Next Gen and Today's Air Traffic Control

Next Gen and Today's Air Traffic Control

Introduction

The aim of this essay is to discuss the Next Gen and today's Air traffic control in terms of safety. Next Generation Air Transportation System is a new global positioning system created by the FAA to make air traffic control easier and safer. The main function of this system focus on increasing the number of flights that air traffic controllers can handle without collisions through ensuring the high levels of safety. The authorities of the Federal Aviation Administration are seeking to create a new system to revolutionize safety of air traffic civil aviation. The traffic control (ATC) is a service to help pilots to fly their aircraft safely, orderly and efficient. Air traffic controllers of the Directorate of Air Traffic Transport should ensure vertical and horizontal spacing called blocks of protected airspace. FAA began its modernization program in 1981 to bring the safety improvements in the air aviation, the Next Gen was named in 2003 (Richard, Robert & Jerome, 2006).

Next generation air transportation system is a new global positioning system created by the FAA to make air traffic control safer, for the time being implemented in the U.S., but the idea is soon put in operation worldwide. Innovative Next Gen technology will help the aviation industry to meet future safety demand, so passengers will be able to quickly and safely reach the destination. There are wide implications of the Next gen Air traffic control in terms of safety, customization, and speed. The Next gen Air traffic control will facilitate the air safety for the United States aviation industry as FAA predicts that in 2013 the number of passengers carried by U.S. airlines will increase by 3.5% compared with the previous year to 737.4 million people (Bouwman, 2009).

Discussion and Analysis

There are several types of recent air traffic controller stations that are closely related. In terms of air aviation's safety, the traditional forms of air traffic control are less secure and it involves the complex operations. Two tasks are performed in the control tower. The ground controller issues instructions by radio to aircraft and vehicles operating on the runways or near the airport controller and monitors all devices involved in take off or fly in the control area of the airport. When devices are too close to each other, the controller assigns them, to one or both, a new heading or new altitude to avoid any collision. Using radar and issuing instructions by radio, the terminal controller guide all devices that is within 65 km of major airports. The controller can also provide terminal radar services and information messages to flying aircraft near airports, but outside the control area. This new voice communications network is managed by computer that allow to increase the capacity of the current air traffic control system (Dillingham, 2008).

Soon radars go to rest and the aircraft will be coordinated by the satellite systems. The European Space Agency wants to implement a system of 2014 ...