Updated: 11:53 am ET February 27, 2009
How will the NAS operate in 2018? This section shows the FAA’s vision for what an operator will experience through all phases of flight by the end of the mid-term. As we transition to this system state over the next decade, operators will begin to reap the benefits of NextGen, including improved safety, increased operations and efficiency, and better environmental performance.
The mid-term system is enabled by systems both on the ground and on the flight deck. It makes the most of technologies and procedures that are already in use today, while introducing new systems and procedures that fundamentally change air traffic surveillance, communication and the exchange of information. This mid-term system, in turn, provides a foundation for a longer-term evolution of the system.
The targeted aircraft avionics to support these operations are further discussed in this section. While operators who adopt related new avionics will receive the greatest benefit in this timeframe, lesser equipped operators will still be accommodated.
11:53 am ET February 27, 2009