Flght Rule Changes Comming

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ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 =97 =A0

Beginning in January 2005, the government will allow planes to fly
closer together at high altitudes to make more routes available.
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=A0 'This rule offers a combination of greater aviation safety, capacity
and cost efficiency.'
=97 MARION BLAKEY FAA Administrator in announcing the rule change
Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it will make U.S.
high-altitude airspace consistent with that over Europe, Australia,
Northern Canada and most of the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Caribbean and South American countries will join the United States and
Southern Canada in implementing the new flight-separation rules, the FAA
said.
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Planes will be able to fly with at least 1,000 feet between them and
planes above or below them when they're between 29,000 and 41,000 feet.
Now the distance must be 2,000 feet.
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0"This rule offers a combination of greater aviation
safety, capacity and cost efficiency," said FAA Administrator Marion
Blakey.

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The narrower separations will improve safety by giving controllers more
options when rerouting flights around bad weather, the FAA said.
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The change also will increase the likelihood that pilots will get
permission from controllers to fly at the altitude they want because
more options will be available, said William Shumann, FAA spokesman.
That's important for airlines because flying at optimal altitudes saves
fuel, their second-highest operating cost. And different planes are more
efficient at different altitudes, Shumann said.
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The new separation standards will also give pilots more options to fly
the route they want because more altitudes will make more lanes
available, he said.
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Airlines will have to install more accurate altimeters and autopilot
systems to fly closer together. The FAA estimates the cost will be $869
million, which will be more than offset by estimated fuel savings of
$5.3 billion through 2016.
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"A lot of commercial aircraft already have the equipment," Shumann said. =