NextGen, the Next Generation Air Transportation System: Transforming Air Traffic Control from Ground-Based and Human-Centric to Satellite-Based and Airplane-Centric

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is a congressionally mandated initiative to modernize the U.S. air traffic control system through satellite-based technologies that can increase the precision of aircraft flight paths, radar displays, and operating times, improving capacity, efficiency, predictability, flexibility, environmental effects, and safety. Several critical milestones have been achieved, but the long time frame for implementation raises challenges.