AIA | Election 2008 Issues

Keeping America Strong: Advance U.S. Global Leadership in Aerospace and Defense

Air Transportation is Essential to America's Economy and Our Way of Life

fast facts

The U.S. Transportation Department predicts more than 765 million passengers will fly on U.S. commercial airlines in 2007 and forecasts more than a billion passengers will be flying in 2015.

Aviation delays are projected to cost the U.S. economy $30 billion in 2015.

NextGen improvements at airports could create $328 million to $1.3 billion in annual benefits, supporting a more productive workforce and freedom of travel.

Preliminary estimates from the Joint Planning and Development Office indicate that airlines could lose more than $50 billion annually in passenger revenue by 2025 without a modernized air transportation system.

Transforming the Air Transportation System is a National Priority

Air transportation has become unpredictable, with frustrating and expensive delays getting worse every day. The current air traffic control system — based on 1960s technology and operational concepts — is approaching gridlock. Only immediate and bold action can prevent the looming meltdown.

There is a solution if we choose to commit to it. As envisioned, the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) would alleviate congestion in the skies and in our airports, making air travel a pleasant experience once again. NextGen would increase the safety, security, and capacity of air transportation operations while protecting the environment. Precision navigation, secure digital communications, highly tuned surveillance systems, advanced flight deck avionics, and more accurate weather forecasts are just a handful of benefits that NextGen would bring to aviation.

America Needs:

A modern aviation system that enables large volumes of efficient, effective, and secure flight operations of civil and military aircraft, including unmanned aviation systems and commercial space platforms.
Leadership and the necessary federal funding, as well as continued industry involvement, to develop the Next Generation Air Transportation System that will reduce congestion and alleviate the hassles of air travel.

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