Next Generation Implementation Plan

Introduction

FAA's NextGen Implementation Plan is a plan by the Federal Aviation Administration on improving aviation safety and increasing aviation access and efficiency through National Airspace System (NAS). The system heavily relies on both new technology and procedures, and new approach to doing business using NAS.  The plan outlines a vision for transforming the national airspace system as well as specifying the agency responsible for the task. The main goal is to meet the new century aviation demands. The NextGen is seeking collaboration between its RTCA task force and the NextGen Advisory Committee. NextGen system target different areas of aircraft operators which include: aircrafts avionics; flight planning and routing support systems; and fuels and engines (FAA’s, 5).

NextGen plan goals

Nextgen is a comprehensive plan about America National Airspace system convenience, efficiency, safety security and reliability. The FAA strive to ensure capacity to guide and track air traffic in the most efficient manner. The plan aims to secure fuel economy, and air and noise pollution. The goals are:

• To enhance national security needs that will guarantee safe and reliable air transportation.
• To improve aviation business by combating and reducing travel delays by allowing travel flexibility around the adverse weather.
• To reduce aviation pollution impact on the environment. This is by use of alternative fuels, new equipments and operational procedures that have less impact on the environment. To ensure proactive accidents prevention measures by involving aviation stakeholders. This bank on using advanced safety management tools to predict risk and then hazards identification and resolution.
• To ensure effective communication to enable controllers and operators make better decisions. Consequently, there will be prompt information exchange between the aviation crew and the passengers. To promote airports usages by communities with an aim to create new jobs and expand current businesses. This too will ensure economic growth.

Challenges to the NextGen implementation plan

NextGen face technical, programmatic and organizational challenges. Brining technical concepts unto an interdependent and related system poses the technical challenges. For instance, designing and implementing En Rout Automation Modernization took longer than expected. Organizational constraint entail introduction of multiple new equipment and procedures into NAS operations simultaneously. The plan must be certain of how much air and ground equipment to be certified at once for safety and suitability.  The numerous system subsystems pose program management challenges. There need to be an Enterprise Architecture to integrate the plans and schedules of all NextGen acquisitions into a unified planning tool that incorporates NextGen solution sets aimed to ensure operation efficiency.

NextGen implementation Benefits

NextGen will avail fewer delays to air passengers by providing mechanisms and procedure on how to maneuver adverse weather conditions. Advanced safety management tools to predict risk and the ability to identify and resolve hazards will ensure highest level of safety to air travelers. Effective communication between the carbine crew and clients will enable more predictable trips to those who travel by air. Weather conditions communicated early enough to carbine crew will enable them to reschedule departure time that will be communicated early enough to the air travelers.

Alternative fuels, new equipments and operational procedures will avail airport neighboring communities better health with less aircraft noise and emissions. Furthermore, the plan will provide jobs to airport neighboring communities thus improving their economic status and standards of living. 

NextGen and airports

The target area for implementation include US national wide, in oceanic areas or in metroplex terminal areas with large and medium sized airport and satellite airports. NextGen uses Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVSs) to provide airport access at time of low visibility. EFVSs enable lower approach minima regardless of navigation aid or airport infrastructure.

NextGen budget/equipment

NextGen system uses Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) as a ground-based system in connection to space-based system to ensure communication between the aircraft and the operator.  Avionic from the ADS-B   broadcast aircraft position and other data that are captured by aircrafts within close proximity for their own good. The system enablers used depend on the performance and the functional requirement to ensure market flexibility. The enablers are then linked to operational improvements that ensure benefits from the aircraft installed capabilities. NextGen uses Performance Based Navigation as a space-based system to construct flight path.

The plan is funded mainly by the US Department of Transportation Agency in collaboration with other government agencies, airport authority and the aviation private-sector.

NextGen safety plans.  

NextGen safety plan is based on its technology that focuses on its key risky areas. The technology seeks to ensure compatibility between the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and future operation to reduce accidents and incidents rates. The plan ensure safe information management and data sharing by deploying Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing system (ASIAS) and Safety Management System (SMS)  transformation. The transformation ensure access both public and non-public data sources through out NAS to monitor accidents, incidents, regulations, aircrafts, aircraft operators and voluntary reporting. Consequently, safety mangers identify and mitigate risks by using the System Safety Assessment Analytical Model and forecasts.

FIS-B provides ground derived weather data to aircrafts lacking airborne weather radar, and real -time National Airspace System (NAS) status information.

Conclusion

FAA's NextGen Implementation Plan is a plan by the Federal Aviation Administration on improving aviation safety and increasing aviation access and efficiency through National Airspace System (NAS). NextGen system target different areas of aircraft operators which include: aircrafts avionics; flight planning and routing support systems; and fuels and engines.

The system heavily relies on both new technology and procedures, and new approach to doing business using NAS.