Space - Aktiviteter kan føre til problemer for flytrafikken - AIN

ALPA Urges Caution on Space Launch Integration

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is urging caution and collaboration as the U.S. FAA works to accommodate growing demands of commercial space operations. Testifying during a House aviation subcommittee hearing on commercial space regulatory reform today, ALPA president Tim Canoll stressed the need to ensure that safety remains the highest priority as the number of space launches continues to increase. Increased activity is having a significant impact on commercial aviation operations, he said, citing as an example the February 6 launch at Kennedy Space Center that resulted in the delay of 563 flights, 34,841 additional nautical miles flown by aircraft, 4,645 minutes of delay, and 5,000-sq-nm impacted area. Full integration of space vehicles into the National Airspace System without decreasing safety “will be a significant challenge,” he added. “A significant amount of planning and investment is needed to create and implement a commercial space integration strategy very similar to an integration plan drafted for NextGen." According to Canoll, this planning should cover standardized airworthiness certification and equipage standards for space vehicles; pilot/operator training and qualification; airspace redesign and procedures; ATC automation enhancements; separation standards; and traffic flow management tools.