Environmental Tectonics Corporation's NASTAR(R) Center Awarded First FAA Safety Approval from Office of Commercial Space Transportation

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Environmental Tectonics Corporation's (OTC Bulletin Board: ETCC) ("ETC" or the "Company") The National AeroSpace Training and Research (NASTAR^®) Center announced today that it is the first entity to receive a Safety Approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

This approval, granted April 7, 2010, allows NASTAR Center to offer prospective space launch operators seeking a launch license, its pre-approved, NASTAR Space Training Programs using the Space Training Simulator (STS-400) to satisfy the Crew Qualification and Training Requirements outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (14 C.F.R. section 460.5). These regulations require crew members to complete training on how to carry out his or her role on board or on the ground and to demonstrate the ability to withstand the stresses of space flight, which may include high acceleration or deceleration, microgravity, and vibration.

NASTAR Center has pursued this approval since the FAA announced the Safety Approval Program in 2008.  Nearly two years and several meetings, documentation, and an FAA attended NASTAR Space Training Program (October 2009) later, the NASTAR Center received its Safety Approval Order (SA-10-001) signed by George Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation.

The FAA has determined that The NASTAR Center's Space Training Simulator, STS-400 is capable of replicating the G forces associated with suborbital space flight for any manned flight profiles up to 12 Gz and 8 Gx with onset rates up to +/- 8 G per second and accuracy in the Gz and Gx axes of +/-0.1 G. To date, all space flight profiles that have been published fit within these limits.  

The NASTAR Center Safety Approval carries a five-year term and is in effect until April 2015.  

As explained by the FAA officials, "A safety approval enables launch and reentry vehicle operators to use an approved safety element within the scope specified in the safety approval without the FAA re-examining the element in a license or experimental permit application." http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/08484wed.pdf

Dr. George C. Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation said,

"The Safety Approval we have granted to NASTAR is the first safety approval issued by the FAA for a suborbital spaceflight training system.  It marks a significant milestone for the commercial human spaceflight industry.  I would like to salute NASTAR for their development of a very capable training system and for their continued focus on ways to improve the safety of commercial human spaceflight operations."

William F. Mitchell, President and Chairman of ETC, stated "Being the first to receive the FAA Safety Approval designation is a significant accomplishment.  We hope to further enable the commercial spaceflight industry as a result."

The NASTAR Safety Approval Public Address and Acceptance video is viewable online at:

http://www.etcusa.com/faa/

About The NASTAR Center

The National AeroSpace Training And Research (NASTAR^®) Center (www.NASTARcenter.com) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Environmental Tectonics Corporation.  The NASTAR Center houses a variety of state-of-the-art equipment and professional staff to support the training and research needs of the aerospace community, including military aviation (fixed and rotary wing), civil aviation (fixed and rotary wing), space travel (government and private) and research support and data collection. The NASTAR^® Center's equipment and programs are highly modular and flexible and can accommodate a wide range of aerospace training and research requirements.

ETC was incorporated in 1969 in Pennsylvania and this year we will celebrate our 40th anniversary. Our core technologies include the design, manufacture and sale of Training Services (TSG) which includes (1) software driven products and services used to create and monitor the physiological effects of flight; (2) high performance jet tactical flight simulation, and; (3) driving and disaster simulation systems, and Control Systems (CSG) which includes: (1) steam and gas sterilization; (2) testing and simulation devices for the automotive industry, and; (3) hyperbaric and hypobaric chambers. Product categories included in TSG are Aircrew Training Systems (ATS) and flight simulators, disaster management systems and entertainment applications. CSG includes sterilizers, environmental control devices and hyperbaric chambers along with parts and service support.

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on ETC's current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about ETC and its subsidiaries that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the Company's vision, mission, strategies, goals, beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, intentions, financial condition, results of operations, future performance and business of the company, including but not limited to,  (i) projections of revenues, costs of materials, income or loss, earnings or loss per share, capital expenditures, growth prospects, dividends, capital structure, other financial items and the effects of currency fluctuations, (ii) statements of our plans and objectives of the Company or its management or Board of Directors, including the introduction of new products, or estimates or predictions of actions of customers, suppliers, competitors or regulatory authorities, (iii) statements of future economic performance, (iv) statements of assumptions and other statements about the Company or its business, (v) statements made about the possible outcomes of litigation involving the Company, (vi) statements regarding the Company's ability to obtain financing to support its operations and other expenses, and (vii) statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words, "may," "could," "should," "looking forward," "would," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," or the negative of such terms or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which are subject to change based on various important factors.  Some of these risks and uncertainties, in whole or in part, are beyond the Company's control. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a material difference include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10K for the fiscal year ended February 27, 2009, in the section entitled "Risks Particular to Our Business."  Shareholders are urged to review these risks carefully prior to making an investment in the Company's common stock.

The Company cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. Except as required by federal securities law, the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

SOURCE Environmental Tectonics Corporation

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