Posted by Courtney E. Howard
SAN DIEGO, Avionics USA, 3 June 2010. Steve Vail, senior advisor, FedEx Global Air Traffic Operations, launched Avionics USA this morning with his talk on next-generation technology: “NextGen: An Industry Perspective.”
“Not all next-gen equipage is located in the cockpit or nose of the aircraft,” said Vail, out of a desire to clear up a common misconception. Next-generation technology extends across a veritable alphabet soup of segments, he says, such as: ATCTs, ARTCCs, ATCSCC, ramp tower, dispatch, pilot, and airport. Network-centric (netcentric) operations across all these units are needed. “If we do that, we will achieve success,” Vail said.
FedEx and other organizations and carriers are advocating and working toward the integration of demarcation zones of information, both above and below the runway. “We cannot just do the thing we have always done,” Vail said. “We need to migrate to an integrated, fully netcentric operation.”
Vail cited an example of current challenges. On May 4, 2009 at JFK airport in New York, 75 airplanes taxied out on the runway at the same time. Each sat roughly 90 minutes on the runway. Many engines were powered down; yet, the cost of that log-jam is estimated at $72,000 just in fuel. Add to that unhappy travelers, missed connections, limited departure capability, and additional costs. It shouldn’t happen and it is the result of units functioning independently and each pushing airplanes separately, Vail explains.
“It would be nice to have a coordinated system,” Vail continues, “We have to look at process and procedures, and start over.” The goal is an integrated airport that pulls everything together--an integrated operation, he says.
FedEx and other aviation industry members are actively involved in bringing a netcentric operation to fruition. More than 325 people are contributing to the RTCA Task Force, which makes next-gen recommendations to the FAA, in fact.
The Task force timeline is 2018 and its recommendations include: data communications, surface traffic management, runway access, achieving separation standards, and integrated air traffic management.
“Plan internally, participate externally,” Vail recommends. “It’s about commitment, and e are committed, but not to the status quo.” The integration process involves everyone in this room—equipment manufacturers, systems architects and systems integrators, and “process people,” he says. “They are really going to make this happen.”
