Reconfigured Airspace Could Ease Northeast Delays

The Federal Aviation Administration claims a new plan to reconfigure airspace in the congested Northeast for the first time since the 1960s will cut airport delays in New York, Newark, N.J., and Philadelphia by 12 million minutes.

The plan would combine high-altitude and low-altitude routes to more efficiently create arrival and departure patterns, the agency said. FAA designated the proposal its "preferred plan" after public hearings in five states. Three other plans also are under consideration.

"This new concept in airspace design will help us handle the rapidly growing number of flights in the Northeast in a much more efficient way," said FAA administrator Marion Blakey. "This airspace has been unchanged since the 1960s, and we need to look at creative new ways to avoid delays."

The plan has drawn some criticism in some Connecticut and Pennsylvania communities that the new flight paths will create noise problems. FAA will publish a final decision this summer after holding more public hearings on noise mitigation in May.

Meanwhile, FAA said it would expedite approval of new technology that allows pilots to see their own position while taxiing, a move the agency said would reduce cases in which planes use the wrong runway.

The laptop-sized display would use global positioning satellite information to navigate on the ground at airports, Blakey said on March 23. She said the technology, similar to that used in cars, could be retrofitted for the entire aircraft fleet for the cost of about $20,000 per unit. FAA had intended to mandate larger GPS units for use both inflight and on the surface

"This device is a game-changer," Blakey said. "We're confident that it's ready for prime time."

Aviation officials have been looking for ways to reduce runway incursions after a series of near collisions in recent years. Earlier this year, a United Airlines plane came within 200 feet of hitting a snowplow while landing in Denver, following a similar incident at the same airport involving a Frontier Airlines plane and a smaller aircraft.

Blake said approval for the devices should be cleared by late April. She said the ground-only device is an acceptable alternative to the inflight option, which she admitted "was too expensive for manufacturers."

"I would guess that given the reduced cost of certification, it would be well within reach of airlines to retrofit their current fleet," she said. Newer aircraft already come with the technology installed for inflight use.