FAA Flight PlanCharting the Path for the Next Generation

2008-2012

Safetywherever you go.The Federal Aviation Administration

1© Peter Hendrie / Getty Images

The FAA provides the safest,

most efficient aerospace system

in the world.We set our sights on safe

and efficient transportation, spreading

the net of safety to the four corners

of the globe.This is our strategy

to make it happen.

We make America fly

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Photo by Laurie Zaleski / FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Increased Safety . . . . . . . . . 17

Greater Capacity . . . . . . . . . 27

International Leadership . . . 39

Organizational Excellence . . 47

Acronyms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

4© Blend Images / Alamy

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T hese are basic truths: aviation issafer than ever, capacity must expandto meet demand, and we must be

good environmental stewards. The FAA’splan to redesign America’s aviation systemsupports each of these in a way that willkeep things running smoothly to 2025 andbeyond. We must continue the productiverelationships we have forged with our inter-national partners. And we must continue toprovide all Americans the best possiblevalue for their investment. The tax dollarswe spend must benefit everyone.

Our skies are safe. They are so safe that wenow monitor incidents and accidents thatdidn’t happen. Working in partnership withthe aviation industry, we have achieved anincredibly low rate of commercial fatal acci-dents. In the last 10 years, the commercialfatal accident rate has dropped 57 percent.No other mode of transportation has asafety record that meets our high standard,domestically or abroad. We have alsoachieved significant reductions in generalaviation accidents across the country.

Even so, the bottom line is that the statusquo — regardless of the fact that we’re inan era of unprecedented safety — will notmeet the needs of the future. As passengerscontinue to fly in ever-increasing numbers,

and as more planes continue to fill theskies, we have to be ready and able tohandle that growth safely and efficiently.Our aviation system must continue tochange to meet the growing needs of ourcountry, engaging the brightest minds inthe industry, encouraging our employeesto reach for excellence in all they do, andtaking advantage of new technologies. Ourbiggest challenge today and in the futureis meeting capacity needs.

The technology and procedures inNextGen — shorthand for the NextGeneration Air Transportation System — can handle all of this and more. As thecurrent system has grown to handle over 2 million enplanements a day, it’s clearthat our capacity is now stretched thin.With new developments, such as VeryLight Jets and Unmanned Aircraft Systems,and the increasing growth of low-cost carriers, the challenge to increase capacitywill only intensify in the years ahead.

We need to act now to meet this challenge.Simply put, we need to overhaul our aviation system. NextGen does that, andthe plan is well under way. NextGen transforms our 40-year-old technology into state-of-the-art operations.

INTRODUCTIONAviation’s Second Century Begins with an

Eye Toward the Future.

The transformation is already happeningon multiple fronts. This Flight Plan is ourguide to NextGen over the next five years.For example, we’ve implemented new performance-based navigation proceduresto increase departures at Dallas/Fort Worthby up to 20 additional operations per hour.Automatic Dependent Surveillance —Broadcast (ADS-B) transforms radar andvoice-based air traffic control into digitaland satellite-based surveillance enabling airtraffic separation services and aircraft-to-aircraft situational awareness. The number ofaccidents in Alaska by aircraft using ADS-Bhas decreased sharply. We are expandingthe program for use in the Gulf of Mexicobased on this success. We are also testing

a prototype Continuous Descent Arrival(CDA) at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, whichprojects immediate savings in fuel whilealso decreasing noise.

In short, with NextGen we’re boostingcapacity, increasing safety, and diminishingour impact on the environment whiledoing so. Aviation accounts for less thanthree percent of greenhouse gases. In con-junction with plans for alternative, cleanerburning fuels, new procedures and tech-nology are lowering the harmful emissionsthat are already the lowest of any mode of transportation.

We recognize that we are not alone in ourefforts. In the spirit of partnership andcooperation, we work both at home withour own aviation industry and customers,and internationally with other countriesand international organizations to ensureseamless aviation systems around the world.Canada, China, Europe, India, Japan, Mexicoand others are moving forward with theirown modernization programs, includingsatellite-based navigation technology, andwe will be in step with them.

In all that we do, we are using America’sresources responsibly. We’re responding tothe call by the taxpayer and Congress to

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KEVIN CHAMNESS Oceanic Service Improvements, Air Traffic Organization,Washington Headquarters ( Kevin, you commented that we needed to clarifyADS-B as a surveillance application within a satellite-based system to avoidconfusion among our readers and industry. As the cornerstone of NextGen, weagree we need to be as clear as possible. Because of your comment, we’vechanged the narrative in the Flight Plan on ADS-B.

Photo by Jon Ross / FAA

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operate with cost efficiencies in mind. We continue to consolidate facilities andadministrative staffs where appropriate.Our cost control measures continue to reapsavings, and all of our major capital proj-ects are on time and on budget. The FAAalso continues to outperform many otherFederal agencies in awarding procurementsto small businesses. In FY 2007, the FAAawarded approximately $1 billion — 30percent of its direct procurement dollars —to small businesses.

We continue to push for a cost-basedfinancing system for the FAA with dedicatedfunding for NextGen capital projects. Ourfinancing system should be balanced, fair,and provide predictability, reliability, andstakeholder involvement. In February, wesent legislation to Congress that accom-plishes these goals and fully funds NextGen.With this proposal, the factors that driveour costs — such as how many flights

users make and how far they fly — wouldalso drive our revenues. With a cost-basedstructure, users would also understand theimpact of their actions and see a directrelationship between investments we makeand the costs they pay. Our legislation proposed to link revenues and spendingthrough cost-based fuel taxes and user feesto both encourage the most efficient use ofthe airspace and to invest more robustly inthe transformation to NextGen.

We know that NextGen is a system thatwill take many years to fully implement,but we will have key accomplishments inthe next five years as well. The followingchart shows some of our key near-termdeliverables within the NextGen framework,as well as brief explanations of the keyprograms and established targets.

© Roger Bamber / Alamy

CDA Continuous Descent Arrivals

CDA procedures provide for lower noise and emissions and increased fuel efficiency.

2008l CDA used during very low traffic situations at Louisville and

Los Angeles.

* Note: These activities are currently planned for the end of Fiscal Year 2010.

NEXTGEN TRANSFORMATIONAL PROGRAMS 2008-2012

DESCRIPTION ACTIVITIES

ADS-B Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast

ADS-B is the future of air traffic manage-ment. ADS-B uses GPS technology toprovide controllers and pilots with moreaccurate aircraft position information.

Provide Flight Information Services andTraffic Information Services to the cockpitalong with ADS-B data.

Surface Management SafetyEnhancementsSurveillance provides position informa-tion on the airport surface that is dis-played to service providers and to pilotsin appropriately equipped aircraft.

2008l Develop advanced applications including Conflict Detection

in the Cockpit and Air to Air Applications through Human inthe Loop Simulations and completion of Initial SafetyHazard Analysis and documentation.

DATA COMM NextGen DataCommunications Using internet-like communications,pilots and controllers can exchange routine messages and clearances viadata link.

2008l Determine FAA’s initial investment strategy for the data com-

munications program and the concomitant rulemaking strat-egy for airborne equipment.

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2008l Achieve Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for Broadcast

Services [Traffic Information Services — Broadcast / FlightInformation Services — Broadcast (TIS-B / FIS-B)]

2009l Obtain Approval of Terminal (CARTS) and En Route

(Host / ERAM) Separation Standards

2010l Issue Final Rulel Obtain Approval of Terminal (STARS) and En Route

(MEARTS) Separation Standardsl Achieve Initial Operating Capability (IOC) at key sites

(Louisville, Gulf of Mexico, Philadelphia, and Juneau)* l Exercise Option for Segment 2 (remainder of NAS)*

DESCRIPTION ACTIVITIES

NextGen Demonstrations andInfrastructure DevelopmentDemonstrations help define operationalconcepts and the supporting technolo-gies. Infrastructure improvements allowcontrollers to maintain capacity servicesdespite increased complexity of traffic.

2008l Conduct Oceanic Trajectory Based Operations demonstration

2009l Conduct High-Density Airport Time-based RNAV/RNP Flight

Demonstration

2008-2011l Carry Out Infrastructure Engineering for Trajectory Based

Operations

Addressing Environmental IssuesProvide necessary scientific knowledge,accelerate improvements in aircraftengine and airframe technologies,explore use of alternative fuels, andenhance use of air traffic managementprocedures to reduce significant aviationnoise and emissions impacts.

2011l Develop and demonstrate the feasibility of use of alternative

fuels in aircraft systems, including successful demonstrationand quantification of benefits.

l Establish, develop, and implement metrics to better assessclimate impacts from commercial aircraft operations.

2012l Develop science-based understanding of impacts of aircraft

noise and aviation emissions on human health and welfare. l Develop reliable, inexpensive methods to measure PM and HAPs

emissions that will be used to populate analysis databases.

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SWIM System Wide InformationManagement

SWIM provides high quality, timely, network approach to simultaneous data exchange between many users and data sources.

2009l Identify initial set of SWIM standards and make available to

both internal users and external users such as DoD, DHSand airline operations centers to govern their access to FAA’straffic flow and flight management

2012l Achieve initial standardized SWIM segment 1 capability in

traffic flow and flight management between the traffic flowmanagement system (TFMS) and en-route automation modernization (ERAM).

© Corbis

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Meeting the Needs of the FutureThe Flight Plan is all about keeping oureye on the future. It has proven to be atool of enormous strategic and tactical significance. In the past, the FAA’s to-dolist had literally thousands of items on it.The Flight Plan focuses that list to the top30 agency targets that position us to meetthe future successfully.

Here is our report card on what we’vealready accomplished. We continue tomake strides to implement our currentFlight Plan, including NextGen and themajor technologies that will form its under-lying structure. Our progress includes:

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast(ADS-B)ADS-B is a satellite-based technology thatbroadcasts aircraft identification, position andspeed with once-per-second updates. It isthe backbone of NextGen. The Capstoneprogram in Alaska, using a combination ofADS-B, multi-function display (moving maps,terrain proximity, weather and flight infor-mation, other aircraft), flight monitoring andexpanded IFR operating areas, along withother safety programs, contributed to a 40percent drop in aviation accidents amongparticipants. UPS partnered with the FAA inan ADS-B pilot program and expects a 30percent reduction in noise and a 34 percentdecline in emissions for ADS-B-equippedaircraft below 10,000 feet. A partnershipwith the helicopter industry will bring ADS-Bto the Gulf of Mexico in December 2009.

Required Navigation Performance (RNP)Substantial progress with RNP has beenmade to date, and a total of at least 250 RNPSpecial Aircraft and Aircrew Authorization

Required (SAAAR) approach proceduresare expected by 2012. This program willresult in increased navigational precisionby aircraft and can reduce spacing — andthus increase airspace capacity — withoutcompromising safety.

Continuous Descent Arrival (CDA)CDA is a procedure that optimizes the aircraft approach from the beginning of its descent to touchdown. With CDA, noise and emission levels are substantiallyreduced. A CDA procedure was designedand successfully instituted at Los AngelesInternational Airport. It will go into opera-tion after the completion of a runway

upgrade in 2007. Also, a CDA procedurewas demonstrated for Atlanta HartsfieldAirport in April 2007.

Breaking Ground at LaGuardia In February 2007, we broke ground on anew control tower at New York’s LaGuardiaAirport. It is one of 22 new tower facilitiesplanned for the national airspace system thatwill increase safety and improve efficiency.

© Cessna Aircraft Company

The 233-foot-high tower is sched-uled to be commissioned by June2010.

Modernizing Air Traffic ServicesWe completed the deployment ofUser Request Evaluation Tool(URET), which automaticallydetects and advises air traffic con-trollers of predicted traffic con-flicts and changing weather situa-tions in the immediate area andadjoining airspace. The tool alsohelps controllers create alternativeroutes and reduce the number of changesrequired. In addition to increasing safety,the tool is proving to have significant costsavings as well. With URET, controllers canmore frequently assign pilots direct routings,allowing aircraft to fly at more fuel-efficientaltitudes and wind-optimal routes.

Improving Runway SafetyRelative position on runways and taxiwaysis critical information for aircrews. Thatknowledge is especially important at night,in poor weather, or when the crew is unfamiliar with the airport layout. Pilotswill continue to look out their windshieldsand follow Air Traffic Control guidance,but with a lot more help. In March 2007,the FAA approved an invaluable electronic

tool in the cockpit called the ElectronicFlight Bag — a moving map with “ownship position” display.

Creating Capacity with Reliever AirportsThe FAA continues to place great emphasisin providing additional capacity at the 35Operational Evolution Partnership (OEP)airports. In addition to the OEP airports,there is an initiative under the CapacityGoal area to direct Airport ImprovementProgram (AIP) funding to reduce capacityconstraints at secondary commercial serviceand general aviation/reliever airports locatedwithin the congested metropolitan areas.AIP funding is directed to projects such asnew runways, taxiways, aprons, lighting,marking, navigation aids, and signage.

Alaska RNP © 1995-2007 Alaska Air Group Inc.

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GLORIA VANBRAKLE Employee Safety Specialist, Office of Human ResourceManagement, Washington Headquarters ( Gloria, you pointed out the importance of our employee safety programs. We agree. We’re proud of ouraccomplishments in employee safety and thanks to your suggestion, we’veadded this in our accomplishments section to highlight our efforts and improvement in this area.

Further, the OEP AirportDevelopment Domain hasbeen revised to include thesesame airports and will trackhigh visibility projects thatreduce capacity constraints.

Improving Safety Requirementsfor Long-Range FlightsIn light of the dramaticincreases in long-distanceflights and extraordinary reliability of today’s aircraftengines, we issued a newrule designed to minimizemechanical problemsthrough enhanced mainte-nance procedures and toprotect passengers and flight crews in therare event of an emergency diversion overremote areas. Since airplanes occasionallydivert for reasons unrelated to engineproblems — such as mechanical problemsor passenger medical emergencies — therule requires that airplane systems be ableto support lengthy diversions in remoteand sometimes harsh environments. It alsorequires proactive flight planning, crewtraining, and awareness of appropriatefacilities at or close to diversion airportsthat may protect passengers and crew fromthe elements.

Enhancing Air SecurityThe FAA is responsible for protecting thenation and U.S. interests in aviation byconducting a broad range of activities. FAAplans and implements diverse air trafficand airspace management-related measuresto support national defense, homelandsecurity, law enforcement, national responseefforts, and ensures the operational avail-ability of the National Airspace System(NAS) by protecting the facilities that constitute the systems that in turn provideair traffic services.

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STEVE SILVERS Service Operations Center Manager, Air Traffic Organization,Great Lakes Region ( Steve, you suggested that we look at the number of runways at existing airports around the country to see if they could be utilizedin relieving some of the congestion at larger airports. Because of your comment,we’ve highlighted our efforts in providing additional capacity with reliever air-ports, including an additional initiative to direct Airport Improvement Program(AIP) funding to reduce capacity constraints.

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Enhancing Air Tour SafetyIn February 2007, we issued new regulationsthat require air tour operators to meet thesafety requirements in the expandedNational Air Tour Safety Standards of theFederal Aviation Regulations. The new regulations include requirements forenhanced passenger briefings before takeoff,life preservers and helicopter floats for spe-cific over water operations, and helicopterperformance plans.

Making Air Travel More AccessibleIn December 2006, we certified the double-decker Airbus A380 jet — the world’s largestcommercial airliner — to fly passengersand cargo. FAA jointly issued type certifi-cates with the European Aviation SafetyAgency (EASA) as a result of internationalcollaboration. With the ability to carry upto 800 people, this jet may help increasecapacity and reduce congestion.

In July 2007, Boeing rolled out the 787Dreamliner, which will carry up to 330passengers, use 20 percent less fuel thanairplanes its size, significantly reduce emissions, and allow quieter takeoffs andlandings. We’re working with Boeing tocertificate the Dreamliner by 2008.

Furthering International AviationThe FAA signed a new Memorandum ofAgreement with the Ministry of Civil Aviationof the Government of India on November13, 2006. This provides the foundation forincreased FAA assistance to India for thedevelopment and modernization of its aviation infrastructure. India is the thirdfastest growing domestic aviation market in the world and is an important partner in global efforts to create a seamless globalnavigation satellite system.

Photo by Julio Gandara / FAA© Boeing

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© Richard Shock / Jupiterimages Corporation

In 1997, the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security issued a challenge tothe FAA and the aviation industry — to reduce the air carrier fatal accident rate by 80 percentin ten years. This year marks the end of that ten-year period. Although we did not achieve thatambitious target set ten years ago, system safety has still increased dramatically. Aviation hasachieved a rate of 0.022 fatal accidents per 100,000 departures — a 57 percent drop.

Through the continuing effort and cooperation of the aviation industry and the FAA, we haveachieved the safest period in aviation history. For this reason, we are unveiling a new perform-ance metric for commercial air carrier safety — fatalities per 100 million persons on board.The old metric has value and we will continue to track it, but this new metric is more relevantto the flying public, and is a better measure of individual risk. It is also a metric that willallow us to track infinitesimal safety improvements as we drive our accident rate lower andlower. And the long-term target is no less audacious — we aim to cut this risk in half by2025. We will continue to work in partnership with industry to make this vision a reality.

REDUCE COMMERCIAL AIR CARRIER FATAL ACCIDENT RATE

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Cost SavingsWe implemented the FAA Telecommunica-tions Infrastructure Program to upgrade ourlegacy telecommunication systems with anintegrated system. This program decreasescosts and increases productivity whileresponding to increased security needs. Itallows the FAA to match cost to perform-ance at multiple locations today, and sup-port the future needs of NextGen.

As this Flight Plan is focused on the FAA’stop 30 performance targets, we know thereare often questions about the details ofthese targets. Each of these targets has aspecific performance metric for implemen-tation, called our Portfolio of Goals, andwe invite you to visit our website at

www.faa.gov to see those profiles anddelve into the details. These profilesdescribe how we create each of our metrics,why we chose a specific metric, where ourdata comes from, any statistical issues sur-rounding the metrics, and the completenessand reliability of our measures. Additionally,each FAA line of business and staff officeposts its annual business plan on our web-site. These business plans include our corebusiness programs which also support thetargets in our Flight Plan’s four Goal Areas.

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INCREASED SAFETYOur goal is to achieve the lowest possible accident rate

and constantly improve safety.

Bottom line upfront: Safety is ourNorth Star. Even though our systemis the world’s safest, we will always

head toward improvement.

When the White House Commission onAviation Safety and Security challenged theFAA and the aviation industry to reduce theair carrier fatal accident rate by 80 percentin ten years, we initiated a joint government-industry analysis of causal factors most frequently involved in aviation accidents.This formed the basis for joint government-industry efforts to reduce the number ofaccidents in both the commercial and general aviation areas.

This year marks the end of that ten-yearperiod. We have achieved a 57 percentdrop in aviation accidents. While we did notachieve the full target set ten years ago, wecontinue to work towards its accomplish-ment. In the three years prior to settingthis goal, the United States averaged aboutsix commercial fatal accidents and 266deaths per year.

Today, thanks to new technology, revisedrules and procedures, and increased training,not only are there fewer commercial fatalaccidents each year, but the chances ofsurvival have increased significantly. In the

past three years, the United States averagedapproximately two fatal accidents per yearand 28 deaths per year.

The Flight Plan continues to help us focuson areas that will boost a record that’salready the safest in history. General aviationaccidents are down. The fatal accident trendfor commuters, rotorcraft and on-demandaircraft all continue to drop as well. Pilottraining and education are paying immediatedividends. Runway incursions are down.Air traffic control errors are occurring at arate lower than in the previous two years.

We’ve worked to increase the level of safety by implementing new technologyand procedures. Required NavigationalPerformance approaches enable pilots tofly much more precise routes into airports.We put 40 in place this year including tenat Atlanta and another three in Dallas/Fort Worth. Precision and safety go handin hand.

The FAA, with other federal agencies andoperators in the NAS, is adopting a SafetyManagement System (SMS) that relies on developing standardized language,processes, and tools used to manage safety risk. SMS relies on four “pillars” tomanage risk: Safety Policy, Safety Risk

Management, Safety Assurance, and SafetyPromotion.

The newest frontier — commercial space —continues its sterling safety record. We’vehad 44 licensed launches in the last fivefiscal years. Since FY 2006, there have beeneight permitted launches. We have neverhad a licensed or permitted commercialspace launch resulting in a public injury or fatality.

The section that follows lists our 2008-2012initiatives, and unveils our new safety met-ric — fatalities per 100 million persons onboard in 2008. This is a metric that hasmeaning for the flying public and measuresan individual’s risk to fly. It includes allpassengers and crew of any scheduled air carrier, including cargo flights. We arecurrently at a rate of 8.8828 fatalities per100 million persons on board in FY 2007.We will target a continual improvement

each year, moving to a rate of7.6490 in FY 2012. As low asthis metric is today, our goal is to cut it in half by 2025 andreach the rate of 4.4414 per100 million persons on board.

Safety is our bottom line. It’snon-negotiable.

We’ve spent the last year improving how we measure the severity of operational errors. Unlikethe previous method, which relied on factors such as flight paths or the subjective measure ofwhether the aircraft was under air traffic control, our new measurement process, referred to asthe “Separation Conformance,” is objective. It determines the severity of an operational errorbased on the closest proximity of the two aircraft and the percent of required separation thatwas maintained.

The Separation Conformance measure creates a reliable, rate-based measure of safety thatcomplements the rate-based measures of capacity. Such objective measures will help us better understand the level of risk in the National Airspace System (NAS) and will allow us to critically assess the effects of changes to the NAS.

NEW OPERATIONAL ERROR PROCESS

Photo by Jon Ross / FAA

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TOP SAFETY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FY 2007

Reduced General Aviation Fatal Accidents. As a result of a variety of factors, including FAA’sand industry’s cooperation to increase training and education, we continue to meet our goalsof reducing general aviation fatal accidents. To date, we have experienced 254 fatal accidents,versus a target not-to-exceed ceiling of 264. We remain on track to be under our ceiling of331 fatal accidents for the year. Personal and Commuter/On Demand fatal accidents continueto decrease, and we are recording the lowest ever number of rotorcraft accidents since webegan measuring.

Significant Reduction in Alaska Accidents. Alaska experienced a significant decrease in aviation accidents in the state during FY 2007. With 56 accidents year-to-date, the numberremains well below the current target not-to-exceed ceiling of 75.

Commercial Space Launch Target Maintained. To date, there has never been a licensed commercial space launch resulting in a public fatality or injury, and we strive to maintain this unblemished safety record. Two successful licensed launches occurred this year, as didthe first launches conducted under FAA-issued experimental permits. None of these eight permitted launches had fatalities or injuries suffered by the public.

Significant Reductions in Operational Errors. During the first half of the fiscal year, systemperformance has improved over last fiscal year by 25 percent and is operating 26 percent better (3.15 per million activities) than the performance target (3.15 per million) of 4.27 per million activities. Through March 2007, operational errors were occurring at a rate lowerthan the previoustwo fiscal years andeach Service Area is performing betterthan their respectiveperformance targets.

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COMPOSITE SAFETY INDEXRolling 3-Year Index, 1983-1985 Through 2004–2006 (Indexed on 1994–1996)

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Base

Photo by Laurie ZaleskiFAA William J. Hughes Technical Center

OBJECTIVE 1Reduce commercial air carrier fatalities.

StrategyContinue the evolution toward a perform-ance-based NAS by using a satellite-basednavigation system and onboard technologies.These improvements allow aircraft greaterflexibility to navigate airspace more safely,efficiently, and in a more environmentallysound way than the current ground-basednavigation system.

Initiativel Develop and implement Required

Navigation Performance (RNP) approachprocedures. Through FY 2012, we willpublish at least 250 RNP Special Aircraft

and Aircrew Authorization Required(SAAAR) approach procedures.

l Provide third parties the ability to design,flight check, and implement RNPapproach procedures with FAA providingsafety oversight.

StrategyAddress safety concerns and issues,expand cost-effective safety oversight andsurveillance, and continue research intothe causal factors of accidents.

Initiativesl Send critical safety rules to the Office of

the Secretary of Transportation within 90days of the planned date.

l Address the National TransportationSafety Board’s identified safety issues.

l Maintain ISO:9001 registration to certifythat FAA’s Aviation Safety Organizationmeets the same standards expected ofthose we regulate in the aviation industry.

l Continue research to identify human factors that may contribute to accidents.Develop and implement strategies, methods, and technologies that reducesafety risk.

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LEWIS FISHER Air Traffic Organization, Washington Headquarters ( Lewis,you suggested that we include that the FAA will perform safety oversight of the design, flight check and RNP approach procedures. In response to yourcomment, we’ve rewritten the initiative to include this as a priority in our planto make it happen. Thank you for helping to keep safety our top priority.

© Alamy

Photo by Laurie Camilien-Pietrak / FAA

l Identify and implement activitiesdesigned to streamline and improve theNotice to Airmen process.

l Where practical, upgrade Runway SafetyAreas to meet standards.

StrategyPromote and expand safety informationsharing efforts, including FAA-industry part-nerships and data-driven safety programsthat identify, prioritize, and address risksbefore they lead to accidents.

Initiativesl Promote national data sharing and analy-

sis programs, such as the Aviation SafetyInformation Analysis System (ASIAS).

l Complete implementation of the AirTransportation Oversight System byDecember 2007.

l Continue implementing CommercialAviation Safety Team (CAST) initiatives.

l Improve the safety of transporting hazardous materials by air.

Performance Targetl Cut the rate of fatalities per 100 million

persons on board in half by FY 2025.

OBJECTIVE 2Reduce the number of fatal accidents ingeneral aviation.

Strategy Implement technologies and systems thatwill help pilots operate aircraft as safely as possible.

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© Susan Hedenberg / www.FlyingHAerialPictures.com

Initiativesl Continue delivery of dependent surveil-

lance to key sites. Provide text andgraphical data through programs such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast/Traffic Information Service-Broadcast, and Flight Information ServiceBroadcast to the cockpit through flightinformation services. Increase situationalawareness by improving the capabilitiesof small aircraft with integrated displays,data link, and traffic information.

l Develop and publish Wide AreaAugmentation System (WAAS) approaches.In FY 2008, we will publish 300 WAASapproaches.

l Manage the Automated Flight ServiceStation (AFSS) contract to provide qualityflight services to the contiguous UnitedStates, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

Strategy Update and improve standard proceduresand guidelines for general aviation operators.

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WARREN FOSTER Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialist, Air TrafficOrganization, Western-Pacific Region ( Warren, you suggested that we provideoversight on the quality of service on the Automated Flight Service Stations(AFSS), and your comment helped generate discussion with our senior executives.We agree with your suggestion and have added a new initiative to help usimprove the quality of service. We will set quality standards and measure servicereceived against these standards.

A pilot waits for departure clearance from an Air Traffic Controller during Sun ’n Fun 2007. © Jon Ross / FAA

Initiativesl Continue research to identify human

factors that may contribute to accidents.Develop and implement strategies, methods, and technologies that reducesafety risk.

l Develop policies, procedures, andapproval processes to enable operationof unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

l Working with industry, by FY 2009,develop and baseline a target rate forgeneral aviation fatal accidents to replacethe current performance measure.

StrategyExpand and accelerate implementing safetyand air navigation improvement programsin Alaska.

Initiativesl Achieve full operational capability of

WAAS.

l Expand the Capstone Program as part of the NAS through a phased approachstarting with Bethel and Southeast Alaskawith the goal of statewide implementation.

l Continue to optimize weather camerabenefits and explore alternative tech-nologies.

l Support the Medallion, Circle of Safety,and Alaska Flight Service Safety programs.

l Improve rural airports to permit 24-hourVisual Flight Rules (VFR) access.

By FY 2009, establish an improvedstatewide public RNP/RNAV WAASenabled route structure.

l Provide high quality flight services to ourcustomers in Alaska.

Performance Targetsl By FY 2009, reduce the number of gen-

eral aviation and nonscheduled Part 135fatal accidents from the 1996-1998 aver-age of 385 per year to no more than 319accidents per year. This measure will beconverted from a number to a rate in FY2009. The targets for FY 2009-2012 areunder development.

l By FY 2009, reduce accidents in Alaskafor general aviation and all Part 135operations from the 2000-2002 averageof 130 accidents per year to no morethan 99 accidents per year. This measurewill be converted from a number to arate after FY 2009. The targets for FY2010-2012 are under development.

OBJECTIVE 3Reduce the risk of runway incursions.

StrategyIdentify and reduce runway incursion collision risks.

Initiative l Improve training, procedures, evaluation,

analysis, testing, and certification toreduce the risk of runway incursionsresulting from errors by pilots, air trafficcontrollers, pedestrians, vehicle operators,tug operators, and individuals conductingaircraft taxi operations.

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StrategyModify and improve existing surface move-ment infrastructure.

Initiativesl Install Airport Surface Detection

Equipment-Model X (ASDE-X) and retrofit ASDE-X equipment capability into selected Airport Movement AreaSafety System (AMASS) installations, such as Chicago O’Hare and AtlantaHartsfield Airports.

l Continue developing, testing, evaluating,and deploying runway status lights atAMASS and ASDE-X airports.

Performance Targetl By FY 2010, limit Category A and B

(most serious) runway incursions to arate of no more than 0.450 per millionoperations, and maintain or improvethrough FY 2012.

OBJECTIVE 4Ensure the safety of commercial spacelaunches.

StrategyContinue developing tools, guidance, andregulations for reducing the safety risks forcommercial space launch and reentry oper-ations, including those involving humanspace flight.

Initiatives l Ensure that safety oversight keeps pace

with changes in the commercial spacetransportation environment.

l Partner with National Aeronautics andSpace Administration (NASA) andDepartment of Defense (DOD) to managethe integration of space transportationoperations.

l Work with the Commercial SpaceTransportation Advisory Committee(COMSTAC) to determine appropriateHuman Space Flight safety performancetargets.

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Courtesy Sea Launch

Performance Targetl No fatalities, serious injuries, or signifi-

cant property damage to the uninvolvedpublic during licensed or permittedspace launch and reentry activities.

OBJECTIVE 5Enhance the safety of FAA’s air traffic systems.

StrategyIdentify and reduce operational error colli-sion risks and influence their reduction.

Initiativesl Modify evaluations to help reduce opera-

tional errors.

l Improve measurement and analysis ofsafety performance by implementingautomated tools (Traffic Analysis andReview Program) and developingenhanced safety metrics and more effi-cient performance reporting processes.

l Provide pilots with safe access to theNAS by analyzing and disseminatingaeronautical and meteorological informa-tion to pilots and controllers throughinnovative systems.

Performance Targetl Limit Category A and B (most serious)

operational errors to a rate of no morethan 1.95 per million activities by FY 2012.

OBJECTIVE 6Implement a Safety Management System(SMS) for the FAA.

StrategyDesign, develop, and implement a SafetyManagement System (SMS) for the FAA.

Initiatives l Develop and implement agency-wide

SMS guidance.

l Design and implement SMS for the delivery of air traffic services.

l Design and implement SMS for safetyregulation and certification.

l Design and implement SMS for airportregulation and certification.

Performance Targetsl By FY 2010, implement SMS in the Air

Traffic Organization, Office of AviationSafety, and Office of Airports. By FY2012, implement Safety ManagementSystem (SMS) policy in all appropriateFAA organizations.

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W hile our system is safer than ever,there’s little question that it’s rap-idly reaching critical mass in its

capacity. Eighteen of our nation’s biggestairports have resumed their highest pre-9/11commercial passenger levels. The capacityof our airports, our runways and our skiesare stretched thin. We expect that by 2015,the system will be carrying one billion pas-sengers per year. International passengertraffic is expected to grow by 70 percentin that same timeframe. We project that by2014, without any changes to our system,we will see the system with delays 62 percent higher than they are today.

The FAA is taking steps right now to pre-vent these future delays. One of the keycomponents of NextGen will be a space-based air traffic control and surveillancesystem called Automatic Dependent Surveil-lance-Broadcast (ADS-B). It’s designed toincrease real-time situational awareness inthe cockpit, freeing the system of much ofthe ground-based hardware and proceduresthat were created 50 years ago. ADS-B willallow planes to fly closer together with thesame margin of safety, resulting in signifi-cant increases in airspace capacity.

Over the last seven fiscal years, the FAAand local communities have commissioned13 new runways at the 35 OperationalEvolution Partnership (OEP) airports, pro-viding them with means to accommodate1.6 million more annual operations.Currently, eight OEP airports have airfieldprojects under construction (3 new run-ways, 2 airfield reconfigurations, 1 runwayextension, 1 end around taxiway and 1centerfield taxiway). When complete, these airports will enable about 400,000more annual operations and significantlyreduce runway crossings at these airports.

Additionally, we are committed to advanc-ing aviation’s environmental stewardshipeven as we increase capacity. Through itall, each of these efforts to boost capacitymust be green. The FAA just launched aninstitute in partnership with other govern-ment agencies and industry to researchalternative fuels. Our ultimate aim is a car-bon-neutral aircraft. It’s a bold statement,but taking care of the planet is an issuethat requires action today.

GREATER CAPACITYOur goal is to work with local governments and airspace

users to provide increased capacity in the United States

airspace system that reduces congestion and meets

projected demand in an environmentally sound manner.

Environmental performance targets in the FAA Flight Plan are linked to the Capacity goal,reflecting the FAA commitment to increasing the capacity of the National Airspace System(NAS) in an environmentally sound manner.

The ability to achieve the needed capacity of the NAS is closely linked to environmental performance of the NAS. The by-products of aviation — primarily noise and emissions — aremajor constraints to continued growth. Preliminary analysis by the Joint Planning DevelopmentOffice (JPDO) shows that noise and emissions could increase between 140-200 percent overthe next 20 years, becoming a significant constraint on planned capacity increases. The FAAis committed to managing aviation growth in an environmentally sound manner and has anaggressive plan to accomplish this through mitigation, operational measures, measurementsand standards, and research and development. In addition, energy issues have significantlygained more attention in the last few years due to sustained price rises and renewed interestin alternative fuels.

The agency expects environmental issues will continue to create challenges over the five yearsof this Flight Plan. Continuing efforts to reduce aircraft noise exposure and mitigate aviationemissions will be critical to ensuring the necessary capacity growth in the NAS. In addition,the need to limit or reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions is an increasingly importantissue, especially in the international aviation system.

WHY WE INCLUDE ENVIRONMENT IN CAPACITY

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TOP GREATER CAPACITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FY 2007

Research & Development. The new Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), in cooperationwith the National Academy of Sciences and its Transportation Research Board, provided $10million per year. More than 60 airport research studies are currently underway. The ACRP Boardof Governors initiated a quick response research study as a follow-on to publication of the FAA'sstudy on “Capacity Needs in the National Airspace System 2007-2025” (referred to as FACT 2).The study will examine innovative approaches to addressing aviation capacity issues in coastalmega-regions, and will develop integrated strategic actions to address the constrained capacityand growing travel demand on the east and west coasts.

Updated Future Airport Capacity Task (FACT) Report. This study shows that by 2025, 14 airportsand eight metropolitan areas will require additional capacity, even if currently planned improve-ments are built at airports throughout the system. The FACT 2 study recommends capacityimprovements be progressed to include new runways and airports. Specifically, Atlanta, Chicago,Las Vegas and San Diego were identified as cities needing supplemental airports. In addition,the study recommends innovative approaches to reduce congestion and improve capacity toinclude enhanced planning in metropolitan regions, congestion management at the busiest andmost constrained airports, and the development and implementation of NextGen

Support Airport Integrated Product Team curb-to-curb Concept of Operations (ConOps). TheConOps and the Enterprise Architecture were completed in May 2007. Specific transformationalissues are those affecting airports, security, environment, and air traffic management.

Noise Compatibility. For FY 2007, approximately 20,000 people (residents and school students)in noise impacted areas will receive benefits from noise compatibility projects funded under theAirport Improvement Program (AIP).

Commission three runways/taxiways. We opened Runway 14/32 at Boston-Logan InternationalAirport in November 2006, which already has shown delay reduction benefits in its first severalmonths of operation. Los Angeles International Airport Runway 7R/25L opened in March 2007.With the opening of the end-around taxiway at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport in April 2007, about612 runway crossings per day were eliminated at the busiest airport in the U.S., significantlyimproving safety and efficiency.

Area Navigation (RNAV) routes, Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) and Standard TerminalArrival Routes (STARs). We’ve implemented 155 Area Navigation (RNAV) arrivals and departuresto date at 38 airports, with 42 more to be published by the end of FY 2007. RNAV is savingoperators millions of dollars per year in fuel savings due to more efficient routes. We are alsobeginning to realize capacity benefits: at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, RNAV enables twenty addi-tional departures per hour; at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, RNAV enables ten additional departuresper hour.

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OBJECTIVE 1Increase capacity to meet projected demandand reduce congestion.

StrategyMeet the new and growing demands forair transportation services through 2025through the interagency effort of the JointPlanning and Development Office (JPDO).

Initiativesl Expand FAA’s existing Operational Evolu-

tion Partnership (OEP) to incorporatecritical NextGen operational conceptsand changes, and detailed milestones of

key NAS modernization programsthrough FY 2025.

l By FY 2010, operationally implementAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for air traffic servicesat selected sites and continue develop-ment of surface conflict detection in the cockpit and near-term Air-to-Airapplications.

l Strategically link funding requests withthe acquisition of research and develop-ment products or services that supportFAA’s transition to NextGen.

Congestion and delays increasingly hinder the efficient movement of passengers to their desti-nations, resulting in lost productivity and time away from families. Currently, the system handles740 million enplanements on U.S. carriers each year. We expect this number to reach one billion passengers by 2015 and forecasts indicate increases in demand ranging from a factorof two to three by 2025. Delays in 2006 were the worst in history and daily headlines innewspapers across the country note the situation is not improving. The system is alreadystraining and will reach its maximum by 2015. The forecasted increase in aviation travel meansthat passengers will experience ever-increasing levels of congestion unless the air transportationsystem is modernized and transformed so it can better serve current and expected travel demand.

The good news is that the FAA is working hard to reduce current delays and manage our congested airspace. We are building new runways, launching new technology, redesigning howwe use airspace over the most crowded corridors in our country, and putting new proceduresin place to facilitate capacity and efficiency enhancements. The NextGen system will play acentral role in reducing delays and managing congestion. NextGen replaces today’s system ofground-based radar with a high-performance satellite-based system. NextGen will enable us tomeet future capacity needs, enhance safety, and provide an environmentally friendly NationalAirspace System to boot.

WHY WE NEED NEXTGEN

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l Ensure that the environmental approachfor capacity expansion is compatiblewith the road map developed by theEnvironmental Working Group (EWG)for NextGen.

l Develop the Airports Working Grouproad map to support NextGen.

l Develop and meet 90 percent of thedeadlines in the NextGen IntegratedWork Plan that identifies the research,capital, and implementation activities that are needed to implement NextGenacross all agencies.

Strategy Evaluate existing airport capacity levelsand set investment and infrastructure prior-ities and policies that enhance capacity.

Initiativesl Work with the aviation community to

establish the most feasible policies toenhance capacity and manage conges-tion.

l Future Airport Capacity Task (FACT) willwork with airports and local communitiesto develop toolbox of potential solutionsto address anticipated capacity shortfalls.

l Establish priorities for infrastructureinvestments to maintain existing capacityin a cost-effective manner.

l Support airport planning studies toenhance capacity in the Atlanta and San Diego metropolitan areas.

l Ensure that all necessary activities areaccomplished to meet new OEP runwaycapability commitments established inpartnership with stakeholders.

l Support environmental processing of airfield improvements at the 35 OEP airports including projects that supportVision 100 environmental streamlining.

StrategyImprove airspace access and modify sepa-ration standards to increase capacity andallow more efficient use of congested air-space.

Initiativesl Redesign terminal airspace and change

procedures to increase capacity.

l Implement the roadmap for performance-based navigation by the continued devel-opment and implementation of AreaNavigation (RNAV) routes, standard

ARIF HABIB Electronics Engineer, Air Traffic Organization, Southern Region (Arif, you commented on the need for FAA assistance in developing smaller airports near the large OEP airports, and we agree that this will be a key factorto increasing capacity and reducing delays. We currently have an initiative todirect Airport Improvement Program funding towards reducing constraints atsecondary and reliever airports located within congested metropolitan areas.

instrument departures (SIDs), and stan-dard terminal arrival routes (STARs). InFY 2008, we will publish 50 RNAV SIDsand STARs and 12 RNAV routes.

l Using the cross-organizational AirportObstructions Standards Committee(AOSC), develop recommended standardsand action plans for runway procedures,such as end-around taxiways, and estab-lish databases and data collection toolsto improve airport flight operations,while maintaining an optimal balanceamong safety, capacity, and efficiencyconsiderations.

l Conduct research to improve safety and increase throughput using wake turbulence monitoring, operational procedures, and controller tools.

l Enhance NAS performance for the 35 OEPairports through advanced engineeringand program support.

StrategyImprove bad weather departure and land-ing capacity with new technologies andprocedures.

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Initiativesl Capitalize on Spring/Summer Plan data,

developed in partnership with the air-lines and other segments of aviation, toimprove traffic flow in bad weather.

l Increase airport capacity through the useof Traffic Management Advisor (TMA).

l Identify and implement procedures andtechnology to improve the disseminationof weather information to pilots and controllers.

Strategy Increase aviation capacity and reduce con-gestion in the seven major metropolitanareas and corridors that most affect totalsystem delay. For FY 2008, those areas areCharlotte, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,New York, Philadelphia, and SanFrancisco.

Initiativesl Monitor and maintain scheduled progress

for Environmental Impact Statements at South Suburban (Chicago) andPhiladelphia Airports.

l Support airport planning study toenhance capacity at San Francisco andSouthern Nevada Supplemental airports.

l Conduct regional studies for capacity and congestion in the New York, NewEngland, and Los Angeles metropolitanareas.

l Direct Airport Improvement Program (AIP)funding to reduce capacity constraints ofsecondary and reliever airports locatedwithin those metropolitan areas.

l Update our projections on which metro-politan areas will have the greatest impacton the total system for delays over theperiod of the Flight Plan.

l Redesign the airspace of the seven majormetropolitan areas.

l Expand use of time-based metering at airtraffic control centers.

l In FY 2008, develop a metric to measurethe delay savings enabled by NextGenimprovements using minutes per sched-uled Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) arrivalat the 35 OEP airports by FY 2012, andbeginning implementation of the metricin FY 2009.

Performance Targetsl Achieve an average daily airport capacity

for the 35 OEP airports of 104,338 arrivalsand departures per day by FY 2011 andmaintain through FY 2012.

l Commission nine new runway/taxiwayprojects, increasing the annual servicevolume of the 35 OEP airports by at least1 percent annually, measured as a five-year moving average, through FY 2012.

l Sustain adjusted operational availabilityof 99.7 percent for the reportable facili-ties that support the 35 OEP airportsthrough FY 2012.

l Achieve an average daily airport capacityfor the seven major metropolitan areas of39,484 arrivals and departures per day byFY 2009, and maintain through FY 2012.

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OBJECTIVE 2Increase reliability and on-time performanceof scheduled carriers.

StrategyPromote the use of automated systems thatprovide more accurate and timely informa-tion for all system users.

Initiativel Improve on-time performance and opera-

tor and passenger access to informationby using Traffic Flow Management (TFM),Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), andCollaborative Air Traffic ManagementTechnologies (CATMT), such as AirspaceFlow Programs (AFPs).

Strategy Restructure airspace to ensure efficient traffic flow between oceanic and domesticairspace.

Initiativesl Use new equipment and technology to

reduce en-route congestion.

l Implement high-altitude airspaceredesign to reduce congestion.

l Reduce oceanic separation in the Pacific.

l Implement ocean capacity metrics andtargets for FY 2008, using comprehensiveAdvanced Technologies and OceanicProcedures (ATOP) data collection andanalysis capability and oceanic simulationand modeling capability.

Performance Targetl Achieve a NAS on-time arrival rate of

88.76 percent at the 35 OEP airports byFY 2011 and maintain through FY 2012.

OBJECTIVE 3Address environmental issues associatedwith capacity enhancements.

StrategyDevelop better systems, technologies, andanalytical tools to evaluate aircraft noiseand emissions, and ensure environmentalstewardship.

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The Average Daily Capacity Target (Arrivals and Departures) for the Metro 7 Areas will changefrom 63,080 in FY 2007 to 33,676 in FY 2008. In collaboration with the FACT 2 study, theWashington, DC area airports and the South Florida Metropolitan area airports were droppedbecause their delay problems have improved. They have been replaced with two airports: Charlotteand Las Vegas. In addition, the FY 2008 metric does not include several of the previouslyincluded secondary airports, and will be recalculated in order to add them back in FY 2009.

METRO 7 AREAS

Initiativesl Conduct research and develop, verify,

and validate analytical tools to betterunderstand the relationship betweennoise and emissions and different typesof emissions, and to provide the costbenefit analysis capability necessary fordata-driven decision-making.

l Along with stakeholders, increase aircraftnoise and emissions mitigation activitiesat the environmental Center ofExcellence.

l Work with several airports to implementContinuous Descent Arrival (CDA) fornight operations, and initiate researchinto CDA applicability to airports withgreater traffic levels, general mixed fleet,and mixed operations.

l Implement Environmental ManagementSystems to ensure that FAA operationsprotect the environment, meet statutoryand regulatory environmental require-ments, and improve reliability and costeffectiveness.

Performance Targets l Reduce the number of people exposed

to significant noise by 4 percent per yearthrough FY 2012, as measured by a three-year moving average, from the three-yearaverage for calendar years 2000-2002.

l Improve aviation fuel efficiency byanother 1 percent over the FY 2007 level(for a total of 6 percent) through FY 2008,and 1 percent each subsequent yearthrough FY 2012 to 10 percent, as meas-ured by a three-year moving average ofthe fuel burned per revenue mile flown,from the three-year average for calendaryears 2000-2002.

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INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIPOur goal is to increase the safety and capacity of the global

civil aerospace system in an environmentally sound manner.

T he U.S. is a global aviation leader interms of innovation, complexity, effi-ciency and safety. Through partner-

ships, associations, and collaborative efforts,we’re working with the rest of the worldto achieve the highest standards of safetyand efficiency globally.

Our task is to spread the net of safetythroughout the world and to create aseamless global aviation system for all users.We’ve helped more than 130 countriesadvance their aviation programs. We arean active component of regional and inter-national aviation organizations as well.

China and India are already experiencingdouble-digit growth in aviation activity. Inthe next 10 years, China’s air traffic controlsystem will be second in volume only toour own. India is also at the forefront,moving ahead with a satellite-based navi-

gation system as an important componentof its aviation infrastructure. We are buildingupon our experience in working with Chinaby developing an Aviation CooperationProgram (ACP) in India.

We’re working with Europe to ensurecompatibility between NextGen and theSingle European Sky Air Traffic Manage-ment Research Program (SESAR). Wesigned an agreement last summer to formalize collaboration with the EuropeanUnion to make sure that technology isseamless between our systems. Observersfrom the FAA and the European Organiza-tion for the Safety of Air Navigation(EUROCONTROL) have been assigned toeach other’s modernization advisory committees to ensure we are cooperatingand collaborating to the fullest. Therecently launched Atlantic Interoperabilityinitiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) will

CHRISTOPHER POREDA Manager Of The New England Regional Counsel’sOffice, Office of the Chief Counsel, New England Region ( Chris, this is the second time you’ve given us a comment that has changed the Flight Plan, so thank you for being so vigilant in keeping us on track. This time you commented about the international contributions to aviation since the begin-ning of flight, and as a result, we’ve changed the narrative of this section toreflect that.

accelerate collaboration on environmentallyfriendly procedures and standards, withdemonstration flights beginning in FY 2008.

We are expanding our outreach in theWestern Hemisphere starting with openingan FAA office in Brazil in 2008. Through ourleadership in the International Civil AviationOrganization (ICAO) Committee on AviationEnvironmental Protection (CAEP), we arecoordinating with other nations to addressthe environmental impacts of aviation.Bilateral aviation safety agreement negotia-tions are under way with Mexico, Japan,South Korea and the European Communityas well. We continue to support Safe Skiesfor Africa, the Third Border Initiative andspecial programs to restore aviation infra-structure in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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TOP INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIPACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FY 2007

Aviation Safety Leadership. For FY 2007, we focused on efforts to increase cooperation withChina and India as both countries experience significant aviation growth. Additionally, we ledU.S. preparations for the ICAO Triennial Assembly in September 2007 and the October 2007ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program. We promoted U.S. aviation environmentalpolicies with European partners, and supported the implementation of performance-basedtechnologies in the Western Hemisphere region.

Global Aviation Harmonization. In Europe, we worked with aviation organizations on modern-ization programs to ensure compatibility of operating systems. We are cooperating with Canadaand Mexico to implement technical systems that will help create a North American regionalWide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).

Bilateral Agreements. We are cooperating with bilateral and multilateral partners in the Americas,Europe, and Asia to negotiate agreements and procedures to support the transfer of aviationproducts and services. Since 2004, we’ve signed nine bilateral aviation safety agreementswith eight countries. Bilateral agreements are currently under negotiation with Mexico, Japan,South Korea, and the European Community.

External Funding. The FAA has secured FY 2007 funding commitments of $13 million to sup-port international aviation infrastructure projects. This includes $3 million for the Safe Skiesfor Africa Program and $5 million for aviation assistance programs in Afghanistan, funded bythe World bank, the Swedish international Development Cooperation Agency, and the AsianDevelopment Bank.

Environmental Leadership. Through the AIRE, we are working in partnership with the EuropeanCommission, air navigation service providers, airlines, and industry representatives towardenhanced interoperability, improved energy efficiency, reduced engine emissions, and loweraircraft noise.

NextGen Technologies. We are continuing to develop and apply uniform standards, procedures,and air and space transportation policies worldwide, enhancing safety and efficiency on aglobal scale. In April 2007, the FAA formally agreed to provide assistance and guidance toChina in implementing Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM). This capability is criticalin helping China handle the expected increase in air traffic volume as it prepares for the2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

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OBJECTIVE 1Promote improved safety and regulatory over-sight in cooperation with bilateral, regional,and multilateral aviation partners.

StrategySupport the continued development ofcompetent aviation authorities worldwide.

Initiativesl Provide technical assistance and training

and strengthen mutually beneficial part-nerships with key civil aviation organiza-tions in the Middle East, Asia, and theAmericas.

l Implement civil aviation safety programsto support the Administration’s initiatives.

l Support creating government-industrypartnerships to help transfer aeronauticalproducts, services, and technologies tokey developing regions.

l Provide technical assistance and trainingto strengthen the capabilities of at leastfour regional aviation authorities ororganizations to meet international safetyand efficiency standards.

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Air Tour Management Program (ATMP) — Majuro and Chuuk in Micronesia for FAA International Program / Photo by Barry Brayer / FAA

Strategy l Work with key international partners to

implement safety enhancements that willimprove worldwide aviation safety whileenabling the transfer of aeronauticalproducts, technologies, and services.

Initiativesl Establish an effective partnership with

the European Union and the EuropeanAviation Safety Agency (EASA) to ensurethe highest level of cooperation for avia-tion safety and an efficient exchange ofproducts, services, and technologies.

l Establish coordinated safety agendasthroughout the world to improve aviation safety.

l Negotiate and conclude bilateral agree-ments for safety, certification, andapproval systems that enable technologytransfer with global aviation partners.

Strategy Support ICAO and other internationalorganization initiatives.

Initiativesl Provide U.S. technical participation and

leadership in ICAO meetings to achieveU.S. objectives.

l Strategically influence international avia-tion safety, capacity, and efficiency bypromoting FAA recommendations andpolicies at key international venues.

l Increase recruitment of qualified U.S.technical personnel to fill positions at ICAO.

l Prioritize agency efforts to improve ICAOStandards and Recommended Practices(SARPs) to reflect advances in U.S. tech-nologies, practices and procedures, andwork with the international communityto implement SARP changes.

l Work at ICAO to foster internationalenvironmental standards, recommendedpractices, and guidance materials that aretechnically feasible, economically reason-able, provide a measurable benefit andconsider interdependencies between thevarious emissions and between emissionsand noise.

StrategySecure external funding for global safetyinitiatives.

Initiativel Increase international aviation develop-

ment funding to strengthen the globalaviation infrastructure.

Performance Targetsl Work with the Chinese aviation authori-

ties and industry to adopt 27 provenCommercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST)safety enhancements by FY 2011. Thissupports China’s efforts to reduce com-mercial fatal accidents to a rate of 0.030fatal accidents per 100,000 departures by FY 2012.

l Conclude at least eight (new or expanded)bilateral safety agreements that will facili-tate an increase in the ability to exchangeaviation products and services by FY 2012.

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Day in and day out, FAA employees provide technical assistance and training to foreign avia-tion personnel from around the world — all in the name of safety. As we share technologicaland procedural advances with other countries, we work toward our goal of increasing the safe-ty of the global aerospace system.

In FY 2007, the FAA provided technical assistance and training to over 40 countries. Fromteaching customized courses to giving guidance on aviation law, our support reached aroundthe world. The FAA provided the civil aviation authorities of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda withtechnical assistance and training, which was used when establishing the first regional safetyoversight organization in the East African Community. We helped the Israel Airports Authoritywith a large-scale air traffic modernization project. With our ongoing technical assistanceeffort, both the Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago achieved and maintained Category1 status.

The FAA taught technicians from Canada and Mexico how to maintain Wide AreaAugmentation System equipment, helping to increase navigational accuracy in North America.For the first time, we developed long-term U.S.-based training programs for aviation personnelfrom Spain and Korea. Required Navigation Performance workshops were conducted in NewDelhi. Representatives from Jamaica, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil, Singapore and theUnited Kingdom participated in the first Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) course.

The list goes on and on. We salute our employees who work every day to increase aviationsafety worldwide so that our citizens can travel as safely abroad as at home.

BRINGING SAFETY TO MILLIONS

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© Gary S Chapman / Getty Images

l Secure a yearly increase in internationalaviation development funding to strength-en the global aviation infrastructure.Increase the FY 2007 external fundingbaseline target of $12 million in $3 mil-lion annual increments for an FY 2012target of $27 million.

OBJECTIVE 2Promote seamless operations around theglobe in cooperation with bilateral, regional,and multilateral aviation partners.

Strategy Collaborate with strategic global partners toimplement Next Generation Air Transporta-tion System (NextGen) performance-basedsystems and concepts to ensure harmo-nization with corresponding internationalmodernization efforts.

Initiativesl Work with the interna-

tional civil aviationcommunity to adoptenabling systems, suchas the GlobalNavigation SatelliteSystem (GNSS) andADS-B, to improvesafety of flight operations.

l Develop and implementcapacity enhancingapplications, such asPerformance-BasedNavigation (PBN),embracing current

operational capabilities to the maximumextent possible.

l Improve global interoperability and harmonization of systems, concepts,automation tools and operational proce-dures in support of future seamless global operations.

l Manage the international strategy in support of the NextGen GlobalHarmonization Working Group and work with civil aviation and interagencypartners to continually assess and imple-ment the strategy.

Performance Targetl By FY 2012, expand the use of NextGen

Air Transportation System (NextGen)performance-based systems and conceptsto five priority countries.

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Air Tour Management Program in Micronesia.Photo by Barry Brayer / FAA

46© Dynamic Graphics Group / Creatas / Alamy

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ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCEOur goal is to ensure the success of the FAA’s mission

through stronger leadership, a better-trained and safer

workforce, enhanced cost-control measures, and improved

decision-making based on reliable data.

T he previous three goals — safety,capacity, and international leadership— are what we do. Organizational

excellence is how we do it. We recognizethat the success of an organization relieson the strength of its employees. None ofthe achievements in this Flight Plan wouldbe possible without the cooperation,expertise, perseverance, and dedication ofevery person at the FAA.

Our managers are held accountable forachieving measurable goals in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner. Wefocus on outcomes. We set strategies,which dictate our funding priorities.

As part of the agency’s Cost ControlProgram, FAA has realized over $150 mil-lion of recurring cost savings and costavoidance from cost efficiency initiativesimplemented in FY 2005 and FY 2006.These initiatives include non-controllerattrition savings of approximately $60 mil-lion, IT-related savings of over $30 million,and cost avoidance of about $13 million inthe workers’ compensation program.

In FY 2007, we realized the first full yearof cost savings from consolidation ofaccounting offices into one location — savings of more than $4 million annually.In addition, we negotiated office equip-ment and supply contracts on a nationallevel, and expect to achieve a $15 millionreduction in IT-related expenses this year.

We updated the Controller Hiring Plan soour facilities are staffed based on trendsand traffic. This ensures we have the rightnumber of controllers working in the rightplace at the right time. We also increasedthe number of air traffic controller classesat the FAA Academy, and continue tomove controllers to facilities with the sizeor complexity most commensurate withtheir experience.

We are actively recruiting entry-level con-trollers from the general public includinguniversities, military transition centers,state and local employment services andgovernment recruitment centers. In addi-tion to newspaper and radio ads we usetechnology to expand our reach and have

promoted the agency on MySpace,FaceBook, and CraigsList.

Our joint effort with the Departmentof Veterans Affairs enables veteranswith disabilities to take advantage of on-the-job training opportunitiesthrough FAA’s new Veterans’ Employ-ment Program. This initiative allowsveterans with disabilities to train forair traffic control and airway trans-portation systems specialist positions.

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GWYNNE O'CONNELL Manager of Management & Business Services Division,Office of Aviation Safety, Washington Headquarters ( Gwynne, you recom-mended that we change our metric on filling critical positions to better alignwith the Office of Personnel Management’s metric for all external hires. Thiswill result in more open competition on external hires and increase the numberof positions included in the metric. We agree and have made the change tobetter improve our performance.

Garrett A Morgan Day at DOT/FAA Potomac AirfieldPhotos by Lockett Yee / FAA

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TOP ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCEACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FY 2007

NextGen Reform Act of 2007. The Secretary sent a legislative proposal for comprehensivereform of FAA programs and financing to Congress in February 2007. It would develop a cost-based financing system to support both the current air transportation system and thetransformation to the NextGen system.

Air Traffic Controller Recruitment. FAA has successfully recruited and continues to recruitentry-level air traffic controller positions to keep a full pipeline of new controllers across thecountry. By the end of the fiscal year, we will have issued vacancy announcements for facili-ties in every state, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Recruitment efforts are taking place at over 800colleges, universities, military transition centers, and government one-stop recruitment centers.

Employee Safety. Increased safety awareness in the workplace prevents injuries and reducescosts. We provided safety training to over 4,600 FAA employees, integrated employee safetyinto FAA management training, and our Aeronautical Center reached the Merit status inOSHA’s Voluntary Protection program.

Thumbs up for MyFAA. We launched the new MyFAA Employee site on February 26, 2007 toimprove internal communications. The new site is based on an employee-powered study inearly 2006 as well as many suggestions employees sent to the web management team.

Sustained success managing Human Capital, an important element of the President’sManagement Agenda (PMA). The FAA has excelled in accomplishing its goals for HumanCapital Planning for the last three years. We put in place a Senior Leadership DevelopmentProcess to ensure the agency has high-caliber senior leadership critical to success. We com-pleted assessments of our managers, information technology, human resources, engineering,and acquisition workforces to understand the expertise we have in our workforce.

Workers’ Compensation Program Cost Containment. The FAA created a consolidated NationalWorkers’ Compensation Program (OWCP) resource and all FAA claims are now managed cen-trally. This consolidation reduced agency costs for the third consecutive year. As of June2007, cost avoidance in this area totaled $14 million.

SAVES Program. The FAA continues implementation of its innovative strategic sourcing initia-tive (SAVES). Through the SAVES program, FAA awarded seven national contracts coveringadministrative commodities such as office supplies and equipment, IT hardware, andcourier/overnight mail services. Through June 2007, the SAVES program has achieved over$2.5 million in savings and over 90 percent compliance in office supplies and equipment.

© PhotoAlto / Alamy

OBJECTIVE 1Make the organization more effective withstronger leadership, increased commitmentof individual workers to fulfill organization-wide goals, and a better prepared, bettertrained, safer, diverse workforce.

Strategy Use workforce planning to identify and fulfill current and future human capitalneeds to meet FAA’s mission.

Initiativesl Sustain and improve agency human capital

planning and measurement processes.

l Implement the hiring, training, staffinganalysis, and management recommenda-

tions of the Air Traffic ControllerWorkforce Plan to support FAA’s safetymission and meet external stakeholderrequirements. Update and report annuallyon agency progress.

Strategyl Build stronger leadership to achieve

strategic goals, manage people andresources effectively, and drive continuous improvement.

Initiatives l Ensure compliance with corporate policies

on managerial selection and requirementsfor training and evaluating probationarymanagers.

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Photo by Jon Ross / FAA

l Establish corporate managerial trainingprograms that ensure we use resourceseffectively, align with agency goals, drivecontinuous improvement.

l Establish a corporate, senior leadershipdevelopment process to build executive-level competencies.

Strategy Implement corporate systems, policies,programs, and tools to build a results-oriented, high performance workforce.

Initiatives l Undertake a timely and effective corpo-

rate approach to conflict management.

l Monitor and evaluate Employee AttitudeSurvey (EAS) Action Plan results.

l Develop new performance metric(s) inFY 2008 to measure our progress onmore effective agency leadership.

StrategyMake strategic people investments andprovide a professional, safe and securework environment to attract, acquire, andretain a highly skilled workforce.

Initiativesl In external recruitment efforts, implement

corporate strategies that expand theapplicant pool to ensure equal opportu-nity to all applicants and result in attract-ing high quality candidates to the FAA.

l Establish corporate employee trainingprograms to build leadership compe-tence within the FAA workforce, support

professional development, and promotecontinuous learning.

l Reduce workplace injuries throughemployee safety program evaluationsand OSHA Voluntary Protection Programmeasures.

l Provide our employees with a secureenvironment by identifying measures toprotect our employees, our facilities, andour critical infrastructure.

Strategy Promote aviation related science, technol-ogy, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)skills in the emerging and future aviationworkforce.

Initiativel In partnership with other Federal, state

and local agencies, aerospace orientedconsortiums, and other private sector avi-ation organizations, enlarge the pipelineof students who are prepared to entercollege and graduate with an aerospaceoriented degree in science, technology,engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

StrategyImprove labor management relations whiledelivering quality service.

Initiativesl Monitor labor relations service level

agreements to ensure the requirements oflines of business and staff offices are met.

l Develop and provide labor relations train-ing for agency supervisors and managers.

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l Using the Grievance Electronic TrackingSystem (GETS), reduce grievance process-ing time compared to the baseline measure.

Performance Targetsl Increase the score of the Employee

Attitude Survey measure for the areas ofmanagement effectiveness and accounta-bility by at least 5 percent, over the FY2003 baseline of 35 percent by FY 2010and maintain through FY 2012.

l By FY 2010, 70 percent of FAA externalhires will be filled within OPM’s 45-daystandard for government-wide hiring.

l Reduce the total workplace injury and illness case rate to no more than 2.44per 100 employees by the end of FY2011, and maintain through FY 2012.

l Reduce grievance processing time by 30 percent (to an average of 102 days)by FY 2010 over the FY 2006 baseline of 146 days, and maintain the reductionthrough FY 2012.

l Maintain the air traffic control workforceat or above the projected annual totals inthe Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan.

OBJECTIVE 2Improve financial management while deliver-ing quality customer service.

Strategy Develop and implement an agency-widecost control and cost reduction program.

Initiatives l Each FAA organization will develop, track,

and report quarterly on a comprehensivemeasure of its operating efficiency orfinancial performance. These measureswill include:— Cost per controlled flight— Research, Engineering, and

Development (RE&D) Management Staff Efficiency Measure

— Grant Administration Efficiency Measure

l Implement line of business-specific cost efficiency as well as agency-wideinitiatives to reduce costs or improveproductivity.

l Improve the overall management of cost-reimbursable contracts through theDefense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)audit process.

l Improve management of FAA’s real property assets.

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Photo by John M. Rodriguez / FAA

Strategy Improve financial performance.

Initiatives l Maintain and improve business processes

and systems in order to provide timelyand reliable financial information to FAAorganizations.

l Comply with Office of Management andBudget (OMB) guidance by performingroutine testing of internal controls toimprove the quality of financial infor-mation.

l Reduce improper payments.

l Continue integrating performance infor-mation into budgetary decision-makingand presentation.

l Improve timeliness and accuracy offinancial transactions by capitalizingassets in a timely manner.

StrategyWork with Congress onnew legislation thatfurthers accomplish-ment of the FAA mis-sion, provides stable,adequate funding, andsupports cost controland reduction.

Initiativesl In partnership with

the aerospace com-munity, implementFAA financial reformand reauthorization.

Performance Targetsl Increase cost reimbursable contract close-

outs by 1 percent per year, from 86 per-cent in FY 2008 to 90 percent in FY 2012.

l Organizations throughout the agency willcontinue to implement cost efficiencyinitiatives such as:— 10-15 percent savings for strategic

sourcing for selected products and services;

— By the end of FY 2009, reduce leased space for Automated Flight Service Stations from approximately 510,000 square feet to approximately 150,000 square feet;

— 3 percent reduction in help desk oper-ating costs through consolidations; and

— Annual reduction of $15 million in Information Technology operating costs.

l Obtain an unqualified opinion on theagency’s financial statements (CleanAudit with no material weaknesses) each fiscal year.

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© Dynamic Graphics Group / Creatas / Alamy

OBJECTIVE 3Make decisions based on reliable data to improve our overall performance and customer satisfaction.

Strategy Better prepare managers to use cost andperformance data in making decisions.

Initiativesl Ensure that financial policies and proce-

dures are updated and that managementand staff are well trained in the use ofFAA cost data, as derived from FAA’sacquisition, cost accounting, accounting,payroll and personnel systems, to makemanagement decisions.

l Monitor and report progress on Flight Plantargets and initiatives and establish theappropriate linkages and accountabilityin each line of business and staff officewith annual Business Plans.

StrategyEnsure that FAA is taken off the Government AccountabilityOffice (GAO) High Risk List forAir Traffic Control Modernizationin FY 2009.

Initiativesl Develop, document, and use

investment criteria to managemajor capital programs.

l Implement and improve pro-gram management processes to remain within acquisitioncost and schedule baselines.

l Meet all targets set in the FAA/GAO planto get off the High Risk List in FY 2009.

Strategy Improve customer communication andweb-based business processes.

Initiativesl Communicate the goals of the Flight Plan

to the FAA employees and the aerospacecommunity and gain feedback that helpsthe FAA meet their needs. Give employeesa clear line of sight from their jobs to the goals of the Flight Plan.

l Review customer requirements annuallyand measure customer satisfaction morebroadly for FAA services.

l Standardize FAA websites making themmore useful for exchanging informationand conducting business.

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Photo by John M. Rodriguez / FAA

Strategy Improve the security of our data.

Initiativesl Protect FAA’s information infrastructure

using advanced cyber defense strategies.

l Enable enterprise-wide conformance toinformation technology enterprise archi-tecture.

Performance Targetsl In FY 2008, 90 percent of major system

acquisition investments are within 10percent of annual budget and maintainthrough FY 2012.

l In FY 2008, 90 percent of major systemacquisition investments are on scheduleand maintain through FY 2012.

l Increase agency scores on the AmericanCustomer Satisfaction Index, which sur-veys commercial pilots.

l Achieve zero cyber security events that dis-able or significantly degrade FAA services.

OBJECTIVE 4Enhance our ability to respond to crises rapidlyand effectively, including security-relatedthreats and natural disasters.

StrategyContinue to build and improve emergencyplans and preparedness tools that enableus to sustain essential services and providefor employee well-being during crisis events.

Initiatives l Develop web-based emergency operation

information-sharing tools that create acommon operational picture and supporteffective decision-making.

StrategyStrengthen operational coordination, com-munication, and command and controlcapabilities needed to prepare for, respondto, and recover from crises.

Initiativesl Improve the use and functionality of

operational and corporate crises responsestructures such as specialized hurricanecoordination cells and continuity ofoperations programs.

l By October 1, 2008, develop performancetargets that measure improvement inthree outcome areas: readiness; providinga framework for effective decision-making;and effective response.

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Photo by Bryan Whitcomb / FAA

ACRONYMS

ADS-B Automatic DependentSurveillance Broadcast

AIP Airport ImprovementProgram

AMASS Airport Movement AreaSafety System

ASAP Aviation Safety ActionProgram

ASDE-X Airport SurfaceDetection Equipment-Model X

CAEP ICAO Committee onAviation EnvironmentalProtection

CAST Commercial Aviation Safety Team

CDA Continuous Descent Arrival

CEDR Center for Early DisputeResolution

COSP Continued Operational Safety Program

EAS Employee Attitude Survey

EASA European Aviation Safety Agency

EWG Environmental WorkingGroup

FACT Future Airport CapacityTask

FOQA Flight Operational Quality Assurance

FY Fiscal Year

GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System

ICAO International Civil AviationOrganization

JPDO Joint Planning and Development Office

NAS National Airspace System

NextGen Next Generation AirTransportation System

OE Operational Errors

OEP Operational EvolutionPartnership

PMA President’s ManagementAgenda

PRM Precision Runway Monitor

RNAV Area Navigation

RNP Required NavigationPerformance

SAAAR Special Aircrew andAircraft Authorization Required

SARPS Standards andRecommended Practices

SIDs Standard InstrumentDepartures

SRM Safety Risk Management

SMS Safety ManagementSystem

STARs Standard TerminalArrival Routes

TFM Traffic Flow Management

TMA Traffic ManagementAdvisor

UAS Unmanned Aerial System

URET User Request EvaluationTool

VASIP Voluntary Aviation Safety Information Program

WAAS Wide Area AugmentationSystem

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Acknowledgments

This Flight Plan is the result of the hardwork and sustained commitment of everyoneinvolved in the planning process. We wouldlike to acknowledge and convey our sincere

thanks to all of our employees, Members of Congress and their staff, our industry

partners, and stakeholders.

front cover: © ImageState/Alamy

inside back cover, clockwise from top left: Karen Shelton-Mur / FAA; Darrell Ashby / FAA; Phil Potter / FAA; © Corbis; Mike Weiler / FAA;

Bryan Whitcomb / FAA; Randy K. Rogers / FAA

back cover: Jon Ross / FAA

800 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20591

www.faa.gov

DE

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ENT OF TRANSPORTATIO

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UN

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DSTATES OF AM

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OUR VISION

Improve the safety and efficiency of aviation, while being responsive to our customersand accountable to the public

OUR VALUESl Safety Is Our Passion. We’re the world leaders in Aviation Safety.

l Quality Is Our Trademark. We serve our country, our customers and each other.

l Integrity Is Our Character. We do the right thing, even when no one is looking.

l People Are Our Strength. We treat people as we want to be treated.

Moving America Safely.It’s what we do.