So That Aviation Can Prosper, Congress Must Fund NextGen
Whether you are a frequent flier with unlimited upgrades or an occasional air traveler, you depend on the airlines, guided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its Air Traffic Organization (ATO) to get you to your destination safely and reasonably on schedule.
Behind the scenes, a vast empire of technology, people, computers, radars, radios, and endless regulations work to support your air carrier and ensure your safe and prompt arrival. Today, the FAA guides over 2.7 million passengers on 44,000 flights each day and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projects that number will double in 20 years. Improvements must be made now or the infrastructure behind the ATO is in danger of failing to meet these future demands.
The FAA embarked on a plan to upgrade ATO services and equipment beginning way back in 1983. Today, that program is called the Next Generation Air Transportation System
(NextGen). Unfortunately it has been plagued by schedule delays and claims of mismanagement almost since the beginning.
Over the past few years, Congress has exercised greater oversight of NextGen, requiring regular progress reports and IG investigations that have encouraged a more results-oriented effort on the part of the FAA. After creating a separate program office and establishing an Advisory Committee, NextGen appears to be in much better shape, but problems remain.
NextGen is a very complicated upgrade consisting of several highly innovative and complex building blocks. All of these must be integrated seamlessly and error-free while keeping current systems operational. This presents unique challenges but also promising opportunities if executed properly.
Several upgrades to IT systems that will automate aircraft operations are being implemented. From flight planning (Traffic Flow Management System), taxi and takeoff (Terminal Flight Data Manager), to en route (En Route Automation Modernization) and landing, these are sophisticated systems for sequencing flights, managing takeoffs and landings, terminal arrivals and departures. While these upgrades promise to allow tighter spacing between planes, allowing more takeoffs and landings at our busiest airports or after weather delays, they must be developed in parallel to ensure there is no disruption to current operations.
The introduction of the Automatic Dependent /Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system meanwhile, will reduce the dependence on costly ground-based radar systems relying instead on satellite navigation systems to report position, speed, altitude and other data to controllers. This requires a significant investment in updated equipment on the part of the airlines as well. The use of ADS-B will be required beginning in January of 2020, necessitating significant coordination between the airlines and the FAA.
Also exciting is the NextGen Weather Processor (NWP), which replace stand-alone legacy weather systems, with a single, integrated network providing terminal and en route weather, wind shear alerts, weather radar information, and airport weather conditions. Given that in 2018 around 66% of all air traffic delays were attributed to weather, this upgrade is critical to safe and efficient flight operations.
These are just a few examples of the high-stakes and complicated business of implementing NextGen. But we must not fail, given the impact of air travel as major driver of the US economy. The FAA has admirably upped its game in the management of NextGen, but improved management alone will not guarantee success. Much of the burden lies on the shoulders of Congress and its control of the “purse strings.” In this task, they have failed.
Since its inception the FAA has spent almost $10 Billion on NextGen, while the airlines have expended around $15 Billion to install NextGen compatible systems. The final costs are estimated to be over $20 Billion for the FAA and at least that much for the airlines. But while the airlines have done their part to make necessary investments, the FAA is now falling behind.
Since 2000, Congress has not delivered a complete set of appropriations bills (currently 12 are required). That means the government must be funded by a Continuing Resolution (CR) to stay open. Under a CR, no new programs can be initiated, and existing ones must be funded at previous year levels, along with a host of additional restrictions. This directly impacts the ability of agencies to innovate.
No wonder a program as complicated as NextGen has had problems. Even when money is eventually appropriated, Congress has cut NextGen funding. In 2019, the FAA budget was slashed $549 Million, some of which affected NextGen. For 2020, the FAA is asking for $1.374 billion for the NextGen program.
Congress has already missed the mark for on-time appropriations in 2020, operating the government on a second CR until December 21, 2019. If and when they get around to passing a funding bill, it is vitally important that they sustain the NextGen funding proposed by the President.
Only with regular and complete funding can a program responsible for protecting the lives of one billion passengers, employing 10 Million U.S. workers and delivering $1.7 Trillion annually to the U.S. economy keep pace with the sure and certain rapid growth in the U.S. aviation enterprise. It’s time for Congress to wake up and check-in by fully funding NextGen now, so that aviation can prosper in the future.
