49 U.S.C. § 44508 — Research advisory committee

(a) Establishment and Duties.— (1) The FAA has a research advisory committee. The committee must: (A) advise the Administrator and Congress on the needs, goals, plans, and results of the FAA's aviation research and development work, including work done under sections 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511 through 44513, and 44912; (B) help make sure that research is coordinated with similar research happening outside the FAA; (C) review how the regional centers of air transportation excellence set up under section 44513 are operating; and (D) each year, review how the Administrator has divided up the research money authorized by section 48102(a) among the major categories of research, and advise the Administrator on whether that division makes sense to meet the needs identified under (A). (2) The Administrator may create smaller committees under this one to advise on specific research areas covered by sections 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511 through 44513, and 44912.

(b) Members, Chairman, Pay, and Expenses.— (1) The committee has no more than 30 members. The Administrator appoints them from people who do not work for the FAA and who are specially qualified by education, training, or experience. The Administrator must make sure regional centers of air transportation excellence, universities, corporations, associations, consumers, and other government bodies are represented. (2) The Administrator picks the chairman. (3) Members do not get paid, but the Administrator may cover their expenses for attending meetings, as allowed under 5 U.S.C. § 5703.

(c) Support Staff, Information, and Services.— The Administrator must give the committee support staff. If the committee asks, the Administrator must also give it information, administrative services, and supplies the Administrator thinks the committee needs to do its job.

(d) Nonapplication.— Section 1013 of title 5 does not apply to this committee.

(e) Use and Limitation of Amounts.— (1) No more than 0.1 percent of the money available for research under sections 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511 through 44513, and 44912 may be used to run this committee. (2) Any cap on money available for the committee to spend does not apply to money made available under this section.

(f) Written Reply.— (1) In general.— Within 60 days of getting a recommendation from the committee, the Administrator must send the committee a written reply that at least: (A) clearly says whether the Administrator accepts or rejects the recommendation; (B) explains why; (C) sets a timeframe for putting the recommendation into action; and (D) describes the steps the Administrator will take to do it. (2) Transparency.— When the Administrator sends that written reply to the committee, it must also be: (A) posted publicly on the committee's website; and (B) sent to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (3) National aviation research plan.— The national aviation research plan required under section 44501(c) must include a summary of all the committee's recommendations and where things stand on carrying them out.