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Volume 6; Issue 3 |
April/May 2003 |
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_____________________________________________________________________ Japanese Officials Visit Technical Center By Ginger Cairnes _____________________________________________________________________ |
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In January, Gary Frings, Materials and Structures Branch, AAR-450, was invited to be a keynote speaker at the “Forum on Aerospace Structures and Materials” in Tokyo at the expense of the Japanese government. Over 100 Japanese aerospace manufacturer and public sector representatives were in attendance. The topic of his speech was the “FAA’s Crashworthiness Research Program – Past, Present, and Future.” He also presented an overview of the Division’s and the William J. Hughes Technical Center’s research programs.
Bernie Garbowski (right) describes features of the Out-the-Tower view at the AFTIL Lab to Gary Frings (far left), Hirokazu Shojo (center left), Dr. Jiro Nakamichi (center right).
As
part of his visit, Mr. Frings toured the research facilities of Japan’s
National Aerospace Laboratory and also made presentations to Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, Tenryu
Industries, the Japan Civil Aircraft Development Corporation, and the
Civil Aviation Bureau of Japan at their respective facilities.
Gary Frings (far left) asks Terence Moore (far right) questions regarding the Data Collection Box in the Free Flight Technology Integration Laboratory, while Hirokazu Shojo (center left), Dr. Jiro Nakamichi (center right) observe.
After his successful visit, Mr. Frings offered his Japanese hosts some American hospitality which was accepted. Early in March, the Japanese officials made a two-day visit to the Technical Center that enabled Dr. Jiro Nakamichi, head of Research Coordination, Structures and Materials Research Center, National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) and Hirokazu Shojo, senior researcher for Structures and Materials Research Center, NAL to gather information in several areas of passenger and air safety. They also were able to see first-hand the research and development underway at the Technical Center.
Keith Bagot (right) describes to
Dr. Jiro
Nakamichi (left),
Hirokazu
Shojo (center) how infrared lighting is used by the High Performance
Rescue Vehicle during a post-crash fire. Nakamichi and Shojo
stated that they were “extremely impressed” with the Technical
Center’s facilities which included: the Airway Facilities Tower
Integration Laboratory; Research and Development Human Factors Laboratory;
the fleet of Airborne Laboratories in the hangar; Free Flight Technology
Integration Laboratory; Display System Replacement Laboratory; Standard
Terminal Automation Replacement System; Full-Scale Fire Test Facility;
National Airport Pavement Test Facility; High Performance Rescue Vehicle;
and the Crashworthiness and Drop Test Laboratories. |
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