NIST engineer Gregory Linteris studied fire safety in space as an astronaut aboard two NASA space shuttle flights in 1997. photo courtesy NASA

More than 600 million people fly on passenger aircraft in the United States annually. Keeping the skies safe for all these people is a huge job. NIST helps improve aircraft safety by working with the Federal Aviation Administration, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and industry groups.

For example, NIST researchers provide standards, test methods, and calibration services needed to assure:

	structural safety of aerospace alloys,
	reliability of flight instruments that measure altitude,
	minimum brightness for anti-collision aircraft lights, and
	fire safety of aircraft interiors.