2007年VOA标准英语-Airport Delays Growing Longer and More Frequent

By Paul Sisco
Washington, D.C.
21 June 2007
 

Government and industry officials say America's crowded airways¹ are becoming more so.  The technology exists to make air travel safer, and energy efficient, but so far efforts to improve the situation are moving slowly.  VOA's Paul Sisco reports.

Airline industry analysts² say that, on average, air traffic controllers track 5500 aircraft over the United States at any given moment, and that number will triple by the year 2025.

Perter Dumont, president of the Air Traffic Control Association

Peter Dumont is president of the Air Traffic Control Association. "We need to put measures in place now so by 2015, 2020 we have a new system in place that can handle the growth," he says.

Earlier this month in Atlanta, Georgia weather-related delays canceled hundreds of flights.

The situation was at least as bad at Newark International Airport in New Jersey³, the New York airports and elsewhere.

"I would say it's a global problem,” says Dumont. “It is more prominent here in the U.S. because we have more traffic than anywhere else, but it's going to expand globally."

Air traffic controllers

Industry analysts say the air traffic control system needs modernizing⁴ now. Skies are full, planes are crowded and the radar⁵ system keeping them going dates back to the 1960s. 

Pilot Karen Lee agrees, it is time for an overhaul⁶. "It's like driving down the road with a paper bag over your head."

Lee flies for a delivery service that is experimenting with planes guided by satellite technology instead of radar.

Radar updates a location every 12 seconds, and storms or mountains can block its signal. But with signals from global positioning satellites and the ground, pilots and controllers have more complete information in real time.

Basil Barimo, of the Air Transport Association, adds, "What we end up with is a very precise location for each aircraft in the system." Barimo says that would allow planes to fly closer together, and often fly more direct routs⁷. 

Pilot Karen Lee sees other benefits. "We'll be able to save a lot of gas, and we are going to be able to eliminate a lot of emissions⁸ coming out the back end of our engines. It's wonderful."

Peter Dumont emphasizes the scope of the problem. "This has to happen or we're going to have gridlock at all of our airports.  Last year was the worse year for delays.  This is going to be worse. If we keep going forward, by 2025 it will cost us 50 billion dollars."

The U.S. Congress wants the airlines to help pay for it. The airlines say they cannot afford to. In the meantime, air travelers had better prepare to wait.

1 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

4 modernizing   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的现在分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• Modernizing a business to increase its profitability and competitiveness is a complicated affair. 使企业现代化，从而达到增加利润，增强竞争力的目的，是一件复杂的事情。
• The young engineer had a large share in modernizing the factory. 这位年轻工程师在工厂现代化的过程中尽了很大的“力”。

5 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

6 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

7 routs   

n.打垮，赶跑( rout的名词复数 )；（体育）打败对方v.打垮，赶跑( rout的第三人称单数 )；（体育）打败对方

参考例句：

• In this system, more routs are selected by dummy repeater technique. 该系统是将各测点（分站）虚拟为中继站来实现多路由选择。 来自互联网
• I predict from all this an avalanche of dinners and routs. 我猜想宴会来往将会接二连三。 来自互联网

8 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。