Technical Center Participates in SATS Demo

By Adam Greco

This team photo was taken at the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) demo that took place at Danville Regional Airport in Virginia.

The Tech Center’s contributions to and involvement in the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) demo and preparation, which took place at the Danville Regional Airport from June 5-7, 2005, went extremely well by every account. About 3,000 people, including government officials, politicians, industry executives, pilots, students and aviation enthusiasts attended the three-day event.

In attendance at the Technical Center's exhibits were Adam Greco, Scott Doucett, Nick Roselli, Dana Whicker, James Hamilton, and Richard Ridgway. Ralph Yost and Pocholo Bravo worked the Airborne Internet exhibit and also supported the live flight demonstration, as did pilots Dan Dellmyer and Keith Biehl. The temporary structure erected by the Event Planner-Production team from September Moon was nothing short of outstanding. Likewise for the electronic and technical presentation capability that September Moon delivered throughout the tenure of the demo.

One Tech Center exhibit consisted of a working DSR Controller Workstation, which was connected to six of the advanced pilot positions from NASA. We ran two simulations for the public everyday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. We also had a static display poster that explained the simulation work we accomplished for the SATS Higher Volume Operations (HVO) study as well as the Transportation Systems Analysis and Assessment (TSAA) study. We had a large plasma television screen that continuously played a 2 minute looped video.

Another exhibit consisted of a live Airborne Internet system with demonstrations and explanations from Ralph Yost and Pocholo Bravo. We briefed the Administrator and her entourage when she visited both exhibits and she received a copy of the SATS Higher Volume Operations Final Report. At the Airborne Internet live demonstration, FAA Administrator, Marion C. Blakey, saw how network connectivity could be used in aircraft. The Administrator was sent an e-mail from the Airborne Internet enabled aircraft. Ms. Blakey was very pleased with our exhibits, the entire demo and the production.

The series of HVO In-Flight demonstrations utilizing the six SATS equipped aircraft synchronizing with the stage presentation provided by the NASA personnel went very well. The Tech Center's Convair N39 was the lead aircraft, and first to be sequenced to land of the six aircraft. All aircraft participating in the live flight demonstration were equipped with Airborne Internet which allowed each aircraft to have digital communications with the ground and receive their landing sequences. There was very extensive and positive press concerning the demo with over 40 articles published in both industry and weekly news magazines.

There were several speakers at the demo, including NASA Administrator, Michael Griffin, Marion Blakey, FAA Administrator, U.S. Rep. Goode, (2nd Va.), Dr. Bruce Holmes, Phil Boyer (AOPA), and (then) Technical Center Director, Dr. Anne Harlan. Aside from the successful memory of the demo, one sterling legacy of the joint effort with NASA in the past two years is the extremely effective working relationship we developed with the individuals who comprised the SATS team.