Introduction

Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a term for the continuing transformation of the National Airspace System (NAS) of the United States, planned in stages between 2012 and 2025. At its most fundamental level, NextGen represents an evolution from a ground-based system of air traffic control to a satellite-based system of air traffic management, through the development of aviation-specific applications for existing, widely-used technologies, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and technological innovation in areas such as weather forecasting, data networking and digital communications. NextGen will allow more aircraft to safely fly closer together on more direct routes, reducing delays and providing benefits for the environment and the economy through reductions in carbon emissions, fuel consumption and noise.