CNN article on problems in Air Travel, as seen by FAA

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:36:47 -0700, mrtravel wrote:

John Kulp wrote:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:16:07 +0200, Mxsmanic
wrote:


GPS does not track aircraft; radar does.


Funny, GPS can place a smart bomb right on a target it tracks, but it
can't track aircraft. I have news for you. I was on an international
flight a while back and was talking to the relief pilot. He said the
US was the only country NOT using GPS and was totally outdated. So
how, then, do the flights get to where they're going?



GPS was used to guide the bombs to pre-determined fixed locations, which
is a bit different than how it would work with aircraft.

To use GPS for tracking an aircraft, the GPS device would be on the
aircraft being tracked and it would have to broadcast this location
information to the trackers.

True, but GPS is GPS. They all use the same satellites.

me writes:

Some have advocated that. Most folks don't agree that's the
solution. Virtually everyone involved in the system agree that the
primary problem is ATC's in ability to manage the available
resource.

Hire more controllers.

John Kulp writes:

By flying different paths than now.

Without moving runways, that's going to be difficult.

Funny, GPS can place a smart bomb right on a target it tracks, but it
can't track aircraft.

GPS is a receiver-only system. It provides guidance to the aircraft in which
it is installed. It provides nothing to anyone else, by design.

I have news for you. I was on an international
flight a while back and was talking to the relief pilot. He said the
US was the only country NOT using GPS and was totally outdated. So
how, then, do the flights get to where they're going?

What your pilot doesn't know is that the FMS in every aircraft (almost) uses
GPS as one of its navigation sources. The FMS uses GPS, VORs, ILS, ADF, and
potentially whatever else is on the aircraft for navigation. So the U.S. is
making heavy use of GPS.

Still, this has nothing to do with _tracking_ aircraft by GPS, which is not
possible.

Ah, so you reduce shedules making them less convenient for the public,
force aircraft to buy and sell aircraft they don't want, etc. etc.
Brilliant.

As fuel dwindles and CO2 increases, it will certainly seem so, although I
rather consider it self-evident.

John Kulp writes:

True, but GPS is GPS. They all use the same satellites.

Yes, but GPS is useless for tracking, and that is by design.

John Kulp writes:

Completely silly, of course. It's called redunancy.

Redundancy won't help in a deliberate attempt.

Check the web. Where you'll find out that 4 engined planes aren't
anywhere near as efficient as two engined. Have much less fuel
efficient engines,, etc.

They don't have to have four engines to be big, and they are certainly not 100
times less efficient.

Uuh. that was about 40 years ago ace when it was true.

So things change.

Recently, NotPC posted:

Snip Yeah, get rid of all the women and blacks. And take
the stupid bigots
with them at the same time.


I did not say get rid of all the women and blacks.
[...]

The failure to see that the promotion of
minorities and women into some key safety positions within
the FAA was a mistake.

Perhaps you can explain the difference between these remarks, and how they
are not bigotted?

Neil

"Morgans" wrote in
:


"Allen" wrote

AVIATION FUEL
General Aviation Fuel Aviation gasoline: $0.193/gallon
Tax Jet fuel: $0.218/gallon
Commercial Fuel Tax $0.043/gallon

Wow! I didn't know that the airlines paid almost no tax on fuel. Do
the corporate jets get the same tax break, or do they pay the higher
rate of .s28 per gallon? From your post, I take that they do not.
How about the new light jet businesses that do the taxi type charters?

The airlines really have balls complaining about others not paying
their fair share, when they pay squat on fuel, and little on per seat
taxes. Typical of their powerful lobby.

It still ****es me off, though.

Only the airlines pay no tax for fuel. All part 91 GA operations,
which includes corporate jets pay.

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

(John Kulp) wrote in
:

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:23:10 -0600, Rick Blaine
wrote:

(John Kulp) wrote:

"The guys who fly around in private jets" make up about 40 percent
of the air traffic in the Northeast, he said. "One would think
it's not just airlines that would be asked to reduce capacity," he
said.

Is this number correct?

Yes, and they don't pay anywhere near their fair share of fees
either.

Well that's certainly a matter for debate...

The vast majority of gen av traffic would operate just fine without
ATC at all. With the exception of a few airports that are commercial
hubs, and a couple like Teterboro that attract a bunch of CEO flights.


Apparently, you have never heard of approach control, ground control,
or departure control.


Have heard of them and even use them at times. Unless you are IFR,
they are NOT needed at a vast majority of airports in the United States.
Most airports in the U.S. do not have a control tower, and many of those
who do do not have a 24 hour control tower. No local or ground
controllers. No ground control.

Even IFR, unless you are in the area of major airports, you may very
well not have TRACON, ground, or local control. You take off with a
clearance void time obtained from an RCO or relayed by FSS and once at
sufficient altitude talk directly to the ARTCC for your location.

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

On Sep 13, 12:57 am, Mxsmanic wrote:
me writes:
Some have advocated that. Most folks don't agree that's the
solution. Virtually everyone involved in the system agree that the
primary problem is ATC's in ability to manage the available
resource.

Hire more controllers.

And concentrate them where they are needed.

mrtravel wrote:
Gig 601XL Builder wrote:

TMOliver wrote:

I don't know if the 40% is correct, but "executive jet a/c"
certainly receive a "free ride" from the current system.


Well a Citation CJ3 burns about 111 GPH at a tax rate of $0.219 that
works out to about $24.31 per hour. While not not outrageous it
isn't free.

Do the airlines also pay this fuel tax?

No they pay fuel tax at a MUCH lower level.