Young Travelers

By Peter Salmonford

 

New technology has the potential to increase airspace capacity, boost airport capacity through more efficient use of runways, reduce delays and provides billions of dollars in savings to air carriers. Obviously, consumers would benefit tremendously from lower air fares and increased availability of flights.

The Air Transport Association estimates that the major air carriers are losing about $3.5 billion every year because we do not fully utilize new air traffic management technologies such as free flight. Given the uncertain financial condition of the industry, this is a situation that we simply cannot allow to continue indefinitely.

Of course, air safety must always be our primary consideration, and I am aware that reservations do exist about moving too quickly with this technology. Our efforts to improve airspace capacity and efficiency should not in any way come at the expense of safety.

I hope the FAA can be honest with us on how they are progressing with the new air traffic control system. Our capacity to see the benefits of a free flight routing system is dependent largely on modernization of the air traffic control system. I find it disturbing that we continue to hear about long delays, cost overruns and cancellation of systems, and this simply cannot continue.

In my capacity as researcher and writer, I had the pleasure of visiting the Boston Center, air traffic control facility located in Nashua, New Hampshire, last year. The center controls all air traffic in New England, down in New York and for 150 miles out in the Atlantic ocean, and I talked with people who managed the flow of air traffic on a day to day basis, and I was impressed by the professionalism and the dedication.

I also saw firsthand the equipment that they use, which by anyone’s standards is sadly out of date and in desperate need of modernization. It became readily apparent to me that the FAA must do everything possible to see that the modernization process is completed.

Peter Salmonford is a keen fan of all forms of transport, and likes to write about antique and modern vehcles. Take a look at his other articles on hydrogen conversion, the benefits of an electric car kit and using browns gas in your own car.

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Problems Posed by Air Traffic Control
By Peter Salmonford

 

What concerns me and concerns others of us here is that we need to elevate air traffic control from the area of technocrats and lower level people at airlines and put it right smack on top of the in box of major airline CEO’s. I have not seen the CEO of American Airlines nor of Delta nor of United mention this issue.

They should be here. They should have a conga line going into the FAA Administrator’s office right now demanding change because it is costing them money and it is a controllable cost. Before they go to labor, they need to talk about this issue because it is controllable.

Another point is that the other costs to industry are enormous. USAIR canceled an order for 40 Boeing jets. If we had a free flight system, I would maintain they probably could have ordered those jets.

So the current air traffic control system is constricting the entire economy, the economy of Hartford, CT, the economy of Idledale, OH, the economy of St. Louis, the economy of places even like Cedar Rapids where they make avionics.

The system is hurting the entire economy, not just the area of airlines or the consumer who flies airlines. That is why it is critically important that we address this. And, most importantly, it is critically important that others in the industry get involved, that the chairman and CEO’s of major airlines be here and not pass it down the line, that they understand this is a cost and that the heads of labor unions understand that the air traffic control system is costing their members what they have bargained for over the years, money.

The chairman and CEO’s of companies like General Electric Aircraft Engines, Northrop, Textron, should be here and look into this because it is directly affecting them and their jobs and their futures.

It goes well beyond this, and we believe a free flight system could make this happen. I am sure that polititans can tell you about how it can happen. We believe this is probably the most pressing need right now facing the airline industry. It is not labor costs. It is not the other endemic inefficiencies that some major airlines seem to be in love with. The problem today that is most controllable is air traffic control. When we solve that, the airline industry can return to health, the consumer can benefit and so can communities.

Free flight is just one of the topics that Peter likes to write about. Check out his other articles about Fuel Cell Cars, HHO Gas and DUI charges.

What I Think of the FAA
By Peter Salmonford

 

I want to commend the FAA for breaking free from its institutional chains and showing that once in a wlule it can be flexible. For example, the FAA has, in my opinion, pushed the envelope on the Global Positioning System, moving faster and more efficiently than ever before and to the surprise of a lot of people, and I want to commend them for that. It has already issued several GPS approaches which I have taken a look at and more are expected soon.

And they are doing testing on category two and three landings which I am convinced are going to happen. I am convinced it can be done. It is just a matter of us proving it.

So I am very pleased with the work they have done in that area.

I am also pleased with the FAA’s announced plans to revitalize general aviation. There are a number of things that are under consideration, and I would like the FAA to keep us all informed on the progress of those initiatives. I hope FAA does act promptly because I really think we have some tremendous opportunities in general aviation and much needs to be accomplished.

This new FAA approach, such as we have seen with GPS, one that is more responsive to users’ needs, should be a model for future FAA efforts, and I hope that it will be.

We have so many opportunities today with new technology to really change the system to the benefit of the users. The FAA now has a chance to develop an effective strategy to reap all these potential benefits, and we hope that they will do that.

Peter Salmonford is a keen fan of all forms of transport, and likes to write about antique and modern vehcles. Take a look at his other articles on hydrogen conversion, the benefits of an electric car kit and using browns gas in your own car.

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