FAA Enters Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

By Deborah Germak

FAA CRDA Award Announcement Signing Ceremony: Seated (left to right) are Dr. Wilson Felder, Technical Center Director; and Tom Payne, Vice President, UFA Inc. Standing (left to right) are Deborah Germak, FAA Technology Transfer Program Manager; Al Rehmann, FAA Principal Investigator; and Marie Denan, FAA Technology Transfer Program Analyst.

The FAA has recently entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) with UFA Incorporated. The collaborative research is in simulation.

UFA has developed a unique capability with application to air traffic control (ATC) in the areas of personnel training and airspace simulation. This capability uses proprietary voice recognition and generation processes to interpret and respond to clearances issued by air traffic controllers in real time. UFA incorporates this product in an ATC operations training system and believes that the product can be incorporated in the simulation environment of all airspace regimes.

The objective of this collaborative partnership is designed to assemble a team that will possess the necessary skill and expertise to adapt the current voice recognition and response system into the FAA’s laboratory structure. The FAA envisions voice recognition and response as one method to supplement the existing pseudo pilot cadre to control cost and retain flexibility inherent in the current method of airspace simulation management. The expected outputs are a scalable simulation capability in all airspace regimes.

The Government’s Principal Investigator is Al Rehmann at the Technical Center. The Principal Investigator for UFA, the collaborating research organization is Tommy Payne. This CRDA was awarded in December 2006, and is effective for two (2) years.

If you have any questions regarding this CRDA, please contact Deborah Germak , FAA Technology Transfer Program Manager, 609-485-9862.