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Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the midst of developing and implementing a new automated air traffic control system that will allow controllers to more efficiently deal with the demands of increased air traffic. For example, computer will do some traditional air traffic controller tasks, like determining how far apart planes should be kept. Present separation standards call for a 2,000-foot vertical spacing between two aircraft operating above 29,000 feet and flying the same …

…result in planes zigzagging from point to point along corridors rather than flying from city to city in a straight line. This results in lost time and fuel. However, it may be several years before a free flight system is implemented, despite its potential advantages. For the system to work, new equipment must be added for pilots and controllers, and new procedures developed to accommodate both the tightly controlled and flexible aspects of free flight.