NASA to test small-aircraft tech
New smallaircraft technology would enable more direct flights to remote or suburban communities that are often overlooked by larger commercial airlines
NASA plans to begin testing new small-aircraft technology later this year
that would enable more direct flights to remote or suburban communities
that are often overlooked by larger commercial airlines.
Bruce Holmes, general aviation program manager at NASA, detailed the agency's
plans for the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) at a House hearing
Tuesday.
"SATS technologies may enable reducing intercity travel times by half in
many markets while increasing the number of communities served by air transportation
tenfold," Holmes said at a hearing held by the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee's Aviation Subcommittee.
SATS consists of new on-board technologies, a new communications system
and new ways of developing aircraft similar to how the automotive industry
works, Holmes said. It also involves training people on a new way to operate
in the National Airspace System.
The SATS concept would use small aircraft — for example, those with four
to six seats — for purposes including personal and business transportation
and on-demand, point-to-point direct travel between smaller regional airports.
SATS would use Internet technology for such things as travel planning and
scheduling. It would not depend on control towers or radar surveillance,
and SATS aircraft would be able to operate in almost any type of weather.
NASA plans to test the SATS concept from fiscal 2001 through fiscal 2005
with proposed funding of $69 million. Once NASA proves that the technology
works, it must persuade officials who own smaller airports to make the investment
in SATS.
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