The passengers should drive the National Airspace System, NAS.
The passenger is paying the bill so why don't they economically drive the NAS? Is it a struggle to purchase a ticket? No, purchasing a ticket on-line is easy and makes the world small. But todays ticket purchase is missing out on new larger business opportunity's and markets. Are safe aircraft available to fly on? Yes there is, the American aviation safety record is excellent but it's getting stressed. There are unrealized safety improvements that can occur with the evolution of the NAS. Is there a growth issue? Yes, the growth rate in air traffic is increasing and stressing the present NAS operation. What is the the growth rate in air traffic? About 6-7%. Today that represents about 2.6 to 3 million passengers a day, a billion passengers plus a year. In short, it doubles every ten years. Growth can continue but only if the government allows the NAS to evolve. Can you think of another business with a market share of almost three times the US population that is so disliked? I can not. Is this 'stress' attached to the lack of competition? Yes, Presently four airlines control ~90% of the flying in America. These four predominantly use a 'hub and spoke' operation the FAA controls. Internationally One World, SkyTeam and the StarAlliance control ~90% of the flying using the same methods to operate in any given NAS. The result of modern airline business adapting to the governments operation and deregulation is at the root of the poor service. This will change when the NAS evolves and allows competition again. There is a way to reintroduce competition, improve safety and service which eliminate stress. Unfortunately the no stake, unaffected, benevolent, well intentioned, risk adverse, 50B$+ government 'NextGen' plans to continue to operate the NAS using a 1930's/60's control model will not allow such change.
A National Goal To Evolve The NAS Is Needed
Fortunately President Trump & Team will soon be in position to evolve the NAS. Unfortunately they are unaware of the problems with the NAS and solutions, they need a plan. This plan has to evolve the NAS safely and concurrently. That plan is the Smart System. This evolution can not be understood in just writing. Everyone has their own questions which need answers before one can proceed. I am currently in the process of trying to contact President Trump's Team to answer those important questions. Lucky for me there are plenty of people who say 'no' (humor), but I persevere.
A Smart System will drive new businesses, life, fun, events, human connections, energy, water, new integrated technology, more safety...
The Smart System will cause such an economic stir that will dwarf the Space Race of the 1960"s. The resulting technological integration and advancements will allow the 'personal service of old' to come back. This evolution will affect the whole US economy. The Smart System provides the connection to achieve a high level of service based on competition while eliminating the stress. The improvement in personal service in an evolved NAS will surpass present day private jet service. Today, passenger service from commercial airlines adapts to the governments operation. The revived competition in the NAS will happen when the NAS takes advantage of the the same technology used in everyone's Smart Phone. Ticket purchase is the first economic step today. In a Smart Airport it will be the first direct connection for every passenger with the Smart Airport and their Captain. This direct connection will occur in a level of service application on the day of the flight. Your Smart Phone will connect you with your Captain. The Captain is the best source of flight information so why go anywhere else?
Understanding the personal connection of the
Passenger and their Captain
Today the Passenger, Captain and Crew are connected from departure to arrival. A new Smart Airport application will enhance this experience starting much earlier on the day of the flight A whole host of new personal applications will also arise as part of a Smart Airport. In fact, in the big picture, it's the Captain who connects the Passenger, Industry and Government throughout the NAS. So, why in the small world of the giant internet, where you purchased your ticket, are you so separated from your Captain? The Captain convey's you on your trip and goes through everything the passenger does. This new connection will enhance service. The Captain, who has the most at stake in all outcomes and holds all those lives in hand, will lead the connection and operation. Today the FAA, which controls the NAS, unfortunately views the passenger as a number.
The Air Traveler As Seen By The Government; Your Only A Number
If we visit the Research and Innovative Technology Administration , RITA, part of the DOT, we will find the government's view; counting passengers and aircraft at airports... nice. But this kind of thinking has driven the once joyful passenger experience in airline service to the poor government controled service we find today. Improving the travel experience will not come from RITA's statistics. For example all passengers have family, friends and business attached to the departure and arrival airports. If you search 'Smart Airports' you will find nothing so personal or inclusive. There has been a disconnect from the life of the passenger, the airline service and the government's statistics which now control the NAS. This disconnect means the NAS is never going to fully realize the joy of flying and the possible new commerce available.
Is Present Airport Design Part Of The Problem?
Yes. To understand this consider two airports. Let's look at RITA statistics for the daily passenger loads of Miami international airport,(MIA) and Omaha Eppley Airport (OMA), a regional airport. MIA moves from 250 to 300,000 passengers a day. For OMA it is close to 15,000 passengers a day. MIA is a top ten international airport, while OMA is a regional. Both have mostly the same passenger and cargo services but on different scales. Both have only one entrance yet have roads surrounding them. This single entrance choke point is found at every airport, why? The government is unaffected by how they design airports. Are there any examples where you handle large groups of people with more than one entrance? Sure, any stadium or large mall. They are surrounded by entrances, roads and additional businesses, why not airports? Present airport design needlessly stresses everyone and everything involved. Present airport design can't handle the growth rate and is unsustainable. Can you name another business with this consistent growth rate and such poor services? It starts to become obvious; airport design needs to evolve.
What About The Operational Side Of Airport Design?
Both MIA and OMA have all the paint, lights, signage, taxiways, grass, runways and airspace for arrivals and departures of an air operation of their scale. This design is mostly about the controllers view of the airfield operations not the operators. There are historical reasons for this design, but the NAS has a history of evolving with technology. Presently, airport design is based on using radios and RADAR to safely separate aircraft. This operational design is common throughout the world. Because of this, most airports today, have more taxiways and grass than runways. Additionally the runways are narrow in width when compared to length. The NAS has not evolved since the 1960's, despite the advent of modern digital satellite communications systems. So what will the transition look like? Smart Airport design will have no taxiways or grass to increase safety and traffic volume. There will be very wide and long landing areas and ramp to park aircraft to increase safety and traffic volume. Digital lighting systems will determine taxiways and runways based on aircraft present in the system to increase safety and traffic volume.
What Will Happen At America's Airports?
Smart Airports will first appear in America at specific regional and International airports. The ability to continue normal operations and transition operations will determine airport choice. The specific businesses at these airports will play a major role in determining not only domestic airport choice but also international destinations. Choice of International destinations will be driven by the country's ability to adapt to new air operations requirements, training, equipment.
The Passenger, Their Companions & Business
Most passengers have no idea what service to expect. The vast majority of passengers are treated poorly and ignored. In a Smart System every passenger is seen as an 'expensive appointment'. Think of every purchase the passenger makes for their travel day, large or small, all those decisions - that should drive the NAS. This decline in passenger service has a start date, 1978. The supposed deregulation of the airlines, by getting rid of the Civil Aeronautics Board, CAB. The CAB did go away but most of the control went to other government agencies who have only grown. The government only observes, they have no stake in personal service. They are unaffected by daily operational outcomes. The NAS is ripe for upgrades. So, how do we transition to a modern NAS?
