Showing Off Advantages For Rural Communities

Aircraft from around Florida will participate in a Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) demonstration October 28th, an event that will kickoff the Community Air Service Initiative (CASI). The aircraft will fly to various initial destinations and then all converge at Sebring airport for a High Volume Operation technology demonstration. Various SATS technologies will be on display at Sebring which will also be hosting the US Sport Aviation EXPO.

The demonstration will show participants the advantages of a Small Aircraft Transportation System for rural communities and the resulting economic development opportunities. Ray Wabler, the demonstration coordinator, says "SATS airports will be the off ramps from the super aerial inter-nation expressway. Similar to the economic growth of cities located near the ramps off of interstate highways, future economic development will be in cities that have SATS airports."

The SATS program is a NASA/FAA/industry initiative in response to the demand for expanded intermodal transportation as projected in the next ten years. The nation needs an alternative transportation system to relieve the safety and congestion problems on our highways and in the air. With small airports already in place across the country (in almost every locality) a small aircraft transportation system that is both a safe and affordable alternative to current transportation systems would provide the optimal solution. A solution that offers significant economic growth to any community that elects to take advantage of this opportunity.

The Southeast SATSLab Consortium (SESLC) is initiating the Community Air Service Initiative (CASI) to assist Southeast states in becoming the first to seize this opportunity.

SATS research is focusing on four operating capabilities that will help permit people and goods to travel faster and farther, anywhere and any time. These technologies would allow:

• higher volume operations at airports that don’t have control towers or terminal radar
• pilots to land safely in low visibility conditions at minimally equipped airports
• increased single-pilot performance
• SATS aircraft to integrate seamlessly into the complex national airspace

FMI: http://sats.erau.edu