Recent Press Activities

Edited by Pete Castellano

November 2006

Public Affairs has prepared a news release announcing the winner of the FAA’s 2006 Excellence in Aviation Research Award. This year’s winner is the Department of the Navy’s Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS) Team. TAWS is a patented software safety backup system for tactical aircraft that warns aircrews that have lost situational awareness of impending controlled flight into terrain. The system software determines when to provide aural and visual warnings to the pilot. The Excellence in Aviation Research Award is given annually to individuals and/or institutions outside of the FAA whose research contributions have resulted in a significantly safer, more efficient national airspace system. Once approved, the release will be sent to aviation trade press.

November 27, 2006

Public Affairs issued a news release to area and trade press citing the FAA winners of the Air Transport Association and FAA Non-Destructive Testing “Better Way” Award. The award recognizes a team of government and airline industry individuals collaborating to advance inspection or testing of aircraft structure, components or systems. The employees who work at the Technical Center are John Bakuckas, Manager of Structural Integrity Research for the FAA’s National Aging Aircraft Research Program; Doug Koriakin, an aviation research technician and an airframe and power plant mechanic; and Bao Mosinyi, an FAA-Drexel University Fellow.

Early December 2006

A local news release is being prepared by Public Affairs about four scientists, who work at the Technical Center, recently cited by the Southern Jersey Professional Societies at their annual “Engineer of the Year” awards banquet. John Bakuckas, manager for structural integrity research for the National Aging Aircraft Research Program, was named the outstanding engineer of the year. Dr. Stanislav Stoloarov, of SRA International, Inc., received the award for outstanding aviation research (he supports the FAA fire research group). Robert Pappas, manager of the National Aging Aircraft Research Program, was honored for outstanding technical leadership. Renee Frierson, of the airport safety subteam, was honored for outstanding contributions to testing or air traffic control. The Southern Jersey Professional Societies include the local chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the IEEE Computer Society.