National Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research (NEXTOR)

The National Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research (NEXTOR) was formed by the Federal Aviation Administration on June 21,1996, to support collaborative research in aviation OR.

NEXTOR is a Government-Academic-Industry alliance dedicated to the advancement of aviation research and technology. NEXTOR is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Technology Development and Operations Planning.

In collaboration with the FAA and its industry partners, NEXTOR looks to develop an understanding of how the National Airspace System (NAS) service providers and users will respond to alternative system architectures, operational concepts, investment strategies and finance mechanisms. The knowledge and capabilities gained from this government-sponsored Research Program provides critical information to executives and senior government officials on a host of issues ranging from near-term investment choices to long-term strategies.

Through its Knowledge Exchange Program, NEXTOR researchers, industry members, and government agents present state-of-the art research to the aviation community. The program offers two to three conferences and seminars per year on such subjects as NAS Infrastructure Management, Performance Metrics and the Economic and Social Value of Air Transportation.

In addition, the partnership seeks to increase the breath of aviation operations research knowledge through its Education Program. More than 100 graduate students have participated in NEXTOR’s research programs since the organization’s birth in 1996. Short courses are taught by faculty members and are open to any FAA, federal government, or industry affiliate employee interested in air transportation systems analysis.

NEXTOR is a world-class research consortium of government, universities and private industry capable of addressing the needs of the National Airspace System (NAS) through basic research, modeling and investment analysis. NEXTOR’s collaborative approach to addressing a wide range of aviation problems provides diverse approaches to solving critical operational aviation problems while promoting increased dialogue within the aviation community.

NEXTOR’s research team holds expertise in a wide range of technological areas, including:
(*) Air Traffic Control
(*) Human-in-the-Loop Systems
(*) System Performance and Assessment Measures
(*) Flow Control, Scheduling, and Work Load Distribution
(*) Operations, Research, and Simulation
(*) Navigation, Communications, and Data Transfer
(*) Software Certification and Reliability
(*) Safety
(*) Information Dissemination Activities, such as workshops and training events

NEXTOR strives to conduct valuable research directly applicable to the four FAA Flight Plan Goals:

(*) Increased Safety: Achieve the lowest possible accident rate and constantly improve safety.
(*) Greater Capacity: Work with local governments and airspace users to provide capacity in the United States airspace system that meets projected demand in an environmentally sound manner.
(*) International Leadership: Increase the safety and capacity of the global civil aerospace system in an environmentally sound manner.
(*) Organizational Excellence: Ensure the success of the FAA's mission through stronger leadership, a better trained workforce, enhanced cost-control measures, and improved decision making based on reliable data.