Federal Aviation Administration

Environmental Stewardship under the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) plan is an initiative started in 2003 to transform the U.S. air transportation system by 2025. In contrast to today’s system, the NextGen system will be more flexible, resilient, scalable, adaptive, and highly automated – meeting up to two to three times current demand. The NextGen Plan will ensure that the U.S. system meets air transportation safety, security, mobility, efficiency, and capacity needs in an environmentally sound manner

Protecting the environment and energy efficiency are at the heart of the NextGen plan. The U.S. has developed a strong and compelling vision under the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) NextGen plan for tackling environmental issues to ensure that aviation growth can be sustained. The environmental goals of NextGen are:
• Absolute reduction of significant community noise and air quality emissions impacts
• Reduce significant aviation impacts associated with water quality
• Limit or reduce the impact of aviation GHG emissions on the global climate
• Improve National Airspace System (NAS) energy efficiency and availability, including aircraft and air traffic operations and alternative fuels development

The NextGen Five Pillar Strategy for the Environment

To achieve environmental protection that allows sustained aviation growth, the U.S. NextGen initiative is pursuing a systematic and comprehensive five pillar strategy to mitigate the impacts of aviation on the environment. This includes improving scientific understanding and models to better target key emission issues; fostering the application of air traffic management to reduce aviation’s environmental footprint; accelerating development of new noise and emissions aircraft and engine technologies; advancing the use of alternative aviation fuels; and pursuing appropriate market-based measures.  The pillars are outlined in the chart below.  An important element in many of these areas is enhancing international collaboration to speed wide-spread implementation of cost beneficial solutions.

Accelerating ATM Modernization for Emissions Reductions

The second NextGen environmental strategy pillar, and the initial focus of the ASPIRE Partnership, is implementation of operational changes and improvements to air traffic management technologies to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Improving energy efficiency has the dual benefit of improving both environmental and operational performance of the aviation sector.

Some efforts, like the introduction of Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) within the U.S., have been very successful, saving about 3 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. RVSM is an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) approved concept that reduces the aircraft separation standard at certain high altitudes, allowing aircraft to safely fly more optimum profiles, gain emission savings and increase airspace capacity.

The U.S. is also accelerating implementation of other enhanced ATM procedures to further improve the efficiency of the system resulting in reduced emissions and noise. Through the use of Required Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) technology, aircraft will be able to use descent procedures that burn less fuel and result in quieter operations. In addition, satellite-based air traffic control paired with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology on aircraft allow for safer but smaller separations between aircraft and more direct routing, which will improve fuel efficiency. These and other enhanced air traffic procedures will help NextGen improve environmental performance of aviation

NextGen and ASPIRE

The ASPIRE partnership will include demonstrations and implementation of key NextGen technologies and practices which have either demonstrated, or projected efficiencies benefiting the environment.  Examples of NextGen initiatives within the ASPIRE Strategic Plan include:

• ADS-C In-Trail Procedures – Separation reductions down to 10-15 nautical miles during climbs and descents to improve the availability of more efficient altitudes
• Pre-Departure and In-Flight Oceanic Trajectory Management 4-D (OTM4D) – Procedures and automation to identify opportunities for flights to fly more efficient profiles based on real-time evaluation of airspace availability
• Tailored Arrivals – Dynamic optimization of aircraft approach profiles, designed to both reduce periods of level-off during descent, and to meet the flexible needs of the air traffic system at congested airports

The FAA’s commitment to the ASPIRE partnership will serve as a model for international collaboration on environmental initiatives, and provide a vehicle for exercising the FAA’s approach to environmental stewardship under NextGen.

FAA Controlled Airspace