Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FAA: Planes to fly closer together in '05

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 00:46:44 -0400

Posted on Wed, Oct. 22, 2003

FAA: Planes to fly closer together in '05
LESLIE MILLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Beginning in January 2005, the government will allow planes to fly
closer together at high altitudes to make more routes available.
In announcing the rule change Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said
it will make U.S. high-altitude airspace consistent with that over Europe,
Australia, Northern Canada and most of the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Caribbean and South American countries will join the United States and Southern
Canada in implementing the new flight-separation rules, the FAA said.

Planes will be able to fly with at least 1,000 feet between them and planes above
or below them when they're between 29,000 and 41,000 feet. Now the distance must
be 2,000 feet.

"This rule offers a combination of greater aviation safety, capacity and cost
efficiency," said FAA Administrator Marion Blakey.

The narrower separations will improve safety by giving controllers more options
when rerouting flights around bad weather, the FAA said.

The change also will increase the likelihood that pilots will get permission from
controllers to fly at the altitude they want because more options will be
available, said William Shumann, FAA spokesman. That's important for airlines
because flying at optimal altitudes saves fuel, their second highest operating
cost. And different planes are more efficient at different altitudes, Shumann
said.

The new separation standards will also give pilots more options to fly the route
they want because more altitudes will make more lanes available, he said.

Airlines will have to install more accurate altimeters and autopilot systems to
fly closer together. The FAA estimates the cost will be $869 million, which will
be more than offset by estimated fuel savings of $5.3 billion through 2016.

"A lot of commercial aircraft already have the equipment," Shumann said.
ON THE NET
Transportation Department: http://www2.faa.gov/

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Rent DVDs from home.
Over 14,500 titles. Free Shipping
& No Late Fees. Try Netflix for FREE!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mk9osC/hP.FAA/3jkFAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/