Kyle Livelsberger

CS 120 HYB

9/20/2018

The Hidden Costs of NextGen

The Federal Aviation Agency’s NextGen Technologies, a series of expensive projects undertaken

by the FAA to modernize the aviation industry’s technology, is predicted to have massive ramifications

for the industry. The $35.5-billion-dollar project brings updates to multiple sectors of aviation, from

airport runway efficiency to satellite weather imaging. For example, one of these technologies is

Performance-Based Navigation, which seeks to optimize flight paths by using data from multiple flights

and routes to find the most efficient flight path. However, there exists multiple problems with this

technology. Of note to this, under the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Title 14 Section 40, the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with the management of pollution as it relates to

aviation and transport. This often means the management of noise pollution, especially in communities

near airports. However, the more precise and “efficient” flight paths violate some of these regulations.

As mentioned by Kalev Leetaru, a specialist in data and it’s interaction with human factors, “The far

more efficient and precise flight paths have raised the level of aircraft noise in nearby communities and

prompted legal action in an attempt to reverse the modernization efforts and return to age-old

approaches” (Leetaru). Elsewhere in his article, he talks about the effect of efficiency and data as they

pertain to the human side of aviation, with noise pollution being a single factor in this.

However, many people argue that this is not a major concern compared to the potential

increase in efficiency that the new air routes provide. For example, on Boeing’s website, a report by

Senior Technical Fellow David Nakamura describes one of these methods. In his Report, Nakamura

claims that Boeing’s Performance-Based Navigation will include “Global airspace and airline operations

1
are moving to performance-based navigation (PBN), which provides a basis for designing and

implementing automated flight paths that will facilitate airspace design, traffic flow, and improved

access to runways. This change offers a number of operational benefits, including enhanced safety,

increased efficiency, reduced carbon footprint, and reduced costs” (Nakamura 1). While this is for the

most part true, the potential benefits are countered by the well-documented adverse effects of the

increase in noise pollution this system and its’ flight paths would cause. As per the EPA, “Studies have

shown that there are direct links between noise and health. Problems related to noise include stress

related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost

productivity.” (Environmental Protection Agency). This is further documented in an in-depth medical

report by Dr. Alice Suter1, who states in her conclusion “Noise has a significant impact on the quality of

American life. There is no evidence that the impact has diminished in the years since ONAC was

abolished. Rather, it appears that the impact is at least as great, and most probably greater, than it was

10 years ago, due to population growth, especially in urban areas, and the proliferation of certain noise

sources.” (Suter 36). These documented issues mean that Boeing’s flight paths would cause more harm

than they would good, especially for people who live or work on a permanent basis near airports.

In conclusion, there are myriad issues with NextGen technologies. Each potential increase in

aviation efficiency and safety carries with it inherent problems, with Performance-Based Navigation

being one of many potential areas of failure for the NextGen initiative.

1
Dr. Suter is a well-known occupational hearing specialist and was heavily involved in the committee that issued
the report cited by the EPA on their website.

2
Bibliography
Environmental Protection Agency. "Clean Air Act Title IV: Noise Pollution." EPA.gov (2018): 1. Website.
21 09 2018.

Leetaru, Kalev. "The FAA's NextGen Flight Paths and When Data Makes Government Too Efficient."
Forbes (2017): 1. Website Article.

Nakamura, David. Operational Benefits of Performance-Based Navigation. Informational. Chicago:

Boeing Aeromagazine, 2017. .pdf.

Suter, Alice H. "Noise and it's Effects." Administrative Conference of the United States. 1991. 36.
Document.