New drone information / air traffic control plan fails :
11-09-2014, 10:42 AM
#1
Thread Starter
New drone information / air traffic control plan fails :
This information is copied from my monthly magazine, "RUPA NEWS" in reality, "Retired United Pilots Association". November, 2014.
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"Air Traffic Control Plan Fails to include Drones."
WASHINGTON - Designers of the ambitious U.S. air traffic control system of the future neglected to take drones into account, raising questions about whether it can handle the escalating demand for the unmanned aircraft and predicted congestion in the sky. "We didn't understand the magnitude to which (drones) would be an oncoming tidal wave, something that must be dealt with and quickly, ' said Ed Bolton, the Federal Aviation Administration's assistant administrator for "NextGen" as the program is called.
Congress passed legislation creating NextGen in 2003, and directed the agency to accommodate all types of aircraft, including drones. The program, which is not expected to be completed for at least another decade, is replacing radar and radio communications, technologies rooted in the early 20th century, with satellite-based navigation and communications.
The FAA has spent more than $5 billion on the complex program and is nearly finished installing hardware and software for several systems. But the further it progresses, the more difficult it becomes to make changes.
Government and Industry officials have long maintained that drones must meet the same rules that apply to manned aircraft if they are to share the sky. That is changing however said Chris Stephenson, who represents the National Air Traffic Controllers Association on several U.S. and international unmanned aircraft committees. "It's becoming painfully apparent that in order to get (drones) in there, there is going to have to be a fair amount of accommodation, at least in the beginning," he said.
Michael Whitaker, the FARs deputy administrator, acknowledged that drones "weren't really part of the equation when you go back to the origin of NextGen."
The NextGen plans for the next five years do not address how drones will fit into a system designed for planes with pilots on board, but the agency will have to consider whether to do that, Whitaker told a recent meeting of the NextGen Institute, a nonprofit association sponsored by the FAA so that industry can assist with research.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Air Traffic Control Plan Fails to include Drones."
WASHINGTON - Designers of the ambitious U.S. air traffic control system of the future neglected to take drones into account, raising questions about whether it can handle the escalating demand for the unmanned aircraft and predicted congestion in the sky. "We didn't understand the magnitude to which (drones) would be an oncoming tidal wave, something that must be dealt with and quickly, ' said Ed Bolton, the Federal Aviation Administration's assistant administrator for "NextGen" as the program is called.
Congress passed legislation creating NextGen in 2003, and directed the agency to accommodate all types of aircraft, including drones. The program, which is not expected to be completed for at least another decade, is replacing radar and radio communications, technologies rooted in the early 20th century, with satellite-based navigation and communications.
The FAA has spent more than $5 billion on the complex program and is nearly finished installing hardware and software for several systems. But the further it progresses, the more difficult it becomes to make changes.
Government and Industry officials have long maintained that drones must meet the same rules that apply to manned aircraft if they are to share the sky. That is changing however said Chris Stephenson, who represents the National Air Traffic Controllers Association on several U.S. and international unmanned aircraft committees. "It's becoming painfully apparent that in order to get (drones) in there, there is going to have to be a fair amount of accommodation, at least in the beginning," he said.
Michael Whitaker, the FARs deputy administrator, acknowledged that drones "weren't really part of the equation when you go back to the origin of NextGen."
The NextGen plans for the next five years do not address how drones will fit into a system designed for planes with pilots on board, but the agency will have to consider whether to do that, Whitaker told a recent meeting of the NextGen Institute, a nonprofit association sponsored by the FAA so that industry can assist with research.
11-10-2014, 11:54 AM
#2
I've been hearing about how the FAA is going to 'upgrade' their systems for YEARS - lot of talk - lot of money - but have they? Whereas I haven't flown full-scale for a long time, I'm out of the loop....but back in the '80's they were talking about 'improving' the system....have they?
11-14-2014, 09:27 PM
#3
Thread Starter
I've been hearing about how the FAA is going to 'upgrade' their systems for YEARS - lot of talk - lot of money - but have they? Whereas I haven't flown full-scale for a long time, I'm out of the loop....but back in the '80's they were talking about 'improving' the system....have they?
Ya'll be careful out there.
11-15-2014, 06:45 AM
#4
I am going to admit being saddened , but not exactly surprised , by this negative outcome . I am left to wonder that if these results weren't supposed to be announced till the 26th , how is it that you were told SO much in advance of the "results" of the voting ? I will , of course , now be left to wonder if maybe having had an outside independent auditing firm conduct the balloting if the results would have been different ? Well , one thing I think , is that I predict a lot of Drone dollar chasing in the AMA's near future
