DURANT, Okla., Dec. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Choctaw
Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) and Bell
Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced
today an agreement to add Bell to the CNO UASIPP team and begin
testing some of the Bell innovations and systems on CNO-owned
property in rural southeastern Oklahoma.
The flights and tests will be conducted as part of the FAA
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program (UASIPP) in
preparation for future planned beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)
and other more advanced UAS operations. CNO is one of nine UASIPP
sites selected by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary
Elaine L. Chao in May 2018.
CNO, Bell and their partners plan to work with the FAA and other
federal agencies to enhance emerging aviation technologies and
operations to help keep the United
States a leader in aviation.
"The Choctaw Nation continues to be excited to work with our key
strategic teammates like Bell as we begin to foster innovation and
utilize new technologies in today's world," states James Grimsley, Executive Director of Advanced
Technology Initiatives. "Working with an industry leader like Bell
validates our investment and highlights all the hard work and
success our team has had to date."
"We are proud and excited to be a part of the CNO UASIPP team,"
said Scott Drennan, Bell's vice
president, Innovation. "This agreement will enable us to continue
to test our vehicles and work in a collaborative effort with CNO
and the FAA to improve aviation technologies and achieve new
possibilities together."
Future missions for the CNO UASIPP team include advanced drone
operations – including BVLOS - for agricultural applications,
public safety operations, infrastructure inspections, safe
operations over people, and weather related missions.
CONTACT: Kristina
Humenesky, Public Relations Director – Choctaw Nation,
580-380-5967, khumenesky@choctawnation.com
CONTACT: James
Grimsley, Executive Director of Advanced Technology
Initiatives – Choctaw Nation,
580-740-3772, jgrimsley@choctawnation.com
CONTACT: Brian
Post, Senior Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives –
Choctaw Nation, 580-380-5104, bpost@choctawnation.com
CONTACT: Grace Dieb, Media Relations
– Bell, 817-296-4238, gdieb@bellflight.com
About Bell
Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 80 years,
we've been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can
take us.
We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier
and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA's
first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to
market. Today, we're defining the future of on-demand mobility.
Headquartered in Fort Worth,
Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we
have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one
quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military
achieve their missions is a passion of ours.
Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional
experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always,
with safety at the forefront.
About Textron
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its
global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance
businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and
services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands
such as Bell , Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex,
Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation +
Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
About the UASIPP Program
The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program
(IPP) is an opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to
partner with private sector entities, such as UAS operators or
manufacturers, to accelerate safe UAS integration. The program will
help the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) craft new enabling rules that allow
more complex low-altitude operations by:
- Identifying ways to balance local and national interests
related to UAS integration
- Improving communications with local, state and tribal
jurisdictions
- Addressing security and privacy risks
- Accelerating the approval of operations that currently require
special authorizations.
The Program is expected foster a meaningful dialogue on the
balance between local and national interests related to UAS
integration and provide actionable information to the USDOT on
expanded and universal integration of UAS into the National
Airspace System.
About the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
The Choctaw Nation is the third largest Indian Nation in
the United States with almost
200,000 tribal members and more than 10,000 employees. The first
tribe over the Trail of Tears, the historic boundaries are in the
southeast corner of Oklahoma. The Choctaw Nation's vision, "Living
out the Chahta Spirit of faith, family and culture," is evident as
it continues to focus on providing opportunities for growth and
prosperity. For more information about the Choctaw Nation, its
culture, heritage and traditions, please visit
www.choctawnation.com
For more information about the Choctaw Nation UASIPP program
please visit www.cnoaa.com
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking
statements which may project revenues or describe strategies,
goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements
speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake
no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements.
These statements are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to,
the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new
products or unanticipated expenses or delays in connection with the
launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of
our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft
products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the
introduction of new products and upgrades with features and
technologies desired by our customers; and performance issues
with key suppliers, subcontractors or business partners.
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SOURCE Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO)