Nextgen Air-Ground integration challenges

Abstract

NextGen is a complete transformation of the Air Transportation System from cockpit, to air traffic control, to the airport. At its simplest level, NextGen revolutionizes the three core functions of the air transportation system: Navigation, Communication, and Surveillance. At the conceptual level, the transformation to NextGen yields an ever greater level of Air-Ground (A-G) integration fused with advanced automation. This transformation provides the foundation for migration from today's Air Traffic Control system to Air Traffic Management based on Performance Based Operations (PBO). The NextGen transformation evolves from today's ground-based human-dependent communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems to a CNS strategy that takes advantage of satellite based navigation, digital communications, advanced automation and networking capabilities.