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NextGen aviation management: The quest for a more sustainable aviation industry

NextGen’s rapid developments in flight management and communication technologies is helping airspace become efficient and environmentally friendly.

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Quantumrun Foresight
September 28, 2022

Insight summary

The US government's NextGen program is transforming the aerospace industry, focusing on safety, efficiency, and reducing environmental harm. It's reshaping how airplanes operate and communicate, leveraging new technologies for smoother, greener flights. This initiative also brings challenges and opportunities, from job shifts in airport operations to advancements in aircraft maintenance.

NextGen context

The US government’s ambitious plans to modernize and digitize the country’s aerospace industry has resulted in technological advancements that can potentially lower carbon emissions. From real-time information sharing to more efficient flight processes, the NextGen program may change the aviation industry’s impact on the environment.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) developed the program Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to modernize the National Airspace System (NAS). The primary goals of NextGen are to improve safety, reduce environmental impact, and increase efficiency. The program is a collection of interconnected initiatives, portfolios, systems, rules, and procedures that substantially transform communications, navigation, and surveillance. These enhancements include airport infrastructure upgrades and air traffic management technologies and practices.

The main objective of the FAA is to guarantee a safe sky and airport infrastructure by providing air traffic controllers and pilots the tools to anticipate and address hazards in real time. As a result, flying has grown quieter, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient. Additionally, operators are now utilizing alternative fuels and cutting-edge equipment to minimize environmental damage.

Disruptive impact

One of the innovations of NextGen is the System Wide Information Management (SWIM), which enables updated information for pilots, air traffic staff, dispatchers, the military, and federal agencies. SWIM collates data from various sources like airport operational status, weather reports, and flight manifests to present what’s happening in the sky accurately.

NextGen streamlines flight procedures in the terminal, on the surface, and in the air to assist in guiding and piloting an aircraft. The NextGen system enables an aircraft to depart from different entry points on each runway, increasing takeoff capacity. Furthermore, the system assists in reducing descent procedures by planning out the arriving sequence hundreds of kilometers ahead of time; planes are placed on specific courses along their descent route. In addition, NextGen supports uncrewed aircraft systems that can be used for surveillance, taking infrared images during forest fires, search and rescue, and weather data collection.

The FAA estimated that the NextGen systems reduced carbon emissions by 14 million tons and fuel consumption by 1.4 billion gallons in 2020. In 2022, the NextGen program improved surface traffic operations at 39 selected airports. However, the US Government Accountability Office reported in August 2023 that the program is lagging in the implementation of its digital communication and air traffic control enhancements.

Implications of NextGen

Wider implications of NextGen may include:

Reduced carbon emissions from the aviation industry as operators combine updated technologies with alternative/recycled fuels.

An increase in automated airports that conduct remote, contactless check-ins and luggage drop-offs. However, this development can lead to decreased employment in the sector.

Pilots and air traffic control employees upskilling in AI and other automated technologies. This trend may lead to a re-hauling of flight school programs.