Visioning Document To 'Transform The Nation's Aviation System'

The FAA has released a document titles "Destination 2025", which the agency says is a vision statement "that captures the future we will strive to achieve – to transform the Nation’s aviation system by 2025."

In the executive summary of the document, the FAA states that its mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aviation system in the world. "What sets us apart is the size and complexity of our infrastructure, the diversity of our user groups, our commitment to safety and excellence, and our history of innovation and leadership in the world’s aviation community," the summary reads. "Now we are working to develop new systems and to enhance a culture that increases the safety, reliability, efficiency, capacity, and environmental performance of our aviation system. To meet our vision will require enhanced skills, clear communication, strong leadership, effective management, innovative technology, new equipment, advanced system oversight, and global integration."

The FAA says it created the document as a response to a time of "unprecedented challenges" that will see adaptation to a rapidly changing aviation system in the presence of changing economic, social, environmental, and energy needs. Like the rest of the federal government, the FAA says it faces significant budget pressures that will shape its ability to maintain today’s system and respond to future demands. "The FAA must see the opportunities within these challenges that will enable aviation to be a transportation choice that provides the traveling public, U.S. business and our global partners with safe, secure, reliable, and environmentally sustainable air travel. Our vehicle for providing opportunities during this transformation is the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)"

"Destination 2025" focuses on five primary areas. The FAA says over the next 15 years, it should work to transform the way it assures safety by expanding its safety culture to enhance standards and oversight; enhance aviation’s value to the public by improving travel throughout the National Airspace System, and beyond. This includes reducing costs and energy use, minimizing delays, preserving and securing needed infrastructure, and matching capacity to demand to increase the economic effectiveness of aviation; minimize noise and emission impacts on communities, reduce aviation’s carbon footprint, invest in new technology, foster sustainable alternative fuels research, and advance other innovations that promote environmentally friendly solutions; work with ICAO and other international partners to improve global aviation safety and environmental performance around the world; and create a workplace of choice with integrity, fairness, diversity, and innovation as our professional hallmarks.

"The next 15 years promise to be a pivotal time in the history of air transportation, as the face of aviation is transformed around the world," the report states. "This is occurring even as we face challenging budget pressures that will shape every aspect of FAA’s operations, plans, and workforce. Key components of NextGen programs are already improving access to airports during inclement weather and are providing tangible improvements for passengers and aviation stakeholders today. Setting metrics at 2018 provides us with a waypoint for measuring our progress towards achieving our goals.

"From flight decks to control towers, our system is already changing. The FAA is committed to ensuring America has the safest, most advanced and efficient, and sustainable aviation system in the world. We must also work to make air transportation safe and efficient wherever U.S. citizens travel."

FMI: www.faa.gov