IMPLEMENTING A NATIONAL SMALL AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM: A PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Impacted by recent legislation deregulation, the current U.S. transportation infrastructure is becoming ever more constrained by capacity. Policies that favor ongoing highway construction and large commercial service airports are being challenged by forecasts that transport demand will continue to outgrow the ability to construct new interstate lanes and runways. NASA, in response, has proposed a national Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), a novel solution that combines emerging aircraft and communication technologies with underutilized aviation infrastructure to meet future transport needs. This article briefly reviews: 1) watershed legislation that has affected the transportation infrastructure in the U.S. and 2) how transport has failed to keep up with demographic changes. Discussion examines issues relevant to the development of a national transportation policy for the 21st century that includes SATS.