Special Activity Airspace (SAA)

Special activity airspace is designated airspace wherein limitations may be imposed on aircraft operations, including restricted, prohibited, and military operations areas. This airspace is scat­tered throughout the NAS and poses potentially blocking areas to direct flight. Most of these areas have non-active periods that permit com­mercial and general aviation aircraft to tran­sit them, but their activity schedules are often difficult to determine for flight planning and flight operations. The FAA has published a con­cept of operations for SAA data automation, including a system of electronic schedules and updates of SAA operations, to provide real-time
information of the status of SAAs for flight plan­ning and en route use.

Global Integration

As the FAA moves forward to develop and imple­ment NextGen capabilities in the United States, similar systems are being put in place around the world. It is necessary that these systems and procedures be coordinated so as to provide seam­less and efficient operations globally, and that the same avionics are approved to be able to conduct similar operations everywhere. To that end, the FAA works with governments and representative groups worldwide, including the European equiv­alent of NextGen, Single European Sky Air Traf­fic Management Research (SESAR) and ICAO.

■ Why NextGen Matters

By some projections, passenger demand is expected to increase by 25 percent this decade. General aviation piston aircraft are projected to increase at an annual rate of 1.4 percent, while business jets are expected to increase at the rate of 4 percent. Very Light Jets (VLJs) will add hun­dreds of aircraft to the NAS per year. Unmanned Aircraft Systems will become routine in the NAS.

NextGen will help communities make bet­ter use of their airports. Flying will be quieter, cleaner, more efficient, and safer. Travel will confront fewer delays with less time sitting on the ground or holding in the air, and with more flexibility to deal with weather.