Wed, Mar 10, 2010
Key Modernization Projects Essential For Improvements
The FAA is forecasting that key airspace safety and efficiency
modernization efforts will play a vital role in spurring long-term
sustained growth in air travel and the nation's overall economic
health. This forecast, which comes after a short-term period of
slow growth in aviation activity, underscores the need for the Next
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and continued
investment in airport infrastructure projects.
"A safe, efficient and vibrant aviation system is vital to our
nation's economic health," said Secretary of Transportation Ray
LaHood. "We must find long-term solutions that will keep the U.S.
aviation industry competitive and moving forward into the
future."
The FAA's 20-year forecast for Fiscal Years 2010-2030, unveiled
Tuesday at an annual aviation conference in Washington that brings
members of the aviation community together to discuss how the
forecast projections may affect policies and plans for aviation,
predicts domestic passenger enplanements will increase by 0.5
percent in 2010 and then grow an average of 2.5 percent per year
during the remaining forecast period. Total operations at airports
are forecast to decrease 2.7 percent to 51.5 million in 2010, and
then grow at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent reaching 69.6
million in 2030. At the nation's 35 busiest airports, operations
are expected to increase 60 percent from 2010 to 2030.
The FAA predicts that U.S. airlines will reach one billion
passengers a year by 2023, and the number of passengers on U.S.
airlines domestically and internationally is forecast to increase
from 704 million in 2009 to 1.21 billion by 2030. "This forecast
makes a very strong business case for NextGen," said FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt. "Without NextGen, we won't be able to
handle the increased demand for service that this forecast
anticipates."
NextGen is transforming air traffic control from the
ground-based radar system of today to a satellite-based system of
the future. These advancements are already showing safety,
efficiency and environmental benefits. NextGen technologies and
procedures will increase capacity and safety and reduce fuel burn,
carbon emissions and noise by providing more efficient air routes
and procedures. Other innovations include improved weather
forecasting, data networking and digital communications. Hand in
hand with these state-of-the-art technologies are airport
improvements that are beginning to give pilots and controllers a
more precise picture of the location of aircraft and vehicles on
runways and taxiways.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
provides significant infrastructure improvements to meet growing
airspace needs. It has provided $1.1 billion to airports
nationwide. To date, 326 grants for over 360 projects have been
distributed to airports that support passenger and cargo service as
well as general aviation. Recovery Act grants are being used at
both urban and rural airports to fund a variety of different
modernization efforts including facility construction, safety
enhancements and the rehabilitation of runways, taxiways and other
infrastructure.
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