WALTHAM, MA-The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) presented the 2008 FAA-ATA Better Way Award to Olympus on September 24, 2008. The award recognizes a government-industry team that develops and applies a technology, technique, process or policy that results in a more sensitive, more reliable and more cost-effective process for inspecting and testing aircraft, aircraft components or aircraft systems, resulting in a greater level of security.

The winning team, consisting of industry professionals from Olympus, FAA and various airlines, was recognized for its efforts in “scribe line inspection using phased array ultrasonics.” The technique allows nondestructive inspection of the fuselage lap splice without stripping the paint-an environmentally unsound and labor-intensive practice.

André Lamarre, Olympus business development director, aerospace and defense, was recognized for his contributions as a member of the winning team and accepted the award on behalf of Olympus.