Sharon Pinkerton
Senior Vice President,
Legislative & Regulatory Policy
A4A
AIRLINES FOR AMERICA
28
NextGen Now | Winter 2014
The United States has a great aviation system – the safest in the world.
At the same time, controllers and the traveling public deserve so much
better. NextGen, on the whole, continues to be woefully behind as
evidenced by recent Department of Transportation Inspector General
and General Accountability Office reports.
While other countries like Canada and Australia have been using
satellite-based technology to manage their air traffic, the United
States continues to play catch up. Stops and starts in appropriations
funding, combined with sequestration, have negatively impacted long-
term implementation. They have also caused disproportionate harm
on controllers and the traveling public.
U.S. carriers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to install
NextGen technology on our aircraft, yet the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has been slow to develop the policies and
procedures required to put it to use. This is like buying a high-
definition smart TV when your provider only supports analog – but
on a massively larger scale. We are working with the FAA and remain
optimistic they can certify critical procedures, adopt policies, and
provide training allowing the air traffic control (ATC) system to deliver
the real economic and environmental benefits for passengers, shippers
using the investments airlines have already made.
President Obama continues to make the case for how improvements
to our air traffic system will reduce delays, cut fuel use, and stimulate
Seizing the Chance to Implement NextGen,
Improve Our Aviation System
