Next Generation Air Transportation System

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NextGen or Next Generation Air Transportation System is the name given to the project which is set to completely overhaul the United States national airspace system (NAS).

The goal of NextGen is to increase the capacity of the NAS, while increasing efficiency and safety through the use of leading edge technology. This includes the use of satellites for communication, implementation of ADS-B, GPS, etc.

Contents

[edit] History

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"Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, Pub. L. 108-176, represents a multi-agency initiative to transform the future air transportation system. This act created the Joint Planning and Development Office as the means by which six government agencies will combine resources and talent to effect the transformation." - NGATS Institute

The first powered flight took place on December 17, 1903. The flight was conducted by the Wright Brothers. Following the success of the Wright Brothers, Aviation evolved very rapidly. In Europe, aircraft were flown transatlantic creating a need for tracking airplanes while en route until they reach their destination. The International Commission for Air Navigation (ICAN) was created with the purpose of providing standard traffic rules and procedures for all countries where aircraft were flown. The United States failed to sign the ICAN convention because they did not see a need for such regulations. Though, it did not take long for the US to realize that air traffic rules were needed. In 1926, the US Air Commerce Act was passed calling for implementation of air traffic rules through the department of commerce. The first basic rule for pilots was “Do not take off until there is no risk of collision with landing aircraft and until preceding aircraft are clear of the airfield.” Airports felt that such rule was not enough and decided to take matters into their own hands in order to prevent collisions of aircraft. The airports provided visual air traffic signals to inbound and outbound flights using flags (waving flags to direct pilots on the airfield). In the 1950’s that changed, radio communication and ground based radar technology were introduced. (http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Government_Role/Air_traffic_control/POL15.htm).

The ground based radar allows aircraft to fly from one radar point to another. Aircraft fly in zigzag because they must follow the highways in the sky created by the ground radar point to point system. This system works, but it does not allow aircraft to fly direct route. For this reason, the pilots rely heavily on the controllers for directions and separation distances between aircraft to prevent air collision. While the number of aircraft have increased tremendously since the 1950’s, the 1950 technology is still in used today resulting to gridlock, delays at airports and a very congested airspace.

The current system will be replaced by Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS is not only cheaper to maintain than the older system, but more importantly it’s more accurate, reliable and automated and it is already being used in vehicles, boats and others. It will allow a plane to identify its location through GPS satellites and automatically broadcast its position to the controllers and other aircraft in the vicinity.

Airplanes will be able to fly more direct routes in the sky, pilots will use more advanced navigational instruments that will allow them to locate other aircraft at all times. The aircraft flight tracking information will not only be available to controllers on the ground, it will be available to other aircraft as well. Aircraft will depend less on controllers’ instructions and directions, they will use their navigational resources to maintain a safe flight. Since the pilots will be able to see other aircraft location, the distance required between aircraft in flight would be less. Air traffic controllers will be able to manage the airspace efficiently using all available airspace and resources without any path restrictions unlike the ground based radar approach. (http://www.gaservingamerica.org/how_work/work_navigation.htm)

[edit] Dates

[edit] References

[edit] FAA/Air Traffic Organization News Articles

[edit] FAA/Air Traffic Organization Fact Sheets