Budget Cuts Threaten National Airspace System Modernization

By Willem Dicke

Cuts in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget are threatening to delay the implementation of new air traffic control equipment at a time when the number of planes in the air is projected to increase substantially. The cuts affect a number of modernization programs, including the installation of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) and the expansion of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).

Both STARS and WAAS fall under the FAA’s facilities and equipment (F&E) budget. The final 2005 omnibus spending bill passed by Congress provides a total of $13.8 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration — $12 million below the fiscal year 2004 enacted level, and $132 million below the president’s request. The FY05 budget includes $2.52 billion for F&E, down 12.1 percent from $2.862 billion.

The decline in the amount of money allocated to programs such as STARS and WAAS is a trend that will likely continue in the future. The cumulative projection for the F&E budget over the next three years is $7.7 billion, compared with $13.6 billion that has been spent over the past five years — a nearly 6 percent per-year decrease. In addition, Philip Holmer, Chair of IEEE-USA’s Committee on Transportation and Aerospace Technology Policy (CTATP), adds that “unfortunately, the FAA operating budget continues to increase thus (further) squeezing funding for modernization projects and technological infusion of the National Airspace System (NAS).”

STARS

The Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System is the FAA’s program to modernize the computers and displays in airport terminal areas at more than 300 civilian and military air traffic control facilities nationwide. A joint FAA and Department of Defense program, STARS is the main component of the FAA's modernization of the national air traffic system, capable of tracing up to 1,350 airborne aircraft simultaneously within a terminal area.

STARS has been steadily deployed since the FAA commissioned the first system in Philadelphia in June 2003; it is currently operating at 28 terminal facilities that serve more than 90 airports. In addition, the Department of Defense operates identical, fully operational STARS systems at 18 of its military installations worldwide. The terminal automation system in the national airspace system will be modernized in three phases: the first phase, which is well under way, is the deployment of 50 systems to facilities that are deemed most critical.

Budget cuts, however, have had a major impact. The FAA’s proposed funding for the 2005 program was cut by $10.4 million, meaning that the agency will not be able to implement STARS as quickly as it had planned. The agency expects the first phase to be completed over the next few years, but it has not set a specific timetable for the two remaining phases to maintain flexibility in the face of possible further cuts.

WAAS — GPS Augmentation

WAAS is a navigation system developed for civil aviation whose system of satellites and ground stations provide corrections to GPS signal problems caused by ionospheric disturbances and satellite orbit errors. It also provides vital integrity information for each GPS satellite.

Before WAAS, the National Airspace System did not have the ability to provide horizontal and vertical navigation for precision approach operations for all users at all locations. WAAS now provides pilots with vertically guided approaches down to as low as 400 feet above the runway surface, and its vertical guidance coverage today covers nearly 95 percent of the United States. Well over 2,000 certified receivers are currently flying in the NAS, and the FAA has published more than 3,000 approaches that can be used by a WAAS-equipped aircraft. WAAS provides service for all classes of aircraft in all flight operations — including en route navigation, airport departures and airport arrivals. This service includes precision landing approaches in all weather conditions at all locations throughout the NAS.

According to the FAA, budget cuts will slow the agency’s ability to expand the WAAS vertically guided service to 100 percent of the continental United States and to most of Alaska. The expanded capability, which was planned for 2008, will likely be set back by 18 to 24 months depending on the extent of future cuts. The decrease in funding will also cause a slowdown in the development and publication of WAAS procedures, which in turn will impede the system’s widespread use and acceptance. Moreover, funding for the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS), which provides precision approach and landing services in zero-visibility conditions, has been cut completely for 2005. The LAAS program will continue to

Europe — Galileo

Galileo is Europe’s own global navigation satellite system (GNSS) that will be interoperable with GPS when it is launched in 2009. If Galileo is deployed by the launch date, it will contain dual aviation frequency capability much sooner than the U.S.-modernized GPS, which, according to the FAA, would not have such a capacity until 2013. The United States and the European Union did, however, conclude an agreement in June 2004 confirming that GPS and Galileo services eventually will be fully compatible and interoperable.

Additionally, the FAA is promoting the interoperability and use of GNSS and GNSS augmentation systems internationally. Because of the extensive work within the International Civil Aviation Organization to make sure that GNSS is interoperable on a global scale, WAAS will have the capability to augment other GNSS systems, such as Galileo.

However, if funding levels continue to be reduced for WAAS, the ability to make the adjustments to augment dual-frequency GNSS systems will be delayed. These delays could be substantial depending on the amount that is cut from the program in the future.

IEEE-USA Weighs in on NAS Modernization

IEEE-USA’s Committee on Transportation and Aerospace Technology Policy (CTATP) — chartered to contribute to the formulation of aviation and astronautics technology legislation, regulation and policy in the United States — has long advocated upgrading the national airspace system. Back in 1995, the committee warned that capacity limits were being reached in both airports and airspace, and it has drafted a number of position statements and policy communications that cover NAS modernization. In particular, IEEE-USA issued a CTATP-drafted policy statement in 2002 that urged:

• Upgrading the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Centers without sacrificing current levels of security

• Modernizing NAS communication and surveillance systems without sacrificing current levels of security

• Giving priority to reliance on satellite navigation in the NAS without sacrificing current levels of security

• Promoting aviation industry through technical leadership and R&D

For more information on this topic, visit:

• IEEE-USA Committee on Transportation and Aerospace Technology Policy (CTATP) Web page:
  www.ieeeusa.org/volunteers/committees/ctatp/

• CTATP's policy position statement on "Upgrading the National Airspace System While Supporting the Leadership of Related U.S. Industries" (June 2002): www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/airspacesystem.asp

Willem Dicke is the former editor of and contributor to Euro Chemicals Report, a monthly publication covering a broad range of regulatory issues. He is currently working as an independent consultant. He can be contacted at todaysengineer@ieee.org.