NASA, as Seen by the FAA

Nearly every NASA program related to aviation safety has required the involvement of the FAA. Anything new from NASA that affects—for example, the design of an airliner or the layout of a cockpit panel[185] or the introduction of a modified traffic control procedure that relies on

new technology[186]—must eventually be certified for use by the FAA, either directly or indirectly. This process continues today, extending the leg­acy of dozens of programs that came before—not all of which can be detailed here. But in terms of a historical overview through the eyes of the FAA, a handful of key collaborations with NASA were considered important enough by the FAA to mention in its official chronology, and they are summarized in this section.