No, but we'll all have to read the tiny screen instead of the panel, or having eyes outside, and we'll have to learn to type better/faster/cheaper... All of which is slower than issuing and intuitively responding in realtime to verbal command across 8.33 khz frequency spacings. "Free flight" has been around since the 1960's and Eastern Shuttle Electras used Sperry "4-D" guidance. It's here now as "fly direct". And both break down after top of descent into to the terminal area, as you say. You're not losing anything. But it require fewer controllers to do the job. - RWM Allan9 wrote: > > Gosh, I love all this great technology. We will be able to let the aircraft > fly closer and where they want (free flight) and all arrive at their > destination at the same time and enter the holding pattern because the > runway acceptance rate will not handle them. Maybe I'm loosing something in > the translation. > > Al > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Roger James" <ejames@escape.ca> > To: <AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> > Sent: Thursday, October 10, 2002 11:58 AM > Subject: New system to enhance air traffic, safety > > > New system to enhance air traffic, safety > > > > WASHINGTON (AP) =97 Federal officials are working on a navigation system= > > that=20 > > will let planes fly closer together, prevent crashes into mountains > and,=20 > > perhaps, become part of a system to prevent hijackers from flying > planes=20 > > into buildings or other structures. The Federal Aviation Administration=20 > > will establish the automated system at San Francisco International > Airport= > > =20 > > next month, and plans to eventually deploy it at other airports. Many=20 > > commercial aircraft already have the equipment required to use the > system.=