Under public law (PL102-581), the U.S. Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to establish a Civil Tiltrotor Development Advisory Committee (CTRDAC). The committee was directed to examine the costs, technical feasibility, and economic viability of developing civil tiltrotor (CTR) aircraft. The CTRDAC found that the CTR is technically feasible, that it could be economically viable and operate profitable without government subsidies in heavily traveled corridors, and that it could provide significant societal benefits. The CTRDAC recommended that a public/private partnership be created to address CTR institutional, infrastructure, and coordination issues; that an integrated aircraft and infrastructure research, development, and demonstration program be conducted over 10 years with $600 million in Government/industry cost sharing; and that work be accelerated on regulatory and certification issues, including safety and environmental standards and changes in the air traffic control system.