FAA
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
Edward L. Bolton, Jr.
ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR
FOR NEXTGEN
FAA NextGen
FAA TV: NextGen Videos
FAA NextGen Performance
Success Stories
App: NextGen Success Stories
NextGen: General Aviation
I am delighted to have this opportunity to highlight NextGen progress and
join the chorus of aviation leaders who have promoted its benefits in this
publication hosted by the FAA's air traffic controllers.
Our controllers are not only the backbone of the day-to-day operation of
our National Airspace System (NAS), but they are playing a pivotal role in
our modernization with NextGen. They run the safest, most efficient, largest
and most complex airspace in the world with an impressive amount of skill
and professionalism. And they have brought that expertise and collaborative
approach to every facet of building and implementing NextGen, shaping the
future of aviation.
The leadership of NATCA's Paul Rinaldi and Trish Gilbert sets the tone for this
collaborative success. One outstanding example is the key role that NATCA
plays on the NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC), which worked with the FAA
to deliver a plan to advance four NextGen priorities that will deliver high-value
benefits in the next three years.
A plan of action was delivered to Congress last fall. To date, 19 of 19 plan
milestones have been completed on schedule. In addition to controller input,
the NextGen Implementation Working Group, also made up of FAA employees,
worked hard to set priorities that move NextGen from infrastructure to
capabilities.
Overall, completed NextGen improvements have delivered more than $1.6
billion in benefits since 2010. During the next 15 years, we estimate additional
benefits from these same improvements will be worth more than $11 billon.
Once all currently planned programs are in place, we expect NextGen to deliver
$134 billion in direct airline, industry and societal benefits through 2030.
Ongoing collaboration will lead to even more NextGen program benefits like
the ones below.
The Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS) increases NAS efficiency,
flexibility, predictability and capacity. One component of TFMS that is offering
tremendous advantages is Time Based Flow Management (TBFM). Using
TBFM's airborne metering capability, controllers use speed adjustments or
high-altitude vectoring to better sequence flights for arrival. TBFM is reducing
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NextGen Now | Summer 2015
