Aviation bill could benefit Northern

Aviation bill could benefit Northern

Tim Leeds

A bill passed by the U. S. Senate Thursday includes a provision that could help Havre's university take the lead in testing a growing industry — unmanned aircraft.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., announced Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization, which passed 87-8, includes an amendment he sponsored and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont, co-sponsored, to increase the number of testing sites for the drone aircraft.

Montana State University-Northern created a consortium with Montana State University in Bozeman and Rocky Mountain College in Billings, as well as the University of Montana in Missoula and Mississippi State University, last fall to test the drones in Montana's military airspace.

MSU-Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki said this morning that the amendment could help with Northern's efforts.

"We feel pretty good, " he said, adding that Montana's large and relatively unused military airspace, along with the variety of weather and geographical conditions, makes it a prime location.

"We're just perfectly situated to do a number of tests to be sure these birds can fly in a number of situations across the United States, " he said.

Baucus said in the release that Montana is a perfect location for the tests, and that it could bring major amounts of high-tech investment to the state.

"Montana is well-positioned to take the lead in this emerging billion-dollar industry and bring good-paying jobs to Big Sky Country, " he said. "Montana's abundant airspace and top-notch universities make us the ideal location for developing new unmanned aircraft systems.

"Our troops in Afghanistan rely on this technology every day, and unmanned aircraft have enormous future potential in border security, agriculture and wildlife and predator management, " he added. "Our effort could help bring jobs to our state, spark investment in the technology sector and help us increase security along the border with Canada. "

Tester said this could be the first step in a major advance for the region.

"It's just makes common sense to combine Montana's cutting-edge research universities, our state's unique environment and our region's outstanding airspace conditions to develop technology for unmanned aircraft, " he said this morning. "There is a long way to go in this process, but the potential for job creation through unmanned aircraft research is tremendous. I'm proud to have pushed the Senate to make sure Montana State University-Northern gets the chance to compete in this exciting new frontier. "

MSU President Waded Cruzado thanked Baucus and Tester for their work.

"A program in unmanned aircraft systems can help develop new capabilities in the state and expand research and training opportunities, " she said in the release. "(The) technology has many applications including defense, surveillance, law enforcement, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, firefighting and other areas. The entire MSU system looks forward to pursuing this matter. "

Trocki, who also commended Baucus, Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont, for their support and work on the issue, said the lack of use in its airspace — the size of most of Florida's peninsula — gives Montana an edge over many possible locations. The maps of airplane flights on the day before Thanksgiving — one of the busiest flying days of the year — tells the tale.

"Most of America was painted black but in Montana — and we (looked at) that — there were only five commercial flights, " he said.

The process already is starting for the consortium, in which the Bozeman campus will work on issues such as engineering and the aviation school at Rocky Mountain College will work on the flight training — its first unmanned flight testing is scheduled in September.

Trocki said picking up the official FAA testing center could be huge for the region.

"We feel the benefits of (an unmanned aircraft) research and testing program in Montana are endless, and members of the consortium are poised to be leaders in this blossoming industry, " he said.

The consortium already has forged industry relationships with Ratheyon, Insitu Inc., Boeing, Unmanned Systems Inc, Zink Air, and the Montana National Guard to work on the drone testing, Trocki said.

The program will tie in perfectly with Northern's research on jet fuel produced through agricultural products — an extension of its work on biofuels — and on its manufacturing component, Trocki said. Many of the companies producing drones, all extremely varied and specific in their design, could locate close to the testing space.

The testing could lead to numerous jobs, both in the testing and in manufacture.

"Overall, we're looking for jobs, good jobs with good wages with good companies that are green and want to improve the United States, " Trocki said.

A bill passed by the U. S. Senate Thursday includes a provision that could help Havre's university take the lead in testing a growing industry — unmanned aircraft.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., announced Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization, which passed 87-8, includes an amendment he sponsored and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont, co-sponsored, to increase the number of testing sites for the drone aircraft.

Montana State University-Northern created a consortium with Montana State University in Bozeman and Rocky Mountain College in Billings, as well as the University of Montana in Missoula and Mississippi State University, last fall to test the drones in Montana's military airspace.

MSU-Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki said this morning that the amendment could help with Northern's efforts.

"We feel pretty good, " he said, adding that Montana's large and relatively unused military airspace, along with the variety of weather and geographical conditions, makes it a prime location.

"We're just perfectly situated to do a number of tests to be sure these birds can fly in a number of situations across the United States, " he said.

Baucus said in the release that Montana is a perfect location for the tests, and that it could bring major amounts of high-tech investment to the state.

"Montana is well-positioned to take the lead in this emerging billion-dollar industry and bring good-paying jobs to Big Sky Country, " he said. "Montana's abundant airspace and top-notch universities make us the ideal location for developing new unmanned aircraft systems.

"Our troops in Afghanistan rely on this technology every day, and unmanned aircraft have enormous future potential in border security, agriculture and wildlife and predator management, " he added. "Our effort could help bring jobs to our state, spark investment in the technology sector and help us increase security along the border with Canada. "

Tester said this could be the first step in a major advance for the region.

"It's just makes common sense to combine Montana's cutting-edge research universities, our state's unique environment and our region's outstanding airspace conditions to develop technology for unmanned aircraft, " he said this morning. "There is a long way to go in this process, but the potential for job creation through unmanned aircraft research is tremendous. I'm proud to have pushed the Senate to make sure Montana State University-Northern gets the chance to compete in this exciting new frontier. "

MSU President Waded Cruzado thanked Baucus and Tester for their work.

"A program in unmanned aircraft systems can help develop new capabilities in the state and expand research and training opportunities, " she said in the release. "(The) technology has many applications including defense, surveillance, law enforcement, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, firefighting and other areas. The entire MSU system looks forward to pursuing this matter. "

Trocki, who also commended Baucus, Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont, for their support and work on the issue, said the lack of use in its airspace — the size of most of Florida's peninsula — gives Montana an edge over many possible locations. The maps of airplane flights on the day before Thanksgiving — one of the busiest flying days of the year — tells the tale.

"Most of America was painted black but in Montana — and we (looked at) that — there were only five commercial flights, " he said.

The process already is starting for the consortium, in which the Bozeman campus will work on issues such as engineering and the aviation school at Rocky Mountain College will work on the flight training — its first unmanned flight testing is scheduled in September.

Trocki said picking up the official FAA testing center could be huge for the region.

"We feel the benefits of (an unmanned aircraft) research and testing program in Montana are endless, and members of the consortium are poised to be leaders in this blossoming industry, " he said.

The consortium already has forged industry relationships with Ratheyon, Insitu Inc., Boeing, Unmanned Systems Inc, Zink Air, and the Montana National Guard to work on the drone testing, Trocki said.

The program will tie in perfectly with Northern's research on jet fuel produced through agricultural products — an extension of its work on biofuels — and on its manufacturing component, Trocki said. Many of the companies producing drones, all extremely varied and specific in their design, could locate close to the testing space.

The testing could lead to numerous jobs, both in the testing and in manufacture.

"Overall, we're looking for jobs, good jobs with good wages with good companies that are green and want to improve the United States, " Trocki said.