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."