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FAA To Modernize Air Traffic Control Procedures To Make South Florida Arrivals, Departures More Efficient

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A video from the FAA touts "brighter skies are just ahead for Sunshine State travelers as the FAA aims to improve Florida's traffic flow through the congested airspace."

The Federal Aviation Administration is making plans to modernize air traffic control procedures looking for ways to make South Florida arrivals and departures more efficient.

"We're trying to move from an age where we were reliant on ground-based navigational aids to one where we're principally a satellite-based system," explained Jim Arrighi from the FAA.

Watch Hank Tester's report:

 

"Just like you use GPS in the car, we've moved away from paper charts in the flight deck."

Part of the plan calls for moving away from ground radar to GPS. That could mean some traffic pattern changes around South Florida airports — the Arrighi said they should be minor.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION WORKSHOP

"People may look up and realize airplanes aren't flying exactly where they were before, which is a great benefit if they're not flying right over you. We recognize that principally the changed will be the higher altitude, above 10,000 feet where we are trying to gain those efficiencies that will benefit those cross country flights."

George Michalek lives in Melaleuca Gardens, right next to Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. The neighborhood was furious when the south runway expanded because of noise.

Hearing the FAA wants to make changes, has neighbors concerned. "We don't care about anything but the noise," Michalek said. "Vibrations are also something very important."

The FAA is holding workshops in Broward and Miami-Dade to explain more to the public — and to get their input.

Arrighi tells us they've been working with airports to make sure noise won't be an issue.

SEE ALSO: FAA Sets Public Workshops for South-Central Florida Metroplex

"If we discover we have a significant impact then we're committed to making adjustments to the procedures to reduce impacts so we remain beneath that threshold where we make a significant impact."

CBS 4's Ted Scouten asked, "that includes noise?" Arrighi said, "that is all about noise."

There's a workshop tonight in Hollywood and two more this week around Broward.

Next week, workshops will be held in Miami-Dade.

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