NextGen is everywhere, improving the daily operations of the entire National Airspace System.

The FAA has taken major steps to enhance safety and improve efficiency in our nation's airspace. Nationwide, we have measured $1.6 billion in benefits to airlines and the traveling public from NextGen capabilities already in place. We estimate that over the next 15 years, NextGen will produce an additional $11.4 billion in benefits from those improvements.

NextGen is a comprehensive suite of state-of-the-art technologies and procedures that, in short, enable aircraft to move more directly from Point A to Point B. This helps passengers reach their destinations on time, while reducing fuel burn and lessening our impact on the environment.

The success of NextGen depends on the FAA's collaboration with our partners in the aviation industry, including airlines, airports, our unions, and state and local governments. Without them we would not be where we are today.

Tracking and separating aircraft has become better and safer.

The foundational infrastructure for NextGen is complete, with benefits seen across the entire National Airspace System. The infrastructure includes the satellite-based system — called Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) — that will replace radars as the primary means by which air traffic controllers track and manage aircraft. ADS-B is a foundational technology that modernizes the national airspace from a ground radar system to satellite-based GPS technology. This satellite-based technology enables more efficient separation of aircraft and provides coverage where radar doesn't exist, like over the Gulf of Mexico and in mountainous terrain.

FAA and aviation industry leaders have committed to equip aircraft with new NextGen avionics technology by the January 1, 2020, deadline, through the creation of an Equip 2020 working group led by the NextGen Institute. The Equip 2020 effort will ensure a more accurate view of aircraft location, increasing safety and efficiency.

A major nationwide infrastructure upgrade is complete. We are prepared to handle the changes and increase of traffic in the National Airspace System.

Aircraft nationwide are now flying more precise, satellite-based procedures than traditional ground-based procedures, bringing benefits to the flying public today. At the core is En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM), which is helping to advance the transition of air traffic control to air traffic management. ERAM is fully deployed at the 20 en route centers across the country where controllers handle high altitude traffic. ERAM processes flight and radar data, enables communications, and generates data for controllers' screens.

Controllers can track up to 1,900 aircraft at a time — increased from 1,100 under the previous system. Instead of 20 separate systems, we have a single system in the 20 en route centers. In addition to increasing air traffic flow and allowing controllers to handle more traffic in greater geographic areas, ERAM is the platform for new NextGen capabilities.

Performance Based Navigation is delivering more direct routes, decongested skies, and increased efficiencies in major metropolitan areas through Metroplex and Equivalent Lateral Spacing Operations.

We've moved the National Airspace System to a satellite-based system that provides more direct routes, and increased efficiencies at metropolitan areas through our Metroplex program.

New Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures use satellite-based precision to fly more direct routes, saving fuel and time, increasing traffic flow, and resulting in fewer carbon emissions. The benefits of PBN can be very specific. For example, a runway at New York-JFK was closed last year for more than five months due to construction. This meant traffic had to be redirected to another runway, making operations more difficult in bad weather. The number of aircraft that were able to fly into New York-JFK during these times dropped from 54 to 28 per hour. JetBlue, which equipped its fleet to fly satellite-based procedures, was able to use PBN procedures instead of the typical Required Navigation Performance approach, which is less direct. As a result, the airline was able to increase its arrivals into the airport and minimize delays during the construction period.

Our Metroplex initiatives are improving traffic flow and reducing congestion in major metropolitan areas across the country. At each metroplex, which includes one or more commercial airports serving at least one major city, aircraft are now able to navigate complex airspace efficiently. This new way of operating improves on-time performance at airports in the region, which in turn benefits flights to other parts of the country. Metroplex provides a successful way to de-conflict airspace in congested areas with multiple airports, which expands efficiency gains that ripple to other areas. The FAA has completed or is at some point in the study, design, evaluation, or implementation phase for 12 metroplexes.

Equivalent Lateral Spacing Operations (ELSO) are allowing more aircraft to take off on different flight paths from the same runway during the same time period. ELSO in Atlanta is saving $26 million per year in airline fuel costs by enabling an additional eight to 12 departures per hour.

Improvements in safety and efficiency.

New separation standards to avoid the hazards of wake turbulence are improving the efficiency of aircraft arrivals and departures, reducing taxi times, and saving fuel. Wake Recategorization (Wake Recat) enables FAA to safely reduce the distance between various aircraft based on wingspan, weight, and stability instead of just mainly on weight. FedEx reported that it experienced a 17 percent capacity gain in Memphis, a three-minute reduction in taxi-out time, and a 2.5-minute reduction in approach time. The airline saved 10.7 million gallons of jet fuel and reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100,000 metric tons. The money saved was enough to fly their operations for free for nine days.