SPEECHES AND REMARKS 2007
As prepared for delivery
"A Partnership Ready for Takeoff"
Remarks by Marion C. Blakey
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
At the U.S.-India Aviation Partnership Summit
New Delhi
April 23, 2007
Thank you, Carl, for that introduction.
And just let me say it's a real pleasure to be back in New Delhi. I'm honored to share this stage today with such a distinguished group of speakers.
You know, last November, I made my first visit to India as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). And here we are … five months later … and I already feel like I'm among friends.
What's new this time around is that for the first time ever, we're all gathered under the same roof like this. Think of the history that's being made … the history you're making.
The lighting of the lamp symbolizes the knowledge we seek to share through partnerships. And over the next three days, we can look to this light as a constant reminder of how much we can gain by banding together.
You know, India is one of the places that naturally draws those of us with a passion for aviation. Yours is one of the fastest growing systems in the world.
Yet, with that growth comes challenge … and I say that from experience. You see, back in the United States, our National Airspace System manages more than 55,000 flights a day.
During peak hours, that could mean anywhere from five thousand to seven thousand aircraft flying around. With traffic levels like that, you can understand why we're continually looking for ways to improve our infrastructure.
In some ways, Minister Patel and other aviation leaders in India face an even greater challenge. While predictions call for U.S. passenger traffic to grow a hefty three percent a year between now and 2020 that dwarfs in comparison to the numbers coming out of India.
Your passenger traffic's been growing at an astounding rate of twenty five percent a year. In February of this year, Minister Patel told the Aero India 2007 show that the number of passenger planes in India will need to increase from the current 260 passenger aircraft to between 1500 and 2000 in just 10 years. As we say in the U.S.…Wow!
I mean, just as growth presents challenges … challenges bring opportunities. That's why summits like this are so important. While everyone faces different issues and questions, we're all looking for the same answers - a way toward a safer, more efficient system.
Now I know that India's aviation leadership is committed to finding these answers. From everything I know about Minister Patel, I can tell he wants this partnership to be about more than just handshakes and photo opportunities. He's looking for real cooperation and real results. And so are we. You will hear more about this in just a little while when the U.S. and India formalize an agreement to initiate the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program.
It's also in this spirit of cooperation that I've led our FAA delegation to India this week and why we made a commitment last year to open an office here. So, with that in mind, let's talk about some ways to sustain this good thing we've got going.
First up, we see a lot of potential for a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement, or BASA. As aviation trade continues to grow between our countries, we need to find a way to ensure the safety of products flowing between our markets.
It's inefficient when we delay products awaiting safety certifications that currently must occur in the United States.
Working together, there's a way to move toward reciprocal acceptance of safety certifications … and that's through a BASA Executive Agreement and all the implementation procedures that can be associated with it.
I believe we're one step closer today than we were. In March, John Hickey, the head of our Aircraft Certification Service, traveled to New Delhi and Bangalore to discuss the potential for working toward a BASA. He was impressed by the reaction he got.
So I'm here today to tell you that the FAA is committed to working with the Department of Civil Aviation and the aviation industry to lay the technical foundation for a BASA.
While negotiating and signing an agreement of this magnitude takes several years, the process of building mutual confidence in our respective certification processes and technical expertise is something that can and should start today.
Our cooperation also extends to airports. Not only is our head of Airports here with us today, but some of you may have met another of our top airport officials, Kate Lang, when she was here for the Aerodrome conference in New Delhi last December.
You'll recall how she discussed important challenges in maintaining and improving safety at a time when India is rapidly expanding airport capacity.
While we're on airports, I can't forget to mention what a success we had earlier this year with the International Workshop on Airport Pavement Design.
It was held back in February in New Delhi, as many of you know. The FAA was glad to partner with the Airports Authority of India on this endeavor. And I tell you, if this workshop is any indication of the promise that lies ahead in our relationship, then we have a lot to feel good about.
That same sentiment can be said for Performance-Based Navigation … which many of you know as RNAV and RNP.
These procedures have resulted in greater precision … more flexibility … and improved access at major airports, including Dallas Fort-Worth … Palm Springs … Washington, D.C. … and the busiest of them all, Atlanta.
The user community is already enjoying the benefits of these advanced procedures in the United States. We plan to publish about 100 new routes and procedures this year.
Since India has airports with similar capacity and weather issues, we've got several experts from the FAA on hand this week. They're going to conduct a joint Performance Based Navigation Strategy Assessment seminar with the Indian government and the user community. These procedures prove that they work, and this is a dialogue that we need to get started.
Satellite-based Navigation. There's another area that shows a lot of promise. India has embraced its benefits, and now stands today as one of the world's most progressive leaders in this technology, which also includes GAGAN [GPS and Geo Augmented Navigation].
Based on our experience with the Wide Area Augmentation System, or WAAS, we are working with India as they move forward to implement GAGAN. As a matter of fact, we're hosting an Indian delegation later this year to share information that will be crucial to the process.
By working together to implement common technologies and procedures, we can promote a more harmonized global aviation system. Our vision for the future should be nothing less than a one sky fits all system for our users.
And, just as we share one sky … we also share one earth. What I'm saying is that we share an obligation to work together to protect our environment.
Aircraft and engine manufacturers are doing their part to make their products more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that we, too, are accomplishing a great deal through the use of advanced ATM technologies and procedures.
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum …. Required Navigation Performance and Area Navigation … Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast … and continuous descent approaches. These are just a few that are already resulting in millions of dollars in fuel savings. Less fuel burn translates into lower emissions. It also means that we're moving aircraft in and out of our airspace more efficiently, mitigating aircraft noise.
Protecting the environment is an important element of our Next Generation Air Transportation System, and we look forward to engaging our Indian colleagues in these discussions during this summit.
There's no doubt that we can do more to turn aviation green. And we are.
The question is, will we, as a global community, choose to meet the challenge by adopting strategies that discourage aircraft use? Or, instead, concentrate on accommodating growth by building on aviation's history of technological innovation and problem solving?
I'm confident we can take the latter approach … one that continues to support the growth of our industry, and our economies.
The environment is a global issue and one that calls for global solutions. We need to keep that in mind when the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) holds its Triennial Assembly in September. It offers an excellent opportunity for civil aviation leaders to come together to consider and agree on global strategies.
That is why I believe we share a common concern about what's going on in Europe, with the unilateral imposition of an emissions trading solution on the rest of the world. Regrettably, I fear this will splinter the aviation community at a time when we should be coming together.
I believe the way forward lies in building international collaboration. That way, we develop a better scientific understanding of emissions impacts.
Market-based measures may also have a role to play, but only on the basis of mutual consent. I hope that India and the United States can stand together on this and other issues when we meet with our global colleagues in Montreal later this year.
As we set our sights on developing and implementing our aviation systems of the future, there's no question that we face a truly Himalayan challenge. It's going to be a steep and rugged climb. Yet, I know if we make a commitment to work together, we can reach new peaks in safety and efficiency. Keyword there is "we."
In closing, I'd like to leave you with a thought expressed by someone who conquered many Himalayan challenges. Harish Kapadia, who knew a thing or two about scaling new heights.
He once said: "Most of the peaks I have climbed were to look on to the other side of the mountain."
In the same vein, we may not find our greatest thrill from the climb itself…but, trust me, I know we're going to like what we see on the other side of our mountain. It will be an aviation system that's safer, harmonized and more efficient. Partnerships like we are building here this week will help us reach these new peaks and develop a stronger aviation system for our future.
Thank you.