-Free Flight-The concept of Free Flight will give operators maximum flexibility, consistent with safety, to fly fuel efficient routes. The prospect of greatly increased flexibility to fly direct routes could have substantial benefits, including fuel and time savings, fewer delays and a more efficient use of airspace.
-Free Flight Phase 1-Based on a consensus from all sectors of aviation, the FAA established the Free Flight Phase I program to bring significant benefits to airspace users by 2002. The program is installing selected technologies at specific air traffic facilities to help reduce risks and resolve many of the technical and procedural issues connected with the transition to Free Flight.
-Year 2000 (Y2K)-The FAA had to overhaul its computers to make sure they roll over at midnight Dec.31,1999. Without a fix, computers would see "00" and may assume it meant 1900. The FAA has already renovated its systems, and is on schedule to implement the fixes in June 1999.
-The FAA has already completed other important modernization projects. The Display Channel Complex Rehost, a program that replaced aging computers driving the controller displays at five major en route centers (Chicago; Fort Worth, Texas; Cleveland, Washington; and New York) was finished in 1997. The Voice Switching and Control System, which replaces equipment dating back to the 1960s and provides much clearer, more reliable voice communications, also was operational at all 20 en route centers in 1997.
An electronic version of this news release is available via the World Wide Web at http://www.faa.gov
