Agency Also Made Progress On NextGen With Implementation
Underway
In the spirit of the new year, the DOT is spending some
electrons on its blog highlighting the agency's accomplishments for
the past 12 months. A recent post attributed to DOT secretary Ray
LaHood shines the spotlight on what's been going on at the FAA.
Each year, millions of Americans
travel safely through our skies thanks in large part to the work
being done by the Federal Aviation Administration. The dedicated
professionals at the FAA work tirelessly to ensure that America's
aviation system is--and remains--the very best in the world. The
FAA strives constantly to reach the next level of safety,
efficiency, and environmental responsibility. And in 2011, that
effort paid great dividends for air travelers.
Here is a brief sample of
highlights:
The FAA took a no-nonsense approach to cockpit laser
strikes. In 2010, the number of reports of someone on the ground
shining a laser into the cockpit of an airplane overhead increased.
So, to protect passengers, flight crews, and people on the ground,
the agency used a long-standing federal statute to impose civil
penalties against those who point a laser into an aircraft. As part
of the ongoing effort to prevent these safety threats, the FAA also
launched a new website with statistics, research on the dangers
lasers pose, and links for reporting laser incidents.
The CAAFI program worked to reduce commercial jet fuel
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Because traditional fuel
price fluctuations create industry uncertainty, the FAA established
the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative partnership
with government, industry, and academia working together to make
alternative fuels a reality for commercial air travel. CAAFI has
been working diligently to find efficient, cost-effective ways of
powering aircraft, and in November, they reached a major milestone
when United Airlines and Alaska Airlines flew the first-ever
commercial domestic flights using a blend of biofuel and
traditional jet fuel.
Finalized new measures to prevent pilot fatigue. In
December, the FAA overhauled outdated flight and duty rules to give
commercial passenger pilots the opportunity to get the sleep they
need to operate safely. Incorporating the latest research on
alertness, sleep and fatigue, the new rule sets different
requirements for pilot flight time, duty period, and rest based on
the time of day pilots begin their first flight, the number of
scheduled flight segments, and the number of time zones they
cross.
Continued developing NextGen procedures and technologies.
The FAA continues making progress in the roll-out of NextGen, which
is transforming our national airspace from a ground-based system to
satellite-based navigation and air traffic control. This year, we
made great strides toward implementing performance-based
navigation, and operators continue to save time and fuel at
airports across the country. In Seattle, the first phase of the
Greener Skies project was completed, and the next phase of
implementation is underway to bring additional NextGen
benefits.
DOT Secretary Ray LaHood said in the blog post that 2011 was
another strong year for aviation safety ... "and I know that
everyone at the FAA--in Washington and around the country--will
stay laser-focused on ensuring the continued safety and success of
our aviation system in 2012."
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