I wonder how many 'close-calls' they have had in the US system?
After all, this has to be the first salvo in yet another NAS onslaught right?
A quick search of the US FAA Near Mid Air Collisions (NMAC) Database, with all its acknowledged shortcomings of subjectivity and under reporting, shows 422 NMACs for the period 01Jul03-30Jun06.
I must admit to thinking this was a rebirthing of a NAS Agenda. The crucial difference this time is the identity of the politicians who the chief agitator(s) for NAS (may) have managed to engage. Previously it was the Minister for Transport now it is the Opposition spokesman of Transport. Like him or hate him Senator O'Brien won't accomplish much in terms of NAS implementation from the opposition benches.
Interestingly, the recently released Airservices discussion paper on Australian Airspace Architecture assumes that NAS Implementation remains Government policy.
My opinion is that given how much political pain NAS caused his predecessors (once and twice removed), the current Minister will be a little more circumspect in forcing through implementation of the remaining NAS charactersitics.
Don't forget that all remaining NAS Charactersitics will have to be put through the proposed risk and Cost-Benefit analysis framework. That may just give the minister enough cover to justify no further implementation.
****su,
Airprox was included in the numbers quoted in the Courier Mail.