When H.R.2115, the Vision 100 Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, was signed into law in December 2003, it endorsed the concept of a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to be developed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A month later, the DOT secretary announced plans for a new, multi-year, multi-agency effort to develop an air transportation system for the year 2025 and beyond that would increase efficiency in the National Airspace System (NAS). NextGen would not be just one technology or product, the bill stated, instead it was conceived to be a portfolio of innovative new technologies and airspace procedures to increase NAS system efficiency and capacity.
FAA’s Data Comm Tower Service Now Available at 62 U.S. Airports
Key Takeaways:
- The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), initiated by federal law in 2003, aims to modernize the National Airspace System (NAS) through innovative technologies and procedures to increase efficiency and capacity.
- One key NextGen technology, Data Comm Tower Service, replaces voice communication between air traffic controllers and pilots with digital messaging, significantly reducing miscommunications and saving time.
- Data Comm is operational at 62 U.S. airports, exceeding initial deployment goals ahead of schedule and under budget, with approximately 6,000 equipped aircraft surpassing FAA targets.
- This system has already yielded substantial benefits, including over 2 million minutes of radio communication time saved, prevention of 111,000 potential readback errors, and estimated lifecycle savings exceeding $10 billion for operators and $1 billion for the FAA.
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