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FEDERAL AVIATION AGENCY |
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NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY BOARD |
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE AGENCY |
At the end of this block of study, you should be able to:
6.19 Discuss the duties of government employees.
6.20 Identify the purpose of the Federal Aviation Administration.
6.21 State the function of the FAA Air Traffic Control Center.
6.22 Describe the responsibility of the facilities that control the instrument flight
rules traffic.
6.23 Outline the task of the National Aviation Facilities Experiment Center.
6.24 Describe the functions of the FAA Aeronautical Center.
6.25 Identify the responsibility of the National Transportation Safety Board.
A major source of aviation careers lies in Jobs with Federal, state, and local
government agencies. The Federal Government offers such benefits as Equal Pay for Equal
Work, Upward Mobility, and Handicapped Employee Programs. Employees are covered by the
Federal Employees Benefits Program, which features liberal fringe benefits and salaries.
Salaries for Federal Civil Service employees are established into two chief categories:
1. General Schedulefor those employees who perform administrative, technical,
clerical and professional Jobs and who are paid on an annual basis.
2. Federal Wage Systemfor those employees who perform jobs associated with the
trades and crafts and who are paid wages on an hourly basis.
Civil aviation careers in the Federal Government are found within the Federal Aviation
Administration and other Federal departments and agencies. All of these aviation jobs come
under the Federal Civil Service System. Most Federal Civil Service employees in the
aviation field are covered by the General Schedule and their salaries vary according to
their grade level.
If you are selected for a job, there are several types of appointments: temporary, term,
career-conditional, and career. Temporary appointments usually last not longer than a year
and you cannot be transferred or promoted or put under the retirement system. A term
appointee works on a special project which lasts more than a year but less than four and
is also Ineligible for the retirement system. However, a term appointee can be transferred
or promoted within the project. A career-conditional appointee is put on probation for a
year, but has promotional and transfer privileges and after the probation period cannot be
removed without cause or layoffs. After serving as a career-conditional employee for three
years, the employee can become a career appointee. The appointment brings promotional and
transfer privileges, and these employees are among the last group to be laid off.
Although Washington, D.C., is the Federal Government's headquarters, only about 12 percent
of all Federal employees work there. Many work In Federal agencies around the country and
abroad. The largest number of aviation jobs found within the Federal Government (outside
the Department of Defense) Is with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is charged by Congress with regulating air
commerce to Improve aviation safety, promoting civil aviation and a national system of
airports, achieving efficient use of navigable airspace, and developing and operating a
common system of air traffic control and air navigation for both civilian and military
aircraft.
One of FAA's biggest tasks in the area of aviation safety is the control of air traffic.
Air traffic control is concerned with keeping aircraft safely separated to prevent
accidents. This Is necessary while aircraft are taxiing on the ground, during takeoff, en
route, ascending, and approaching and landing. The FAA also provides preflight and
in-flight services to all pilots for air traffic control and safety purposes.
Air traffic control is accomplished by establishing certain parts of the airspace as
controlled airspace and by requiring that all aircraft flying within this controlled
airspace follow certain rules and regulations.
There are two types of facilities that control the instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic
flying within the controlled airspace. The first Is the Airport Traffic Control Tower
which controls traffic departing or arriving at certain airports. The control tower is
equipped with complex electronic equipment and Is operated by highly skilled FAA air
traffic controllers. The tower also controls aircraft taxiing on the ground. As would be
expected, the busier the airport and the more types of aircraft it handles, the more
restrictive are the rules and regulations. Certain large metropolitan airports require all
aircraft using the facility to be equipped with various types of traffic control equipment
Some of this equipment Is very expensive, and many general aviation pilots cannot afford
It. Therefore they are restricted from using these large airports.
After the IFR aircraft leaves the immediate area of the airport, the controller in the
tower will "hand it off" (transfer it) to another air traffic controller in the
second type at facility, the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The ARTCC assigns
the aircraft a certain altitude and a specific route to follow to its destination. The
pilot must not change the route or the altitude without permission As the flight
continues, the aircraft is transferred from one ARTCC to another. The flight is under
positive control at all times, and no other aircraft is allowed to enter that aircraft's
"piece of airspace." The ARTCCs follow the flight on radar and are in voice
communication at all times. Commercial, general aviation and military aircraft all use the
same traffic control system when flying within the controlled airspace.
The FAA a so provides assistance to pilots who do not fly within the controlled airspace.
These are mostly general aviation pilots, because most airline and military aircraft are
required to fly IFR at all times. This assistance is provided by a third type of facility
called the flight service station (FSS). The FAA personnel who work in the FSSs provide
preflight information such as weather information, suggested routes, altitudes, etc., to
pilots. In addition, the FSS provides in-flight information, via radio, and assistance In
the event a pilot becomes lost or is having trouble.
The National Aviation Facilities Experiment Center (NAFEC) is the FAA's research and
development center. This center Is located In Atlantic City, New Jersey It Is involved in
research to upgrade our airway systems, to improve aircraft instruments and systems, and
to reduce the workload on the pilot in the aircraft and the controller on the ground. All
of these efforts are expended to make flying easier and safer.
Another facility operated by FAA is the FAA Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma. This multimillion-dollar facility is the home of the FAA Academy which is the
training center for FAA operational personnel. They train the personnel that operate the
ARTCCs, FSSs, and airport control towers. In addition to training FAA control tower
operators, they also train controllers for the military and for many foreign countries.
The Academy also Is the training ground for the engineers and technicians who Install and
maintain the electronic equipment used for navigation, communications, and air traffic
control. Finally, the Academy provides initial and refresher training for their
maintenance Inspectors.
Air traffic control trainees receive from 11 to 16 weeks of initial screening and
instruction at the FAA Academy. After successfully completing this training, they are
assigned to a developmental position at a field location, receiving on-the job training.
Those who successfully complete each phase of training progress to the next higher level
until they become facility-rated. Those who fail any phase of training are separated from
the FAA or reassigned to a non controller position. The nature of the work requires that
controllers complete proficiency training programs on an ongoing basis. The facilities,
devices, and machines needed by the Federal Aviation Administration to carry on its work
require the services of a number of engineering specialists.
The Aerospace (Aeronautical) Engineer develops, interprets, and administers safety regulations relating to airworthiness of aircraft and their accessories. Although defense expenditures for military aircraft, missiles, and other aerospace systems are not expected to grow much, employment is expected to increase about average because of growth in the civilian sector. Much of the present fleet of planes will be replaced with quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft, and there will be increased demand for spacecraft, helicopters, and 7 business aircraft. Average salary is $58, 100.
The Electrical Engineer deals with power supply, distribution, and standby power generation required for the operation of air navigational aids. Employment opportunities are favorable, and there should be a 31 percent Increase In the number of people hired. Average salary Is $60,500.
The Electronics Engineer designs electronic navigational aids and communications systems. Because of an increased demand for electronic consumer goods, there is expected to be a 31 percent or more Increase In the number of employees hired. Average salary Is $55,700.
The Mechanical Engineer designs gasoline and diesel power plants for standby power generation in case of emergencies. Average growth Is expected as the demand for machinery and machine tools grows and as Industrial machinery and processes be come Increasingly complex. Opportunities are favorable. Average salary Is $55,700.
The Civil Engineer deals with a broad range of airport
design, construction, and maintenance matters. Because of a growing population and
economy, jobs will result in an average growth. Average salary is $53,300.
The FAA also requires the services of other professional people. Aviation medicine Is a
most important function, and physicians who have chosen aviation medicine as a specialty
beyond their general medical education are employed by the FAA in limited numbers. These
physicians study such things as the effects of flying on the human body, the need for
oxygen above certain altitudes, the effects of fatigue on pilot performance, vision and
hearing standards, the tension and stress factors associated with the air traffic
controller's job, and the standards of the various classes of medical examinations
required for pilots and other members of flight crews.
In 1990, the FAA Academy was taking steps to ensure that both old and new controllers
would be capable of operating reading, and responding to the many new high-tech computers
being Introduced through Its $15.9 billion National Airspace System Plan, Other systems
that required controller training included new airport-surveillance radars capable of
displaying weather and aircraft traffic simultaneously, new airport surface detection
radars, and low-level wind-shear alert systems. The FAA Is seeking $34 million to build a
new training center with a three-dimensional tower simulator at Its site at Oklahoma
City's Will Rogers World Airport.
The Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAI) also is located at the Aeronautical Center. CAI
operates the program for medical certification of all airmen. It Is Involved In research
to Identify human factors which cause accidents and how to make accidents more survivable.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Is a five-member board appointed by the
President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members of the NTSB are appointed
for a term of five years. There can be no more than three members from any one political
party.
The NTSB Is responsible for determining the cause, or probable cause, of any
transportation accident. Under the chairman of the NTSB, the Bureau of Aviation Safety
carries out these duties in the area of aviation. The Bureau of Aviation Safety makes
rules governing accident reporting. They also Investigate all aircraft accidents (they
have delegated this duty to the FAA In the case of general aviation accidents), report the
facts relating to each accident and the probable cause, and make recommendations to the
FAA as to how to prevent similar accidents.
The NTSB maintains its own technological division which provides engineering and technical
assistance in areas of aerodynamics, structures, propellers, power plants, instruments,
electronic aids to navigation, human factors, etc. These experts are available to assist
in determining the causes of various accidents. They also assist the manufacturers in
making their aircraft safer.
At the end of this block of study, you should be able to:
6.26 Explain the function of NASA.
6.27 Discuss the type of work performed by NASA employees.
6.28 Identify the locations of NASA field centers.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a civilian government
agency which was established October 1, 1958. NASA, the space agency, was created by an
Act of Congress one year after the Soviets launched the first man-made satellite (Sputnik)
into orbit around the Earth. The agency was formed to pursue peaceful uses of space for
the benefit of all mankind. NASA plans, directs, and conducts activities pertaining to
civilian aeronautical and space research and development. It manages the development,
construction testing, and operation of manned and unmanned aeronautical and space vehicles
for basic and applied research purposes. Broad programs conducted by the agency are
spaceflight, space sciences and their applications advanced engineering and physical
science research, and tracking and data acquisition.
To fulfill program objectives, members of NASA's technical team pursue research and
development activities within their own facilities and laboratories. Scientists,
technicians, and support personnel employed by NASA produce data generated from basic and
applied research. The agency's engineers, technicians, and craftsmen apply this data.
These research and development activities represent one part of the agency's
responsibility for the Nations overall aerospace program. Approximately 90 percent
of the agency's funds are extended for research and development conducted by organizations
outside the government with NASA overseeing the work. Grants, scholarships, and contracts
are awarded by the agency to qualified scientists and engineers.
NASA has a network of centers and facilities across the United States (see figure 6-19)
with its headquarters in Washington, D.C. This headquarters manages the spaceflight
centers, research centers, and other Installations. The staff has responsibility for
determining projects and programs; establishing management policies, and performance
criteria and review; and analyzing all phases of the aerospace program.
The Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology has two primary responsibilities-in
aeronautics, to develop the technology needed to assure safer, more efficient, economical,
and environmentally acceptable air transportation systems; in space research and
technology, to provide a technology base to support current and future space activities,
to coordinate the agency's total program to supporting research and technology related to
carrying out specific flight missions to ensure an integrated and balanced agency research
program, and to coordinate NASA's support of other federal agencies in energy research and
development.
The Office of Space Science and Applications is responsible for research and development
activities in Earth resources; meteorology; communications; life sciences; and, by using a
variety of flight systems and ground-based observations, to increase knowledge of the
universe.
The Office of Space Flight is responsible for the research, development, and operations of
spaceflight programs, including the space shuttle.
The Office of Tracking and Data Systems is responsible for the development,
implementation, and operation of tracking, data acquisition, command, communications, data
processing facilities, and systems and services required to support NASA flight missions.
In addition to the Headquarters, there are ten NASA field installations and a
contract-operated laboratory. A broad range d research and development activities is
conducted in the installations by government-employed scientists, engineers, and
technicians who also manage contracts with universities and industries. NASA's field
centers are located at the following sites:
Ames Research Center Mountain View, California)
Dryden Flight Research Facility (Edwards AFB California)
Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, Maryland)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, California)
Johnson Space Center (Houston, Texas)
Kennedy Space Center (Cape Canaveral, Florida)
Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia)
Lewis Research Center (Cleveland, Ohio)
Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama)
National Space Technology Laboratories-NSTL (Bay St. Louis, Mississippi)
Wallops Flight Facility (Wallops Island, Virginia)
Education is a critical requirement if you are interested in employment with NASA. Most
technical degrees (biomedical engineering, ceramics, chemistry, industrial engineering,
materials science, metallurgy, optical engineering, oceanography, etc.) will ensure you
will be considered by aerospace industry and government recruiters. Also, don't ignore
nontechnical fields such as finance, communications, marketing, management, and data
processing. Any aerospace firm, whether government or private, can function only when it
has qualified people who keep the records, pay the bills, and keep its organizational
structure operating at an efficient level. NASA also needs lawyers, writers, and artists.
Remember that stellar academic achievements will not guarantee you a place in space. Good
grades are important, but you will also be evaluated on what you have done outside the
classroom and how you come across as a prospective employee.
In cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), the space agency
also sponsors an Advanced Design Program whereby students at selected schools work on
advanced mission studies for NASA within the context of their accredited courses.
Information on this program is available from USRA, 2525 Bay Area Boulevard, Suite 530,
Houston, Texas 77058. NASA field centers offer high school, college, and graduate students
the chance to get hands-on work experience while completing their education, through the
agency's Cooperative Education Program (co-op). Co-op will give you a chance to gain some
experience, and co-op students often become employees upon graduation.
About 40 percent of government space expenditures go to NASA for nonmilitary research
& development and space operations. Another 60 percent is channeled to the military
for defense, and a small amount goes to other government space programs such as the
weather satellites operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NASA spends half of its money on research at the agency's field centers around the country
while the other half is used for support contracts and major hardware procurement.
Astronauts. NASA selected their first astronauts from the U.S. military
services. These astronauts were required to have had jet aircraft flight experience and
engineering training. Height could be no more than 5 feet 11 inches because of limited
cabin space available in the Mercury space capsule. After many series of intense physical
and psychological screenings, NASA selected seven men from an original field of 500
candidates.
Nine pilot astronauts were chosen in September 1962, and fourteen more were selected in
October 1963. By then, prime emphasis had shifted away from flight experience toward
superior academic qualifications In October 1964, applications were invited on the basis
of educational background alone.
The first group of astronaut candidates for the Space Shuttle Program was selected in
January 1978. This group of 20 mission specialists and 15 pilots completed training at
NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
NASA accepts applications for the Astronaut Candidate Program on a continuous basis.
Candidates are selected as needed, normally every two years, for pilot and mission
specialist categories. Both civilian and military personnel are considered for the
program. Civilians may apply at any time. Military personnel must apply through their
parent branch of the service and be nominated by their branch to NASA.
For mission specialists and pilot astronaut candidates, the education and experience
requirements include at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in
engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. Three years of related,
progressively responsible professional experience must follow the degree. An advanced
degree Is desirable and may be substituted for all or part of the experience requirement.
Pilot astronaut applicants also must meet the following requirements prior to submitting
an
application:
1. At least I,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight-test experience is highly desirable.
2. Ability to pass a NASA Class I space physical (similar to a military or civilian Class I flight physical) which includes the following specific standards for vision: distance visual acuity 20/50 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20, each eye.
3. Height between 64 and 76 inches.
Mission specialists have similar requirements, except that the qualifying physical is a
NASA Class II space physical (similar to a military or civilian Class II flight physical)
and includes the following specific standards for vision: distance visual
acuity20/100 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20, each eye.
Selected applicants are designed astronaut candidates and are assigned to the astronaut
office at Johnson Space Center for a one-year training and evaluation period. During this
period, candidates are assigned technical or scientific responsibilities and they
participate in the astronaut training program designed to develop the knowledge and skills
required for formal mission training upon selection for a flight. However, selection as a
candidate does not ensure selection as an astronaut.
Final selection is based on satisfactory completion of the one-year program. Civilian
candidates who successfully complete the training and evaluation and are selected as
astronauts are expected to remain with NASA for at least five years. Successful military
candidates are detailed to NASA for a specified tour of duty.
Salaries for civilian astronaut candidates are based on the Federal Government's General
Schedule pay scales and are set in accordance with each individual's academic achievements
and experience.
Pilot astronauts serve as both space shuttle commanders and pilots. During flight, the
commander has on-board responsibility for the vehicle, crew, mission success, and safety
of flight. The pilot assists the commander in controlling and operating the vehicle and
may assist in the deployment and retrieval of satellites using the remote manipulator
system.
Mission specialist astronauts work with the commander and the pilot and have overall
responsibility for coordinating shuttle operations in the following areas: crew activity
planning, consumable usage, and experiment/payload operations. Mission specialists are
trained in the details of the orbiter on-board systems, as well as the operational
characteristics, mission requirements/objectives and supporting equipment/systems for each
of the experiments to be conducted on their assigned missions. Mission specialists perform
extravehicular activities and are responsible for payloads and specific experiment
operations.
Payload specialists are persons other than NASA astronauts, Including foreign nationals,
who have specialized on-board duties. They may be added to shuttle crews if activities
that have unique requirements are involved and more than the minimum crew size of five is
needed. When payload specialists are required they are nominated by NASA the foreign
sponsors, or the designated payload sponsor.
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Updated: February 17, 1999