Most of the recent focus on reducing delays has been on building runways or finding safe ways to squeeze more planes into the same air space. But tests at four major airports show that simpler and cheaper weather displays can substantially reduce delays. Budget cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration have reduced the number of facilities that will get the equipment over the next two years, however, officials told USA Today .
Most airports have no system to track the movement of thunderstorms.
The Integrated Terminal Weather System, which shows controllers where storms will be in 60 minutes, was supposed to be in place at 33 airports within two years. But that has been reduced to as few as eight airports. Steven Zaidman, FAA research and acquisition chief, said the agency is enthusiastic about test results and is considering restoring funds. Flight delays reached record levels during the past two summers. Tests by Lincoln Laboratories, a research arm of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, show that many of those delays are needless.