Avoiding Gridlock in the Skies: Issues and Options for Addressing Growth in Air Traffic (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Jan. 19, 2006 |
| Report Number |
RL32707 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Bartholomew Elias, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
A major challenge facing aviation policymakers is developing a strategy for increasing the
capacity
of the national airspace system to keep pace with projected growth in demand for air travel. While
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta's vision for the next generation air traffic system
aspires
to triple system capacity by 2025, FAA projections suggest that capacity enhancements will struggle
to keep pace with growth in demand at major airports, in busy airspace around major metropolitan
areas, and along certain busy high altitude corridors. Factors, including the continuing population
shift into major metropolitan areas, the increased reliance on smaller jets in both airline and general
aviation operations, and increased point-to-point service, are expected to spur growth in those
aviation operations that impact high altitude airspace and contribute to increased congestion at
capacity constrained airports.
The current aviation system is constrained by limited available capacity at critical major
metropolitan airports and is increasingly unable to meet projected future demand. The system also
is constrained by outdated technology and procedures that limit the utilization of available airspace.
In addition to meeting these challenges, the FAA also faces internal challenges to meet future
controller staffing needs given that almost half of its existing controller workforce is expected to
retire over the next decade. The FAA also faces significant challenges in reforming its
organizational culture which historically has been blamed for consistent cost overruns, schedule
slips, and performance shortfalls in major air traffic modernization projects.
Two new organizations within the FAA -- the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) and the Joint
Planning and Development Office (JPDO) -- are viewed as key elements of organizational reform
that may be closely scrutinized by Congress and administration policymakers to ensure that they
effectively manage the implementation of near term and long range capacity enhancement efforts.
The key challenges for these organizations is to develop and execute capacity expansion plans that
appropriately invest in airport infrastructure, air traffic system technology, and operational
procedures to keep pace with expected growth in demand for air travel while maintaining or
improving upon current levels of safety and efficiency. Possible strategies for meeting these
objectives include implementing free flight concepts that will allow more autonomy and
direct
routing of aircraft to better optimize airspace utilization; safely reducing aircraft separation standards
to increase capacity in crowded airspace; effectively implementing automation and decision aiding
technologies to improve airspace utilization and traffic flow; and expanding and reconfiguring
existing airport infrastructure. In addition, demand management strategies, such as curtailing peak
hour flights or implementing slots or quotas may be examined as means to align demand with
available capacity at congested airports. The FAA's investment strategy for meeting these
capacity
needs is also likely to be of considerable interest in future years as significant funding challenges
may arise because of possible aviation trust fund shortages and a history of significant cost overruns
on major airspace modernization projects. [This report will not be updated.]
