Chicago: A Second World War-era air traffic network that often forces planes to take longer, zigzagging routes is costing airlines billions of dollars in wasted fuel while an upgrade to a satellite-based system has languished in the planning stages for more than a decade.
The $35-billion plan would replace the current radar system with the kind of global positioning system (GPS) technology that has become commonplace in cars and cell phones. Supporters say it would triple air traffic capacity, reduce delays by at least half, improve safety and curb greenhouse gas emissions.
An analysis of industry data found that if the system were already in place, US airlines alone could have saved more than $5 billion in fuel this year alone.
But funding delays and the complexities of the switchover have kept the project grounded. The government does not expect to have it up and running until the early 2020s. - AP.
Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, Oct.15, 2008.
Wikipedia article on "GPS (GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM):
Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
No comments:
Post a Comment