Says Slower Jets Could 'Gum Up' System

GAMA leadership and FAA representatives appeared before congress on Thursday to discuss the impact very light jets (VLJ) will have on the national airspace system -- not very much, according to them. Meanwhile, members of the Airline Transport Association (ATA) told Bloomberg Thursday they would have a "significant" impact.

Eclipse Aviation, maker of the Eclipse 500 VLJ, has orders for 2600 aircraft. Adam Aircraft boasts 350 orders for its A700. Cessna says 250 customers are waiting for their Mustang Jets. If even a fraction of these orders are realized over the next few years, ATA says, it will mean many more aircraft operating in the airspace normally used only be commercial jetliners today.

"Even 1,000 more vehicles in the system would be a significant new burden," said ATA executive vice president John Meenan. He further opined that VLJ's will operate at the same altitudes as jetliners, but at significantly slower speeds -- creating "the potential for really gumming up the system."

This is in direct opposition to FAA statements made before congress on Thursday. As Aero-News reported, Nicholas Sabatini, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, and Michael Cirillo, Vice President of Systems Operation Services within the FAA's Air Traffic Organization, told a congressional committee that the FAA has the capability to safely introduce all aircraft into the system, no matter the size, speed or performance.

"VLJs will be assimilated into the system in an orderly fashion," said Sabatini. Cirillo added, "Major airports will not be inundated with VLJs."

So who's right... will VLJs impact ATC or not?

The answer is, they probably will have SOME impact. The real question? Will it be enough to wreak the havoc ATA predicts?

There most certainly will be some growing pains as the number of users in the airspace increases, but as was pointed out to congress on Thursday, most VLJs won't be using the same airports as commercial transport aircraft.

GAMA says controller workload is directly related to the number of planes in a particular area. The greatest congestion is around the 30 so-called hub airports where major airlines base their headquarters and maintenance facilities. Trying to get large numbers of aircraft into and out of a hub airport places them all in a relatively small portion of the sky. This complicates a controller's job immensely.

That's not a problem with VLJs. Operating from shorter runways such as those found at secondary and outlying airports will allow the VLJ owner to takeoff and land closer to their homes and destinations -- instead of connecting through the hub of a major airline.

Still, VLJs will have to traverse airspace used by jetliners to get to some secondary airports located near particularly congested airspace such as New Jersey's Teterboro and New York's White Plains. For that reason, says former FAA director of system operations Jack Kies, the FAA should study traffic flows with input from potential VLJ users to better understand exactly where the aircraft will be going.

Kies, now an executive with Metron Aviation in Virginia, says "There is going to be an impact to the system. It will be a challenge for everybody."

GAMA leaders predict adding about 300 VLJs per year to the system. They say that even if VLJs have the "significant" impact ATA predicts, FAA modernization efforts now under way should more than make up for any ATC shortcomings.

Embry-Riddle aeronautical science department chairman Cass Howell feels even 300 VLJs per year might be high, notwithstanding FAA's estimate of 4000 over the next decade. He said, "The history of aviation is replete with people who had a great idea that never got through. Slowdowns in certification, manufacturing and financing are all possible."

Whatever happens, with two big names like Cessna and Eclipse having already achieved FAA certification, VLJs are here to stay. As their utility becomes more obvious to frequent business flyers tired of lost luggage, unnecessary overnight stays and odious lines to get through security, they are sure to proliferate.

Then everybody, including the ATA, is going to have to learn how to work and play together.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.airlines.org, www.gama.aero