Soccer Dad

Next and previous generation airline safety

Air traffic control is heading towards integrating GPS

Satellite navigation and positioning took a step closer to ruling the skies on June 28, when a spokesperson for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Congress of the agency’s plans to solicit bids in March 2007 for the first phase of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS).

FAA administrator Marion Blakey called Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) “the backbone of the Next Generation System” — and GPS in turn supplies the data backbone for ADS-B.

Still the price will be rather steep for this modernization.

Blakey told Congress that the agency’s “commitment to a national program to make ADS-B the backbone of the Next Generation System is reflected in the President’s fiscal 2007 budget for the FAA, which proposes $80 million for the program.”

There could be some cost savings though, in adopting the new technology.

In addition to increasing safety and adding capacity to the skies, the program could drive costs down. The United Parcel Service has also been trialing ADS-B. “They’re saving millions in jet fuel,” asserted Blakey, “shaving precious minutes off their delivery schedules, reducing emissions because the planes don’t have to idle — and they’re getting reliability and predictability.

Then again there are other cheaper ways of enhancing airline safety.

Officials at Nepal's state-run airline have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft, the carrier said Tuesday.

Nepal Airlines, which has two Boeing aircraft, has had to suspend some services in recent weeks due the problem.

The goats were sacrificed in front of the troublesome aircraft Sunday at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu in accordance with Hindu traditions, an official said.

"The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights," said Raju K.C., a senior airline official, without explaining what the problem had been.

Secular Blasphemy, though, notes that even this approach has its costs.

Some people tend to say that such superstitions at least don't do any harm. Well, have you asked the goat about that?

gps, airline safety.