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Old September 12th, 2007, 12:18 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting,rec.travel.air
JohnT[_3_]
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Posts: 568
Default CNN article on problems in Air Travel, as seen by FAA

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:29:44 +0200, Mxsmanic wrote:

http://us.cnn.com/2007/US/09/11/airl...ing/index.html

"He blamed resistance from environmentalists for the government's
failure to move more quickly toward a satellite-based technology
that's been 10 years in the making.

"'Residents that have homes that would be in that flight path are
saying no,' Castelveter said."


I'm not sure how using GPS would change airport flight paths.

"She called for airlines and the government to make the transition from
1960s radar-based air traffic control systems to satellite-based
technology, 'a solution that will cut delays by 20 percent and reduces
noise for 600,000 people.'"


I don't see how GPS replaces radar coverage, nor do I see how it would
reduce
delays.


I admit to not being overwhelmed with surprise.


I guess those magic satellites are somehow going to make it all better.

From what I understand of the reality, the real bottleneck is the number
of
runways and the number of planes that want to use them. The airports are
where all the planes meet, and so that's where the conflicts and delays
occur
(or at least that's their ultimate origin).

Airlines also seem to be scheduling too many flights. Everyone is buying
737s
and A320s


Try to keep up at the back.

and running tiny flights every hour instead of 747 flights twice a
day, wasting fuel and polluting the environment and overcrowding the air
traffic system. Not only that, but with so many operators flying similar
routes, there are even more small jets going to and fro, wasting more
resources.

I'm surprised that with airlines wailing about how difficult business is
they
nevertheless resort to practices that are so manifestly wasteful and
inefficient.


Time you did some in depth research, the answers to all your uncertainties
are
on the web, in the meantime don't give up you day job.
--


What day job?
--

JohnT