates vacancies will be advertised in theNovember/December time frame. One of the advocates' posi -tions will be a full time outreach/recruitment position while theremaining positions will be collateral duty (10%).

All advocates could work on all initiatives. However, selectedadvocates took the lead in specific areas.

Among their accomplishments, Diversity Advocates participatedin 11 career fairs in a variety of venues. Their participation in thecareer fairs was part of an overall recruitment program, led bySabrina Saunders-Hodge, with major assistance from PatWeaver, that has resulted in a new portable recruitment boardand a recruitment brochure (just published). Beverly Bond coor-dinated activities to support the People with Disabilities pro-gram, including recruitment, training, and equipment.

Helen Woodland led the Advocates' training initiative, resultingin at least one diversity/MWE training session per month inheadquarters. The training events covered such areas as MWEawareness, disability awareness, stress management, diversitypanels, and financial planning, among other topics. RodgerMingo, Jack Jackson, and Viscount Thurston conducted manyof the training events personally, and did an excellent job. Thesessions were very well attended and received positive reviews.

In three instances, Rodger, together with JacquelineRehmann , worked with management and employees to resolveissues that were hampering organizations' ability to get the jobdone. Rosanne Weiss and Ray Stover conducted an analysisof exit interview data to determine why employees leave ARA.The analysis correlated highly with the FAA employee attitudesurvey and ARA 2001 culture survey data and helped point the

ARA management team to areaswhere additional attention was need-ed. Jack assisted in the preparation ofanalysis also and briefed the ARA Management Team.

Pat Weaver, was instrumental in establishing the ARA Diversitywebsite. She currently maintains the site as well.

Sharon McMillan developed a data base of developmentalcourses, which outlined the requirements and schedules forspecific developmental programs. She also managed theprocess of soliciting and submitting ARA nominations to theappropriate sources. This data base is helpful in getting a headstart on canvassing the workplace and selecting the best quali-fied employees to participate in the developmental opportuni-ties.

Vincent Nguyen managed the ARA Intern Program. He wasresponsible for soliciting the organization for the intern require-ments and working with the FAA Intern Program Managers toensure that we were able to place interns throughout ARA. Wehired 40 interns in FY-01, and 32 interns in FY-02.

Vincent, Rosanne, Sabrina, Jack, Sharon, Beverly, Helen, andPat conducted MWE/diversity interviews of ARA office man-agers in July 2002 to help identify areas where we had beensuccessful and areas where we needed to do additional work.The results of the survey will be used to shape this year's ARADiversity Advocates program.

ARA Diversity Advocates have something in common and thatis a passion for what they do. Many have had years of the expe-rience in the field, and all are grateful for the opportunity to servetheir organization. They take diversity and MWE initiatives toanother level in ARA and work across the entire organization.They differ from diversity council members in that council mem-bers focus on specific directorates. Diversity Advocates areintended to supplement and expand upon Diversity/MWECouncil efforts.

If you want to have a role in creating a productive and hospitableworkforce that reflects the Nation's diversity, perhaps this is thejob for you! Look for the ARA Diversity Advocates announce-ment coming soon and consider applying. n

Diversity in ReviewARA Diversity Advocates: Looking Back Over a First Term

13


In the SpotlightWe Welcome a New Employee

James A. Petrousky reported aboard theTransportation Security Agency (TSA) at the TransportationSecurity Laboratory effective September 22, 2002. Hisassignments relate to explosives detection in Research &Development.

For the past 3 years, Jim has been a member of the staff atthe White House Office of National Drug Control Policy(ONDCP) in the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center.Prior to this he served 10 years at the DOD Office of SpecialTechnology, Fort Washington, MD, as Program Manager forthe counterterrorism technology and as technical agent forNon-Intrusive Inspection -DOD Counterdrug systems such as:Neutron Interrogation/PFNA; fixed and mobile radiography forbaggage and trailer size cargo containers; backscatter andgamma ray imaging; vapor/trace particle detectors; substancedetection canines; science; and applications.

Jim worked for over 20 years in R&D at the Naval EODTechnology Center, Indian Head, MD, in the development ofspecial tools and techniques to detect and "render safe" mili -tary ordnance and Improvised Explosive Devices/terrorist-type bombs including nuclear/radiation dispersal devices; andwas a co-recipient of two US Patents for bomb disruption. Hewas recognized for assisting FBI & the UK for forensics sup-port related to the PanAm 103 Lockerbie bombing.

Jim received a BS in Chemical Engineering from theUniversity of Massachusetts. He was on active duty in theU.S. Marine Corps from August 1964-August 1967, andserved a 13-month tour in Vietnam.n

Is anyone listening, reading, or watching ?

The VOICE web site offers FAA and other aviation related information that will keep you current on thelatest happenings. To get to the VOICE site, use one of these addresses: http://voice.faa.gov (Internet)or http://intranet.faa.gov/voice (Intranet).

Also, check out VOICELive, a "Larry King type" interview show hosted by Jerry Lavey (AOA Highlights.).You can find archived VOICELive programs at http://videoontheweb.faa.gov. Past shows have fea-tured Administrator Marion Blakey, John Thornton, Peggy Gilligan, Bill Peacock, and a host of others.

Remember ? VOICE puts information at your fingertips! And, don't forget to call the VOICE Toll-Free Number at 1-877-888-4325

to get the latest FAA information.

The message is updated weekly on Wednesdays


14

15

Chris Seher is currently theManager of the FAA's Office ofAviation Research Airport andAircraft Safety R&D Division. Priorto this SES appointment, he servedas a Manager in the AirworthinessAssurance R&D Branch fromOctober 1990 to October 1996; heserved as a Program Manager forExplosive Detection in the FAA'sthen Aviation Security Branch from

October 1979 to October 1990. Chris started his FAA career asa co-op student back in 1967 working at the Technical Center'sStandards and Calibration Laboratories Facility.

He has received countless awards and recognition. This pastyear he received the Associate Administrator for Research andAcquisitions Special Achievement Award. In 2001 he receivedthe Administrator's Historically Black Colleges and UniversitiesProgram Manager of the Year Award, and was the recipient ofthe 1997 William J. Hughes Technical Center OutstandingLeadership Award. He was also recognized in 1996 in AviationWeek and Space Technology Magazine, as the recipient of theLaurels Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field ofAeronautics and Propulsion.

Chris holds a Masters in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Florida, and a B.S. inPhysics from Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.

Chris and his wife have four children, all currently in or recentlygraduated from college and since 1997 have been active fosterparents. They have been "Mom and Dad" to four girls and oneboy during that period, raising them each from birth until theycould be placed for permanent adoption. They are always will-ing to open both their home and hearts to a child in need. Theshortest stay has been three months and the longest, two and ahalf years!

In addition to his foster parent role, Mr. Seher participates in anumber of other community volunteer activities. He has been abasketball coach for his children's grammar school and highschool basketball teams. He referees for both basketball andbaseball in Absecon and surrounding areas where he is a reg-istered referee and umpire with the New Jersey StateInterscholastic Athletic Association.

He also has volunteered his time for 30 years as a member andcurrent Chairman of his local zoning board. He has served afive-year appointment to the New Jersey Expressway Authority,serving two years as Chairman under Governors Kean andFlorio. Chris is serving his tenth year as a member of theAtlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA). He is currently Vice-Chairman of the ACUA which is responsible for enhancing thequality of life through the protection of waters and lands frompollution by providing responsible waste management services.

Chris Seher is not only an outstanding leader in his profession,but a shining example of an individual who makes a real differ-ence in his community. n

A Profile of ExcellenceChris Seher is Awarded


On November 14, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta awarded the following FAA employeesfor the Secretary's Honorary Awards. The Secretary presented the awards at the 35th Annual AwardsCeremony in Washington, DC, on November 14. Six of the 16 recipients reside here at the TechnicalCenter, which is reflective of the excellence we bring to FAA. I know you will want to congratulate eachof them on this honor.

Meritorious AchievementBrian F. Colamosca (ACB-310)

Richard E. Lyon (AAR-440)Christine M. Greco (Formerly ACT-10; now TSA)

Son V. Tran (ARA)Jay Pardee (AVR)

ExcellenceLawrence B. Michael (ACX-54)

Terry Parker (ACX-54)Patricial L. Calvert (AVR)Linda G. Romero (ATS)

Barbara J. Connolly (AVR)Cynthia T. Warfield (AHR)

VolunteerStacey M. Hamilton (ACB-250)

Partnering for ExcellenceTSA Go Team 19 (AGC)

EEO/Affirmative ActionGregory D. Burke (ARA)

TeamAviation Insurance Team (API)

ValorAllen J. Rotter (ATS)

Recognition of AccomplishmentsFAA Employees Receive High Honors

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Business ExcellenceISO 9001:2000Implementation

Therese BrennanAAR-540

Sheldon BrunkAAR-520

Dave FabryAAR-500

Judy Huggard-GallagherAAR-530

Lok KooAAR-500

Skip LaneAAR-500

Theresa McGheeAAR-540

Roberta MoncriefAAR-500

Sharon MooreAAR-540

Bill PetracciAAR-500

Ron PolilloAAR-500

Patty ReichenbachAAR-530

Donna TropianoAAR-500

John TyeAAR-500

Business ExcellenceDisplay SystemReplacement(DSR)/User RequestEvaluation ToolService ManagementTeam

Walter AbillaACB-710

Phillip AskinsACB-710

Blair BadgerACB-710

Carmalena BeltonACB-710

Marlene ClinkscaleACB-710

Vincent DelGuercioACB-710

David DotseyACB-710

Jennifer DuffyACB-710

Kahoya GibsonACB-710

Rita HansonACB-710

Philip LuiACB-710

Tracey MadonnaACB-710

Daniel McGovernACB-710

Patti Dee McNeilACB-710

Tauheedah Munir-AliACB-710

Shellie PriceACB-710

Nancy ProctorACB-710

Christopher RaabACB-710

Joyce RobertsonACB-710

Thomas RubinoACB-710

Scott StempleACB-710

Amy TransueACB-710

Merkia WeathersACB-710

Carol WiderkerACB-710

Thomas AckermannAOS-350

Craig BatesAOS-350

Frederick BreenAOS-350

Vanessa LovelaceAOS-350

Maggie LydonAOS-350

James HuntAOS-350

Sheila MathisAOS-350

Tuyen NgoAOS-350

Steven OliverAOS-350

David PewAOS-350

Lawrence WeismanAOS-350

John YoungAOS-350

Luan JonesAOS-350

Business ExcellenceATCBI-6 Test Team

Ray AlimentiACB-530

Andy LeoneACB-530

Preston BarberAOS-230

Joe DeChristopherATB-450

The Accolades ContinueCenter Employees are Recognized for ARA Excellence


Efficiency of the NASIntegrated TerminalWeather System(ITWS) Test Team

Tom WeissACB-630

Steve ViveirosACB-630

Starr McGettiganACB-630

Tom CartyACB-630

William BennerACB-630

Benn DeansAUA-460

William HallAUA-460

Raymond MoyAUA-460

Dan StrawbridgeARU-400

Bettie LoudenslagerAOS-250

William SoteloANI-90

Maureen CedroAUA-430

Molly VorceAUA-400

Richard LarkinsAFZ-100

Vanestra MyersAOP-400

Todd PattisonAOS-250

Mike CoffeltATX-100

Jesse DeHavenAOS-700

Patrick SugrueMCO NATCA

Dennis DensmoreMCO AT

Jim WoodruffPASS

Mary McGraphASU-350

Efficiency of the NASTraffic Flow andEnterprise ManagementTeam (TF&EM)

Dan Gutwein AUA-700

Teri BristolAUA-700

Mike GoldserAUA-700

Bud MorganAUA-700

Daniel HortonAUA-700

Linda LabelleAUA-700

Jim WetherlyAUA-700

Jim WeedAUA-700

Tim GrovacATT-200

Chuck VomackaATT-200

Bob Fietkiewicz ACB-720

Mark Marchese ROCATCT

Joyce Walden-WilliamsASU-350

Mission ExcellenceTraffic InformationService Broadcast Team

Michael McNeilACB-410

William MateerACB-410

Chris PeroneACB-410

Tuc VuACB-410

Mark SchoenthalACB-530

Paul QuickACB-420

Larry VanHoyACB-870

Mark EhrhartACB-870

Keith BiehlACB-870

Fred KarlACB-870

Model Workplace &DiversityFederal Women'sProgram Delegates

Cathy BigelowAAR-430

Magda ColonACB-540

Nanette Gordner-KalaniACB-630

Stacie GravesAAR-421

Beverly HiteACB-830

Sandra LopezAOS-550

Gayle Martin-TaylorACX-1

Dana PicoraleACX-20

Carolyn PokresACX-20

Model Workplace &Diversity

Anthony RodriguezACB-820

Model Workplace &DiversityARA DiversityAdvocates

Catherine L. RandallARA-3

Jack JacksonABZ-200

Rosanne WeissAAR-490

Ray StoverACH-1

Jacqueline RehmannASD-100


Rodger MingoACH-1

Helen WoodlandASU-530

Viscount ThurstonAND-402

Sabrina Saunders-HodgeAAR-200

Patricia WeaverAAR-210

Beverly BondASU-530

Vincent NguyenAND-510

Sharon McMillanAUA-200

Safety and Security

Robert PappasAAR-480

Safety and Security

Starr McGettiganACB-630

Safety and SecurityFederal Air MarshalSupport Team

Paula NouragasACB-3

Joseph SalvatoreACB-3

Dennis SteelmanACB-720

Robert FietkiewiczACB-720

Scott DalabaACX-21

Adrienne CalderoneACX-21

Ernie SeiderACX-22

Sue LakeACX-20

Shelley YakACX-20

Melissa PassmoreACX-20

Robert GrossACX-30

Joseph MartironeACX-30

Larry BartsACX-32

Mike ChappineACX-32

Glenn HansenACX-32

Karen MercerACX-32

Mary StorozACX-32

Edward HarmelinACX-31

Cheryl StolfoACX-32

Kimberly KnightACX-32

Robert MarksACX-60

Michael GrossACX-60

William DawsonACX-60

Frank MerlockACX-60

Verna ArtisACX-60

Dale DinglerACX-60

Sue WallACX-60

Ann KertzACX-60

Linda CassoneACX-52

Kevin DillonACX-51

Christopher GallagherACX-52

Deborah GermakACX-51

Doris HemlingACX-51

Marilyn KnoppACX-51

Robert LoftusACX-50Arlene PrimoACX-52

Debra StuartACX-51Anne Marie TernayACX-51

Brenda WendlingACX-51

Laurel WittmanACX-51

Lewis LevyACX-54

David DandoACX-45

Robert HeitsenretherACX-40

Jeffrey WolfACX-45

Ronald HeistACX-43

Ralph StoverACX-45

John NesbittACX-45

Wayne RollerACX-45

Mark ThyrringACX-45

Nancy Davenport-MasiACX-45

Mary LalasisACX-40

Paul ChubbACX-45

David BracciaACX-45

Greg FalzettaACX-42

John RepkoACX-42

John FloydUSDA

Thomas HupfACX-42

Stanley WirpzaACX-45

Dennis OlsenACX-45


On November 8, a group of engineers who had done pioneeringwork in ATC simulation gathered at the Tech Center. TheTRW/FAA group worked at NAFEC from 1959 till 1964 doing ter-minal area traffic control R&D under the direction of GeorgeHalverson. The group of visitors included: Steve Pardee; Edand Bree Robin; Harold and Mona Ottoson; Don Scheffler; andFred and Lois Holland. Jim Dugan, a retired FAA engineer whoworked with TRW was unable to attend.

Their initial studies made use of the FAA analog pilot simulators,a small RW-300 drum machine and electronic tabulator dis-plays. "A big ATC (man-machine) simulator used motorized pro-jectors that displayed the ("rails in the sky") aircraft positions ona wall.” The project then moved into the digital world. A newdigital simulator was developed which allowed the "pilot" to sim-ulate multiple aircraft movements and drive the air traffic dis-plays to the controllers with whom they maintained radio con-tact.

Since a controller in those days could talk on only one channel,he would give commands to the "pilots" who would simulatemultiple aircraft. An IBM 7090 computer provided the aircraftsimulation, the air traffic control logic, and the generation of thecontroller's digital displays, the recording and analysis of theresults. Real air traffic controllers sat at the digital displays andcontrolled traffic with assistance from the computer control logic.Several reports were written on the results of fast-time and real-time simulation results and new concepts for terminal areaarrival and departure control. In those days it was called "meter-ing and spacing." It had been almost 40 years since most of the retirees had seen

one another. Enthusiasmwas at a peak as theyarrived at the SecurityOperations Center (SOC)where each retiree attempt-ed to get his "rememberwhen" in. Where were these people when I was doing docu-mentation for the Tech Center 40th Anniversary! Employees atthe SOC listened intently as stories were swapped.

Although I did not work at "NAFEC," I had heard many amusingstories from my husband who had also worked in the "simula-tion" area in those days. Much of their conversation broughtback fond memories. I racked my brain trying to answer theirquestion regarding where the restaurant was "located off the cir-cle" that served the best "mouth salivating" soup and sardinesandwiches. The answer to this question would have to waituntil we got to the Airway Facilities Tower Integration Laboratory(AFTIL). Surely Bernie Garbowski would know. We arrived atthe lab following a "rocky road trip" in which they wonderedwhere I was leading them. I pressed Bernie's memory intoaction. Without blinking an eye he said, "Yeh, Dom Polski's" asthey continued to share amusing events that occurred there. Ittook "friendly persuasion" to bring the visitors (and Bernie) backto "reality." The group was amazed as a full-scale mockup ofRoanoke (ROA) stood before them.

Their enthusiasm was even more peaked in the next room, theOut the Tower Lab. Of course they had to see what drove thescenario to project onto the screens. "State-of-the-art" and"truly amazing" were remarks I would hear several times.

State-of-the-art in the old days" was the ATC man-machine"simulator that that used motorized light beam projectors dis-playing aircraft positions on a wall. An electronic system con-verted the picture captured by a video camera to a PPI (plan-position indicator) radar display for the controllers. "Shrimpboats" with paper slips were used to keep track of the "aircraft"on the display.

A former member of the group recalls, "We changed thatmachine with a minicomputer (what museum is that RW300 innow?) and a display that would be considered laughable intoday's world appeared." He also chuckled over the fact that

20

Returning to their Roots A Step Back in History as ATC Pioneers Reunite

Below: Group enjoys the Out the Tower View.


Thank you to Ginger Cairnes for this article.

they "programmed a drum-type computer in machine code."These experiences were among the highlights in many of theircareers. They had done "a lot of analytical work that was prob-ably unappreciated at the time."

I briefly described the current system used for simulations by AirTraffic Assistants (formerly called "sim ops") from ACB-860.Clearances are entered into commercial grade computers soft-ware developed especially for Air Traffic Control Operations.These machines along with the Target Generator System shipthe targets to the labs where the testing is being done. Alsoincluded is audio technology that allows conversations betweensectors and the controllers.

Time beckoned us to board the bus for the remainder of thevisit. We survived the trip back down "Old English Creek Road"and onto Tilton Road. As we passed the ANG base memorieswere triggered to the time, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, thata "swash-buckling" group of bomber pilots, complete withscarves "really shook up the female population." They jokedabout the birds used to simulate an object being ingested intothe engines and bird strikes into the props.

In the1960's, the road to the R&D area was aligned with woods.Our visitors were very impressed by the development that hastaken place over the years, especially the National AirportPavement Machine Facility. This was the next stop on the tour.There, Mike Murphy (Murph) explained some of projects main-tained by AAR-410. Overwhelming gasps came from the groupas they saw the pavement machine in the "3-football field'sarena." One visitor remarked "it was great to see such a mas-sive facility and hear that there was a close working relationshipwith Boeing Aircraft Operation."

The group was fascinated by the Airborne Laboratories, thetests conducted at the facility, the current projects maintained by

the test pilots from ACB-870 as described by Tom Grygotis, andthe advancements made over the years. The group wasamazed to "see that the FAA has gotten rid of their large DC-3fleet and are now only one generation behind." The wives wereimpressed by the "corporate jet" grounded nearby.

A visit to the Display System Replacement (DSR) Labs wasright up the group's alley since they were the "sim originators."They could scarcely believe that "everything was working basedupon the Ada language." Tom Hahn has spent many yearsworking in this area and was able to relate to the group, “I hada difficult time pulling them away from this area.”

I gave them a copy of the Tech Center Overview Video andpackets to enable them to get an even better appreciation ofhow far technology has advanced since their employment here.

Where Are They Now ?Most of the group were software engineers. Since leavingNAFEC, Steve Pardee worked as a consultant for ArthurAndersen and returned to Bell Telephone Laboratories. EdRobin worked for IBM and got involved in International ATC.Harold Ottoson worked for IT&T, PRC, and the military side ofMITRE. Don Scheffler, who worked for FAA in 1959, later wentto American Airlines to work on the SABRE reservation system.Don returned to NAFEC to work for TRW and with the end of theTRW contract returned to the FAA. Fred Holland went fromNAFEC to the MITRE ATC group in Washington. Fred wasresponsible for writing the original NAS Stage A Enroute speci-fication for the Radar Controller Inputs and Outputs. Fred laterbecame the department head and project leader of a group of64 MITRE professionals who supported the FAA’s Office ofSystems Engineering Management. His group were the originaldesigners of the Collision Avoidance System, now known asTCAS, which is installed in every airliner today. SinceSeptember 11, 2001. Ed Robin has formed a non-profit:(www.allianceamerica.org) to assist municipalities withHomeland Security in carrying out President Bush's and theFederal Government security mandates, including work in air-port security. -continued next page

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Above: Group and wives board FAA test aircraft.

Below: The group poses after a tour at AFTIL.


Take the Shuttle

New Tech Center Shuttle Service:A new Air Shuttle Service contract has been awarded to the WJH Technical Center for service between ACY and DCA.

The new contractor is Corporate Flight Management (CFM) of Smyrna, TN. CFM has a fleet of sevenBritish Aerospace Jetstream 31s and 32s, and is providing a 14-seat aircraft for the Tech Centers’

transport. Initially, CFM began service on November 1, 2002.

Make reservations early!

Reserve your space online at: www.tc.faa.gov/shuttle, or call (609) 485-6482.

22

Camaraderie within thegroup was evident. Theywere an amazing pioneerteam who should be proudof themselves and whomwe should all respect.

I welcome the opportunityto host the group again.n

Contributions for this article came from Ed Robin, Fred Holland, and AlJackson. Al, renowned author, mentions the above years as well as work hehas done within the FAA in several articles he has written. Some items ref-erenced in this article can be described on the following web pages, "RW300”:http://niquette.com/books/squawk/rw300; "Rails in the Sky":http://niquette.com/books/squawk/rails.htm; and "Man-Machine." http://niquette.com/books/squawk/man-mach.htm. These references arefrom the internet version of a book SQUAWK 1200 by Paul Niquette (who for-merly did some work with the FAA). Background and an introduction to thisbook can be viewed on http://niquette.com/books/squawk1200/intro.htm.

Above: Observing the latest technology.


"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget."- G. Randolf-

In September 1999, Sterling Foxworth , a beloved friend and employee for almost 30 years, fell suddenlyill. Sterling, a "fighter" through many illnesses since youth, won this battle. Though unable to return towork, he has progressed remarkably since that time.

Myriad paperwork followed to enable the retirement process to be finalized. Retirement became a realitywhen Leon Bryant, a life-long friend, and former FAA employee, personally delivered Sterlings' retirementcertificate to him.

There have been many inquiries regarding the status of Sterlings' health and how tocontact him. Cards and letters can be sent to:

Sterling FoxworthSunbridge Care & Rehabilitation For Southern NJTwo Cooper Plaza, Second FloorCamden, NJ 08103

Plans are underway to reunite Sterling with his friends and colleagues as a "visitor" tothe Tech Center. We are attempting to make this possible during one of the in-householiday parties. If we are successful, employees will be notified and we can all givehim the warm reception he so deserves. n

What An Achievement!Diane Wilson Master’s Success

News from Around the Center

Diane Wilson , a computer scientist with the TransportationSecurity Laboratory (AAR-500), received a Master's Degree inAeronautical Science, Aviation/Aerospace Administration fromEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, onJune 30, 2002, and a Master's Certificate in ProjectManagement from the George Washington University School ofBusiness and Public Management, Washington, DC, onSeptember 26, 2002.

Diane currently works in the System Engineering Branch (AAR-510) Access Control & Analysis Technologies (ACAT) Programas the lead for Modeling & Simulation and ProcessImprovement - iCMM. Her other responsibilities include actingas a grant monitor and as a contracting officer technical repre-sentative (COTR) on a number of contracts awarded throughthe ACAT program.

In addition, she is a member of the Model Work Environment(MWE) Committee and supports the other programs that are apart of the research and development organization.

Diane Wilson presented a paper at the 36th Annual 2002International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology onOctober 22, 2002, titled "Information Systems Security in anAirport Environment". The paper was one of 40 presented atthe conference and one of eight selected to be published in theFebruary 2003 issue of the IEEE Aerospace and ElectronicSystems Magazine.

Diane is married, has 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren, andlives with her husband, Walter, and German Shepherd, "Lucky",in TownBank, Cape May, NJ. n

Retirement at LastHonoring Sterling Foxworth

23


Over 300 exhibitors participated in the 47th Annual Air Traffic ControlAssociation (ATCA) Technical Program and Exhibits, November 3-7,2002, in Washington, DC.

This conference is a unique opportunity for leaders in U.S. and inter-national aviation organizations, airlines, military, airports, governmentand ATC industry to discuss the current challenges and new tech-nologies facing the global air traffic control system; as well as demon-strate their newest technologies to enhance the global air system.

Since the events of September 11, 2001, there has been an ongoingcommitment to assure the safety and security of the flying public.With the implementation of state-of-the-art security mechanisms and

a new screening process, confidence in air travel is steadily beingrestored. It is an ongoing process which is necessary to maintain safety, timeliness, and efficiency of the aviation system, which are thepriorities of the FAA.

This year, aviation professionals engaged in an intensive forum onchanges in air transportation, with discussions on new concepts, pro-grams, and technologies that will promote a resurgence in the avia-tion. community.

FAA’s Tech Center was one of several exhibitors this year.Representatives from FAA Logistics Center, NASA, The BoeingCompany, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, NationalAirspace Redesign (NAR), NAV Canada, ITT Industries and Dyncorp,

and many others had the opportunity to market their productsand services to the most concentrated group of their peers.

Staff members of the Tech Center were in attendance to sharewith visitors the continued research efforts and advanced tech-nologies that are being developed from our facility.

ATCA founded in 1956 is the oldest independent nonprofit pro-fessional society dedicated to advancement of the science of airtraffic control and enhancement of the professions associatedwith the Air Traffic Control System. n

FAA’s Tech Center on ExhibitHighlights from the 2002 ATCA Conference

FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center“Shaping Aviation’s Future.”

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FAA Centers of Excellence (COE) industry affiliates, The BoeingCompany, Cessna, Bombardier-Learjet, and Raytheon, univer-sity partner, Wichita State University, the FAA Office of Airportand Aircraft Safety R&D, and the Central Region co-hosted theCOE 2nd Annual Joint Meeting in Wichita, Kansas, October 21-24.

The event drew over 235 participants from across the nation.Guest speakers included CEOs and industry affiliates, FAA sen-ior managers Norm Fujisaki and Chris Seher, and members ofthe COE for Airport Technology (formerly Airport Pavement), theCOE for Airworthiness Assurance (AACE), the COE for GeneralAviation (CGAR), and the COE for Operations Research (NEX-TOR).

Manufacturing plant tours were conducted for more than 200participants. Panel discussions among VPs, CEOs, industry co-hosts, and academic partners provided in-depth technicalreviews during the breakout sessions.

Again this year, COE students presented their work at a postersession, and had the opportunity to meet with industry execu-tives to discuss their research and career goals. Senior execu-tives representing industry served as poster session evaluatorsand presented model airplanes to the top four students.

COE industry affiliates and academic partner, Wichita StateUniversity funded the event with the Airport and Aircraft SafetyR&D Division (AAR-400). COE Program Managers, TechnicalMonitors, Principal Investigators, project sponsors, industry rep-resentatives and others interested in COE activities attendedthe 3-day event. Proceedings are being posted on the FAA AirTransportation Centers of Excellence website.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and their industry affili-ates is planning to co-host the COE 3rd Joint Meeting nextNovember. Information and registration details will be availableon the COE website.

For further information about the COE Program, contactPatricia Watts , FAA COE Program Director (AAR-400), [email protected] , telephone: 609-485-5043, or visit the COEwebsite at www.coe.faa.gov. n

Centers of ExcellenceCOE 2nd Joint Annual Meeting


Above: A COE student displaying her work.

The William J. Hughes Technical Center is continuing to demon-strate that it is a world leader in aviation technology. The proofwas in the certifications. At a recent awards ceremony, held atthe Technical Center and presided over by Maudie Powell ofACF, several organizations were recognized for their accom-plishments in the area of process improvement.

"This is a great day and is a great a opportunity to welcome andcongratulate those people that have been involved in processimprovement," said Dr. Anne Harlan. "This group, the TechCenter, has done a dynamite job in both process improvementand process re-engineering. This is ultimately going to help usprovide better service, better customer support, and ultimatelyget more business, more jobs and more money into the TechCenter."

The first award went to the office of Operations, Technology andAcquisition's Facilities Service and Engineering Division. Morethan two years ago, this division embarked on a goal to becomeISO 9000 certified by the end of fiscal year 2002. The divisionwas successful in its planning and implementation of a qualitysystem that met the criteria of the ISO 9000-2000 standard.The division passed its certification audit on September 25,2002.

Another Center division, the Real and Virtual EnvironmentDivision, (ACX-800), had been certified ISO 9000-1994. It hasunconditionally retained its certification.

One characteristic of process improvement is that an organiza-tion has choices. It may choose to use and adapt an establishedstandard or model, or it can develop an approach and process-es to meet its specific needs. The latter was the choice made bythe Office of Technology and Acquisition. This organizationdeveloped the processes for providing support service andresources under the Technical Center's new organizationalstructure that was implemented in March. The organizationdeveloped a Service Liaison Agreement (SLA) between theOTA organization and the customers. The ceremony recog-nized the signing of the first two SLAs and the many employeeswho made the milestone possible. The signed agreements arewith the Transportation Security Laboratory, (formerly AAR-500), and the Office of Innovation and Solutions, (ACB-1).

The other major achievement reached in process improvementwas the result of efforts by the DSR and URET In-service

Management Team, working in concert with the AOS organiza-tion. The results of the October 2002 FAM Appraisal found theISMT had achieved Maturity Level 3 as defined by the FAAiCMM. The milestone was reached two years after the apprais-al at Maturity Level 2. Only one other FAA organization hasreached this level against the FAA iCMM.

Other projects and organizations recognized for sustainingCapability Level 2 accomplishments against the FAA iCMMinclude: l ATOP (ACB-650) l CTAS (ACB-620) l SMA (ACB-720) l CPDLC (ACB-510) l OASIS (ACB-700) l Information Technology Division (ACX-20)l Acquisition, Material and Grants Division (ACX-50) n

Process Improvement A Center-Wide Accomplishment


26


EditorTerry Kraus

ContributorsHolly Baker

Therese BrennanGinger CairnesFran ChesleyStan CiurczakBill Dawson

Mary Lou DordanCarleen Genna

Adam GrecoRodney Guishard

Annette HarrellDavid HessNorris Hite

Paul LawrenceTeresa Lucchesi

Pat LuiBob Marks

Wayne MarksErnie Pappas

Jacqueline RehmannJohn Tye

Laurie Zaleski

For any questions, comments, or ideas, related to articles printedin this issue of the newsletter, please contact

Intercom’s editor at (202) 267-3854

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