*EPF309 12/15/2004
Long-Term Aviation Plan Aims to Maintain U.S. Leadership
(Plan sets framework to transform system for burgeoning demand) (400)

By Bruce Odessey
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The Bush administration has released a long-term strategic business plan aimed at maintaining U.S. leadership in aviation by giving U.S. companies continued opportunities to innovate and to compete internationally.

At a December 15 briefing, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta said the plan looks past the present air transportation approach that is becoming obsolete and looks toward the time "when even the sky may not be the limit."

"It won't be long before the nation's airspace will be filled with more aircraft of all kinds, like air taxi services, new commercial jetliners, on-demand micro jets and commercial space vehicles," Mineta said. "This plan sets the course as we begin our journey into the second century of aviation."

The plan, produced by a coalition of federal government agencies and called the Integrated National Plan for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, can be viewed at http://www.jpdo.aero/site_content/index.html

Transportation Department officials said at the briefing that the federal government does not intend to pick winners and losers in the air travel sector.

They said it does seek to set a framework for grappling with the expected tripling of demand for air service over the next 10-20 years, entailing different technology and new business models to give passengers curb-to-curb service.

They also said private sector partnership with the federal government is crucial to achieving the plan's goals.

The plan identifies U.S. goals in eight inter-related areas: airport infrastructure, security, air traffic management, information technology, safety, environment, weather forecasting and global coordination.

Regarding global coordination, Marion Blakey, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, made clear at the briefing that the United States would not lag behind other countries or regions in setting international standards.

The plan states that the U.S. government assumes responsibility for making sure U.S. companies can compete in a fair, open, international, aviation market.

To keep foreign markets open for U.S. producers, one of the plan's objectives is to encourage performance-based, harmonized global standards for safety, security and air transportation suppliers' economic viability.

"The air transportation and aerospace markets, in particular, are highly influenced by international agreements that set standards and provide for market access," the first chapter says.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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