A widely acclaimed program for aircraft inspection, maintenance and airworthiness research is landing at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) after a 30-year history at Sandia National Laboratories.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center (AANC) is focused on aircraft safety and reliability; development of advanced design and maintenance; evaluation of new and enhanced techniques; technology transfer; and rulemaking guidance. It will move to NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Laboratory for Aerospace Systems, maintaining its name and affiliation with the FAA. The planned move supports shifts in structure at both Sandia and the FAA.