Next Gen

The NextGen Weather Program is a critical part of NextGen as it helps to reduce the impact of weather on aviation, resulting in safer, more efficient and predictable day-to-day flight operations. The movement to the next generation of aviation (NextGen) is being facilitated by a change to smarter, satellite-based and digital technologies and new procedures that combine to make air travel more convenient, predictable and environmentally friendly in the increasingly congested airspace.

Next Gen consists of five elements:

• Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B)
• Next Generation Data Communication
• Next Generation Network Enabled Weather (NNEW)
• System Wide Information Management (SWIM)
• NAS voice switch (NVS)

NextGen is expected to improve safety, reduce delays, save fuel and reduce aircraft exhaust emissions. Implementing NextGen involves complex activities ranging from concept development to deployments of capabilities. NextGen will allow more aircraft to safely fly closer together on more direct routes, reducing delays and providing benefits for the environment and the economy through reductions in carbon emissions, fuel consumption and noise.