The Port Authority of NY&NJ has signed an agreement with the FAA and Continental Airlines to launch a test of the Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) at Newark’s Liberty airport. In this press release, the Port Authority said EWR will be the nation’s first major commercial hub to install the technology, which allows for tighter [...]
Entries from December 2008
December 18, 2008
What does LaHood mean for NextGen?
That’s the question of the day, after reports emerged last night that Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) will be tapped as Transportation Secretary. LaHood is retiring from his Congressional seat after serving on the House Appropriations committee for several years; he served on the aviation subcommittee back in 2000 and is considered a friend of general [...]
December 16, 2008
NextGen events for 2009: avionics and more
A few conferences and events with a NextGen focus are emerging for Q1 2009: JPDO is holding an “all-hands” meeting at NASA HQ on February 5. The 7th annual Avionics conference is being held March 11-12 in Amsterdam with a fair amount of content related to NextGen. Military + Aerospace Electronics has a good overview; [...]
December 11, 2008
Industry groups submit their X-mas list to Congress
A coalition of aerospace groups has written to congressional leaders, requesting a laundry list of credits and investments that would help large industry players. Signed by AOPA president-elect Craig Fuller, the letter asks for: $1 billion for the Airport Improvement Program $3 billion to fund NextGen avionics (i.e. ADS-B transceivers, etc.) Elimination of the Alternative [...]
December 9, 2008
A380′s auto-braking system should help prevent runway excursions: Airbus
Flight International has a good wrap-up of Airbus’ presentation about its new auto-braking system at last week’s FAA Safety Forum in Washington. An excerpt: Available initially on the A380, the optional software upgrade includes Airbus’s brake-to-vacate (BTV) system that allows pilots to preset their desired turn-off point on a runway. The system automatically commands the [...]
December 8, 2008
SESAR project officially launched
The European Commission formally launched SESAR today — that’s the EU’s version of NextGen. An excerpt from the AP wire on today’s event: The EU said the new system should make flights safer, shorter and less polluting by helping air traffic controllers direct planes more efficiently. In addition, the EU hopes the new system will [...]
December 8, 2008
In brief: Sensis nabs NASA contract for weather data integration
Did you know that NASA operates an ATM simulator at their Langley Research Center? Well, turns out they do — it’s called ATOS, and Sensis just got a contact to provide integration of weather data into that system. (Press release here.) A sidenote: while looking into ATOS, we found an interesting NASA factsheet summarizing the [...]
December 6, 2008
NetJets, FAA sign NextGen agreement
From Aviation Week: NetJets Aviation Inc. has signed a wide ranging agreement with the FAA that will place the fractional jet operator in the forefront of the transformation of the U.S. air transportation system under the NextGen modernization program. NetJets officials and FAA managers from a range of the agency’s functional areas will meet later [...]
December 5, 2008
Grab bag: RNAV approaches, DFW taxiway opens, more…
A few small items to round out the week, none of which merits a full post on its own: 38 Part 139 airports have gotten new RNAV approaches for Christmas, bringing the total number around the U.S. to 425. Among the beneficiaries: SeaTac and Washington Dulles, who went from 1 to 6 approaches and 2 [...]
December 2, 2008
At Safety Forum, Sturgell asks for trust
Here’s a link to the transcript of Bobby Sturgell’s speech at the FAA’s International Safety Forum in Washington today. An excerpt: I’d like to leave you with a challenge. We must try to educate people to understand that the system is risk based and that our focus should be on the high risks and the [...]
December 2, 2008
Anyone at the FAA Safety Forum?
We had intended to cover the FAA’s International Safety Forum in DC today, but came down with a bad case of the flu and couldn’t make the flight. We’d love to hear from readers who attended — all reports and commentary are welcome.
December 1, 2008
Int’l passenger traffic down 1.3% in October
Read the gory details in this IATA press release. Did we mention that cargo contracted 7.9% in October alone? The market’s reaction was swift and merciless — Bloomberg story is here.
December 1, 2008
EU looking at 2015 for an ADS-B Out mandate: report
A great article from John Sheridan of AIN online on the differing timetables and perspectives around ADS-B out in Europe vs. the U.S. Some excerpts: At the Air Traffic Control Association’s annual November Convention in Washington, FAA director of surveillance and broadcast services Vincent Capezutto advised AIN that he expected that the final rule covering [...]
