Conference Outlines Who's Doing What On Future Of ATC

FAA Acting Administrator Robert Sturgell and representatives of industry organizations recently met with reporters to provide a background for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen,) the much-ballyhooed FAA proposal to transform US aviation through the use of 21st-century technologies to meet future demands, avoid gridlock in the sky, improve safety and increase environmental protections.

Sturgell was joined by representatives from four of the organizations collaborating with the agency to make NextGen a reality: Ann Carroll, Vice President of Legal Affairs of Helicopter Association International (HAI); Ed Iacobucci, DayJet CEO; David Hayzlett, co-founder of the Alliance for Sustainable Air Transportation (ASAT); and Wade Lester, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University NextGen program manager.

Each representative provided reporters with an overview of how their organization and the agency are working together to make the FAA's (nebulous) vision of the future of air traffic control a reality.

HAI is collaborating with the agency to deploy Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) in the Gulf of Mexico. This will, for the first time, provide actual air traffic control services to a region that sees more than 5,000 helicopter flights per day to and from nearly 7,000 oil platforms, rigs, and ships operating in the Gulf. Twenty-five platforms have been targeted for the installation of weather and communications equipment, which is expected to be operational by December 2009.

DayJet is equipping its fleet of very light jets with ADS-B avionics. This equipment will allow the company to transmit and collect data on their flight operations, which can help build the agency’s understanding of how ADS-B will play out in a real-world environment.

Embry-Riddle’s research capability will provide tremendous support to the advancement of NextGen. The university is working with the agency to create a test bed that will feature Required Area Navigation (RNAV) routes between Florida airports, including Miami, Orlando, and Daytona, and New York area airports Teterboro, JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark. RNAV procedures increase the number of departure routes, allowing air traffic controllers to disperse aircraft more efficiently. This reduces taxi time, ground delays and miles flown.  The test bed is expected to begin its work later this year.

ASAT represents the interests of local, state, and federal organizations, as well as industry, academia, and other NGOs. The organization builds awareness with the states, the private sector, and the industry to help advance leading NextGen technologies.

The agency is encouraged by the engagement of industry. The entrepreneurial efforts represented by the collaborations with these independent organizations will allow the FAA to get an early jumpstart on NextGen capabilities.

FMI: www.faa.gov/nextgen/