NextGen: The Next Big Thing

Next Generation Air Transportation System is a proactive attempt to change to the current aviation infrastructure of navigation. The goal of NextGen is to improve many important variables of our aviation world. These variables will include enhancing safety, reducing delays, and saving on the expense of fuel. To rank the pillars of the article in order of importance, I would state the following:

1. Safety - Safety is a common goal to everyone involved in aviation. Since aviation involves many dangerous (and potentially fatal) factors, the FAA has made this a priority across the board. The primary use of radar will allow air traffic controls to better understand the position, altitude, and direction of an aircraft during flight. Because of the enhanced information, this will reduce the risk of accidents throughout the system entirely. The influx of data available to ATC and flight crews will also aid in making better judgement-based decisions.  This means that the correct people will have up to the minute information during all phases of flight.  
2. Economic Impact - With the economy of today, there is even more pressure to sustaining an increase in profitability. According to our article, the civil aviation industry has accounted for over 10 million jobs, earning $1.3 trillion annually, and representing 5.2% of the the gross domestic product. This impact to the national economy is key to the development of the future. NextGen aims to increase these numbers by reducing the burn of fuel and making more direct flights. Since a large part of our economy depends on positive cash flow rather than negative, this will allow the $1.3 trillion to increase as NextGen in implemented into the system.
3. Flexibility - One common thing that people fear is change. This new system will take our current one and make numerous changes. With the amount of flexibility that NextGen provides (with the direct flights as an example), we will have the chance to see a positive change in our national system. The technology that we have used for many years has been developed to its full potential while the demands we place on the system are beginning to surpass its ability. NextGen will offer a new level of flexibility that will allow it to change with our changing demands.
4. Sustainability - The world will always be focused on creating a better planet. With the reduction of fuel burn, there will also be a reduction in the emissions produced by aircraft. Carbon Dixoide levels will decease as well, leaving us with cleaner air. The development of NextGen will lead to better eco-friendly environments.

I do not agree with the proposed plan of increasing the cost to use our air traffic control system. The US must increase the overall income, but I feel that user fees will only hinder the general aviation population. The decline in the economy has also taken a toll on the number of pilots operating within the system and an increase in dues will result in an even further decline. According to Executive Director John Black of the Smyrna Rutherford County Airport, "Our job is to make the airport grow and support the local community. We don't want to see anything that will detract from that." Black notes that the implementation of user fees will not only effect the airport but also the surrounding community. If the fees were to be applied, it should be to air carriers operating for business. This will require businesses that a created to make profit pay for the ability to do so. The many pilots that make up the General Aviation population do not have the goal of making a profit, so I feel that they should not be charged to be able to use the same system that the air carriers operate within.

NextGen will have a profound impact on my career. I do agree with the overall goal and the positive aspects it can provide to our National Airspace System. The enhanced safety aspect alone will help the nation save a large amount of money while also protecting the general public from disaster. Another factor that I feel will impact my career will be the increased ability to better manage the system as a whole. With large numbers and many different types of aircraft operating within the NAS, the better management everyone is the safer I will be inside the cockpit. 

UAVs: Hinderance to Privacy?

        The development of Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) was a major success for the American military. The deployment of these aircraft, controlled by a pilot on the ground hundres of miles away, allowed eyes, ears, and weapons to be transported to a conflict zone without threat to the life of the pilot. With this success in mind, we now see the use of UAVs in the civilian world working closely with law enforcement, border patrol, and emergency services. 

One topic that has seen extensive debate is the privacy that is either granted, or viewed by some, removed from the American people. These aircraft have high definition cameras with infrared sensors and night vision capabilities. With this technology, many believe that this will impact our privacy as citizens.  According to Rep. Ted Poe, a Texas Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime, terrorism, and homeland security, "We need to establish clear guidelines about when and for what purpose law enforcement agencies, private citizens, and businesses can use drones." I feel that these guidelines will not only help the nation’s aviation infrastructure, but will also help calm any nerves from the general public. 

This “reasonable expectation” of privacy that the general public has must be viewed by an unbiased eye and the Supreme Court is attempting to do this.  As noted by Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat, in the same article, "As the number of drones rises, so, too, will the number of suspects," he said. He also asked a very interesting question pertaining to the public’s idea of privacy in a very simple matter. He questioned, "During the civil rights movement, would activists have left their homes if they knew they were being monitored from cameras 30,000 feet above?"

A bill proposed by Poe goes to address this matter. The bill would prohibit the FAA from issuing a drone permit for use by law enforcement unless it is related to a warrant for the investigation of a felony, with some exceptions. It also would prohibit individuals from conducting surveillance on private individuals or private property without the owner's consent. These are the types of changes that I feel the public (who is limited in aviation knowledge) would appreciate more so than hearing about the cameras and weapons flying around them as they live their lives.