Crowded skies.

• Autores: Mark Fischetti
• Localización: Scientific American, ISSN 0036-8733, Vol. 291, Nº. 6, 2004, págs. 106-107
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • This article reports on a proposed overhaul to the U.S. air traffic control system. More than 44 million airplane flights through 19,500 U.S. airports will take place this year. Yet accidents are few, largely because of the air traffic control system and its alert controllers. The entire system may be overhauled, however, to relieve congested skies. "Free flight" is one of the proposed solutions, whereby pilots could choose a straighter path one day or a longer path another day that is faster because of strong tailwinds. Free flight would require satellite navigation using Global Positioning System (GPS) transponders and displays in planes and throughout the air traffic control system.