摘要: The National Airspace System includes about 6,500 public-use airports connected by a network of air routes defined by navigational aids. Aircraft operating along these routes and in terminal areas near airports are monitored and c... 展开 The National Airspace System includes about 6,500 public-use airports connected by a network of air routes defined by navigational aids. Aircraft operating along these routes and in terminal areas near airports are monitored and controlled by a system of ground-based surveillance and communication equipment - the air traffic control (ATC) system - operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The concentration of air traffic at a few large hubs creates congestion and delay, which in turn increases airline operating costs and, ultimately, the cost of air travel for the public. As air traffic and fuel prices increase, the cost of these delays will be magnified. General aviation users of major hubs also feel the effects of delay in the form of access restrictions imposed during peak hours to deal with airport congestion. This report contains: scenarios of future growth in air transportation, alternative ways to increase airport and terminal capacity, technological and economic alternatives to the ATC system modifications, and alternatives to the ATC process. 收起