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This paper discusses a concept called "Paired Approaches" which is designed to facilitate approaches to closely spaced parallel runways (CSPRs) -i.e., runways separated by 700 ft to 2500 ft, in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Such runway pairs experience a significant loss of arrival capacity during IMC and marginal visual conditions because currently, runway pairs like this can only be used for simultaneous arrivals when pilots can provide visual separation. The basic procedure design, operations concept, the required cockpit tools and initial feasibility of the paired approach concept were developed in the 1990's and included real time pilot and controller simulations and evaluations. These initial simulations indicated that the Paired Approach procedure was feasible for both pilots and controllers.

If appropriately equipped, aircraft traveling throughout the global air space have the unique capability to measure and report high-resolution meteorological data, under all weather conditions. These data can have high economic value for both aviation and nonaviation uses by communicating a dense picture of weather conditions from thousands of ad hoc sensors operating daily in the global air space over areas of an aviation operational interest. However, ensuring that the technology provides adequate levels of service and safety requires a clear understanding of system performance characteristics in conjunction with sensor and data link capabilities, broadcast frequencies, equipage rates, and operational service environment requirements. This paper explores the density of coverage as a measure of performance by presenting the problem as a stochastic area coverage model of a homogeneous dynamic wireless ad hoc sensor network. A model was developed to relate the density needs of various advanced air traffic management applications to the spatial and temporal coverage of aircraft-sensed meteorological data in the airport terminal area. A comprehensive experimental design is presented with varying aircraft equipage rates, message broadcast frequencies, coverage granularities, and traffic demand levels. Infrastructure and sensor limitations are included to capture some realism within the model. Results are determined by solving this variation on a traditional set covering model using Monte Carlo simulation techniques.

To increase productivity and achieve promised operating budget savings, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York City wished to optimize bus maintenance routines throughout its different divisions. New York City Transit and the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority entered an agreement with the Local 100, Transport Workers Union of America of Greater New York, AFL-CIO to form a team of delegates, under the supervision of a mediating industrial engineer (IE), to create standard task times for 26 specified bus maintenance core procedures. Within 90 days, this process intended to ( a) create fixed standards for each task, and ( b) reduce times now spent on certain jobs. Throughout the process, labor and management were urged to articulate rationales and listen to explanations. Predictable arguments were initially cited, but these evolved into discussions of new approaches or considerations agreeable to both sides. In a disagreement, the IE tried to narrow differences and facilitate agreement on an intermediary value determined by timed demonstrations. The method invoked an iterative process of negotiation, converging upon the final agreement, which proved to be an interesting heuristic in general for similar mediation processes. This process of union and management coming together on issues of productivity is certainly not new and has been studied in the past. But, at a time when all transit budgets are under fire, issues such as saving jobs while reducing costs assume great importance.