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Improving the NAS

See what change looks like, where you can identify safety gaps in the National Airspace System, and how to make change.

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Key Takeaways:

  • Safety gaps in the National Airspace System often stem from differing knowledge and perspectives between pilots and air traffic controllers, despite their shared goal of safe operations.
  • A critical example involved air traffic controllers unknowingly issuing unsafe clearances for Holding in-Lieu of Procedure Turn (HILPT) descents, due to the absence of maximum safe holding altitudes on approach charts, creating a terrain collision risk.
  • This safety deficiency was addressed through the Aeronautical Charting Meeting (ACM), leading to improved charting of maximum HILPT altitudes for enhanced awareness among aviation professionals.
  • Aviation professionals are encouraged to actively contribute to NAS improvements by engaging with the ACM or petitioning the FAA for regulatory changes to continuously enhance safety.
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Recognizing where operations and procedures fail to provide adequate safety is the first step in making positive changes in the National Airspace System. Pilots and controllers stand on the front lines, so it’s up to us to be vigilant about safety lapses and take steps to improve our system.

Our Role in Change

Let’s look at a unique example from the past that aviation professionals identified. But before we get into the process of change, it’s important to consider our limitations—more specifically, the limitations of our knowledge. In the vast and complex world of aviation, pilots and air traffic controllers alike go through rigorous training to give us the knowledge and understanding needed to function safely within the system.

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