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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 0010.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT Task force urges larger civil role in GPS BY RAMON LOPEZ IN WASHINGTON DC The joint US civil/military task force, created to re view the management of the global-positioning system (GPS), is recommending that the system should remain in the hands of the Pentagon, but that the Department of Trans portation (DoT) should play a stronger role. The group studied how mili tary and civilian users could exploit GPS, consistent with national-security needs. Its re view was also seen as giving an opportunity to end a sim mering intra-governmental feud between the DoT and the Department of Defense (DoD). The DoT has questioned the prospects for international ac ceptance of a navigation system on which the Pentagon can reduce the accuracy, or shut down, when it wishes. To ensure that civilian needs are fully considered in policy decisions, the task force recom mends that the DoD and DoT form a joint executive board to resolve any differences between civil and military interests. Transportation secretary Federico Pena says: "Because our agreement with the Depart ment of Defense protects the interests of civil users, while also recognising the continuing national-security uses of GPS, private industry can now make the investments needed to take fuller advantage of GPS." The panel also advocates that Security at US airports slammed US domestic-airport secu rity is under heavy fire, after an investigation by the Department of Transportation Inspector General (IG) ex posed widespread weaknesses. Security measures at one airport failed to detect a de activated hand grenade, smug gled through a passenger- screening checkpoint, and sev eral other systems were breached by inspectors. The IG's report says that "...X-ray and metal-detector equipment currently in use had limited capability in detecting certain explosive devices or compo nents for such devices". It goes on to criticise the US Federal Aviation Administra tion generally, for failing to provide adequate security against sabotage. The de-activated hand gre nade passed undetected through a metal-detector por tal because "hand-wand" screening was poorly con ducted, the report says. Attempts at illegal penetra tion of secured areas were made at four unnamed US airports by staff who suc ceeded in 15 of 20 attempts. The IG says that there were few challenges by airport workers and that other investi gators without proper identifi cation also went unchallenged. Once secure airport areas were penetrated, "...we wan dered around aircraft-parking areas, baggage-processing cen tres, maintenance areas and ramp administrative offices", the report states, even though those conducting the test en gaged in behavior intended to elicit challenges. The IG's report concludes that FAA inspection and test ing of airport security "...is not aggressive and enforcement actions are limited". The FAA agrees that there is a lack of adequate security in place and the IG notes that "...the FAA stated that the problem probably exists throughout the domestic- airport system". The agency is conducting an extensive research-and-devel- opment programme on secu rity systems, but has previ ously complained that the ponderous US acquisition sys tem, and particularly the pro pensity of competing contrac tors to protest at each other's contract awards, has delayed the pace of operational trials and purchases. D | the DoT designate an assistant secretary of transportation to chair a DoT executive commit tee and to speak and make decisions on GPS services on behalf of civil users. It also recommends that any civil enhancements developed by federal agencies should be financed by civilian agencies through appropriations and in direct fees. It recommends against charging direct user fees, but says that the DoD/ DoT should study cost-recov ery methods to finance GPS services for civil users. The task force also consid ered the thorny issue of GPS- accuracy improvements — including differential GPS ap plications — which, in the wrong hands, could threaten US military forces. The joint body recommends a study on all such planned enhancements to help officials determine how best to provide Bombardier is delaying from early 1994 until the end of the year any decision on the launch of the 70-seat de Havil- land Dash 8-400 stretched high-speed regional turboprop and the stretched, 70-seat, Canadair Regional Jet. The delay was revealed by Bombardier chairman Laurent Beaudoin, as the Canadian company formally launched the C$800 million ($600 million) development of its Global Ex press long-range business jet. Beaudoin says that Bombar dier is delaying launch deci- GPS services to all civil users. "This assessment will inves tigate the performance, eco nomic and safety benefits and security implications of all wide/local-differential GPS- service options," says the task force report, adding that it should be completed by 30 September, 1994. It goes on to say that, pend ing completion of the study, federal research and develop ment on GPS accuracy en hancements should continue. "The task force's opinion is that near-term benefits out weigh any costs that may be saved by delaying or deferring GPS-accuracy-enhancement de velopment," it says. The task force says that con tinuing DoD/DoT technical as sessments of potential GPS "spoofing" and jamming threats should be completed, with the results provided for further consideration. • sions on both projects, to gain more time to determine market demand. "Too many [regional] aircraft exist, or are planned, and rationalisation is inevita ble," he says. The company has already said that only one of the two airliner programmes would be launched at one time. Its announcement comes after Pratt & Whitney Canada revealed that it is suspending activities on its proposed PW305-derived turboprop, which would be targeted at the Dash 8-400 class of aircraft. • See General Aviation, P16. Dash 8 family expansion put on hold along with stretched Regional Jet Bombardier delays larger Dash 8 8 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 5-11 January, 1994
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