What Is NextGen?

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| Updated: 11:14 am ET October 28, 2009

NextGen is an umbrella term for the ongoing, wide-ranging transformation of the United States’ national airspace system (NAS). At its most basic level, NextGen represents an evolution from a ground-based system of air traffic control to a satellite-based system of air traffic management. This evolution is vital to meeting future demand, and avoid to gridlock in the sky and at our nation’s airports.

NextGen will open America’s skies to continued growth and increased safety while reducing aviation’s environmental impact.

These goals will be realized through the development of aviation-specific applications for existing, widely-used technologies such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). They will also be realized through the fostering of technological innovation in areas such as weather forecasting, data networking, and digital communications. Hand in hand with state-of-the-art technology will be new airport infrastructure and new procedures, including the shifting of certain decision-making responsibility from the ground to the cockpit.

When fully implemented, NextGen will safely allow more aircraft to fly more closely together on more direct routes, reducing delays, and providing unprecedented benefits for the environment and the economy through reductions in carbon emissions, fuel consumption, and noise.

Resources

This NextGen 101 video link showcases several transitional technologies and their potential benefits. You'll hear from advocates in government and industry on why we must make the NextGen vision a reality.
- What is NextGen? The answer was provided in the first of a series of NextGen “lunch and learn” events for employees on May 12, 2008 at FAA headquarters. Looking at NextGen from different points of view, the panel included:

Event Video(WMV)