When the Wright Brothers first took flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the aircraft they used was built largely of wood and fabric, with a homemade engine. Indulge for a moment in the idea of Wilbur and Orville seeing a modern-day private jet: the awe of seeing the shape, the luxurious interior, and all of the technical specifications. Modern-day range and flight capabilities have advanced tremendously – and new safety requirements, like NextGen, are far removed from the technology available to the early pioneers of aviation. Take a look at current flight technology, like the NextGen requirements, and then see how some of today’s aircraft are incorporating those technologies while paving the way toward the aircraft of the future.

What is NextGen?

The phrase NextGen is used to refer to a wide group of initiatives the FAA is implementing in stages, starting in 2012 and going through 2025. The overall goal of the NextGen program, or programs, is multifold: as a whole, NextGen will relieve air traffic congestion, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and improve location and communication technologies

The Citation Latitude offers room to stretch your legs, with plenty of room for the entire team on long trips.

“If you’re flying just domestically, NextGen affects business jets really only with the first mandate, which today is ADS-B [Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast] Out by 2020,” said Dr. Woody Saland, Director of Avionics Programs and Pilot Training at Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation. Dr. Saland, a typed and rated pilot, holds a PhD in aerospace engineering and works with teams across the company. An industry veteran, he has seen the mandates and programs change and grow in the United States and abroad. “For the average pilot, [NextGen] has become ADS-B Out, because that’s its first mandate, but worldwide it has all different meanings,” he explained. ADS-B Out lets aircraft broadcast information to other aircraft and Air Traffic Control; ADS-B In allows the aircraft to receive broadcasted information. “Europe has Single European Sky, and other initiatives, and ADS-B is required now in Australia across the entire continent. Our Falcons go worldwide and we’ve got to be able to accommodate both mandates and technologies worldwide. It’s a bigger program and a different concept sometimes than just the United States.”

“ADS-B Out is an evolutionary step in communication between the aircraft and other airspace consumers. Current transponders enable ATC and other aircraft to know your aircraft’s relative position and altitude. ADS-B adds important information to help project and prevent traffic conflicts by estimating intent,” explained Jake Biggs, Textron Aviation’s aftermarket engineering manager. The FAA refers to ADS-B as the future of air traffic control and the backbone of the NextGen system. GPS satellite signals determine ground speed, aircraft location and more, while also sending traffic and weather information to the aircraft. “It’s going to give Air Traffic Control better and precise locations of all the traffic,” Saland noted. “For the end-user, it’s just a safety issue that you don’t have to rely on ground radar to keep track of planes.”

As of April 2016, more than 18,000 general aviation aircraft and 510 commercial aircraft have been equipped with ADS-B Out avionics, and aircraft operating in most of the United States’ controlled airspace will need to be equipped for the technology by January 1, 2020. The FAA announced in June that it would offer a rebate program to offset some cost of the equipment. “To further demonstrate our commitment to NextGen, we will soon offer some general aviation aircraft owners a $500 rebate to help defray some of the cost for purchasing ADS-B Out avionics,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, in a statement from the FAA. To be eligible for the rebate, the aircraft must be a fixed-wing, single-engine piston aircraft, registered in the United States before January 1, 2016; however, most business jets have more than one engine and will not qualify for the rebate.

The Legacy 500, which boasts the only stand-up cabin and flat floor in its class, offers incredible flexibility in customization, with interior finishes that range from light and airy to deep and sophisticated

Even though other components of the NextGen program may not affect the airplane’s avionics, they’ll still have a lasting effect on how airplanes are flown in the United States. “From an end-user point of view, I think the biggest thing that NextGen has to offer is a more efficient air traffic control system,” Saland explained. “There’s a NextGen component called SWIM, Surface Wide Information Management, at all the centers, that has nothing to do with the airplanes: it has to do with the modernization of the ATC system.” Additionally, clearance systems will start to use Controller Pilot Data Link Communications-Departure Clearance. “They’re rolling out, for instance, at Teterboro, a DCL where the clearances are coming in directly from ATC right to the cockpit,” he noted. “They’ve had PDC, pre-departure clearances, always available, but that was secondhand from your service provider. This new rollout of DCL will be the first time FANS [Future Air Navigation System] was used for clearances in the U.S. Ultimately, as part of NextGen, for high altitude communications, they’re looking to do a FANS type of data link.”

Dr. Saland recommended that aircraft owners begin looking into the mandates sooner than later. “Without complying to those mandates, the airplane is kind of handicapped,” he said. Aircraft owners should carefully consider whether their aircraft will travel internationally, as requirements will change outside of the United States. “If you’re flying to Europe, the big mandate that’s coming now – and by 2020 it’ll be the entire oceanic airspace – will require FANS equipment, which is a very heavy burden that is very expensive,” he continued. “For U.S. use, you would like to have a WAAS [Wide Area Augmentation System]-equipped GPS in your system, for accuracy, and because it’s required as part of the ADS-B Out mandate.”

How Aircraft are Meeting NextGen Requirements … And Exceeding Them

Aircraft manufacturers like Dassault Falcon have been keeping an eye on NextGen requirements, and working to make sure their aircraft will be able to keep up with FAA regulations. “All current production Falcons come equipped with all the NextGen Avionics mandated capability, either as standard or as options currently for oceanic or worldwide missions,” said Daniel Foust, Inside Sales Representative for Dassault Falcon Jet. “Also, all EASy (I) equipped Falcons since 2003 were designed so as to be upgraded to EASy II, which has all these capabilities and features. Soon, our new Falcon 8X and 5X will deliver with EASy III, to include even more desired – but not required for NextGen – capabilities. Additionally, any Falcon since 2003 will be able to be upgraded to EASy III around 2018-2020.” Compatibility to add onto or convert existing avionics systems will make it easier for aircraft owners to stay up-to-date.

The Falcon 8X can handle flights from Hong Kong to Paris, London to Cape Town, and Los Angeles to Bejing. It features a new generation of Dassault Falcon’s EASy flight deck, Honeywell’s 3D color weather radar system, and an optional widescreen head-up display.

Embraer Executive Jets brought its Legacy 500, a midsize jet, to the market at the end of 2014, boasting the only cockpit in its class to offer a full fly-by-wire system. “Fly-by-wire enhances the pilot’s control of the aircraft and precision of flight, rendering the smoothest flight possible while ensuring the highest level of safety,” the company announced. “Sidesticks allow for a cleaner, more ergonomic cockpit and increased space improves both the comfort and productivity of the flight crew. Together with the two pioneering Honeywell engines that power the Legacy 500, this fly-by-wire system provides the greenest, most fuel efficient operation of any jet in the Legacy 500’s class, providing benefits for the environment while also reducing operating costs.” Fly-by-wire technology is integrated into most military and commercial jets, and Embraer introduced the system to midsize and mid-light business jets in its Legacy 500 and Legacy 450. The technology allows the flight computer to instantly anticipate, interpret and react to critical situations, providing the pilot the necessary advantage and assistance to quickly and effectively address an incident; at the same time, at least one computer is in reserve to cover any potential malfunction in the main flight control computer.

The Legacy 500 was designed from the ground up for the customer, and its cabin compares favorably to many in the super-midsize jet class. “Our decision to build an all-new aircraft – rather than simply upgrade an existing model – also ensured that only the most modern, safest, functional, and efficient technologies were used to create the largest, quietest, most comfortable, and most adaptable cabin available in the Legacy 500’s class,” a spokesman for the company said. The Legacy 500’s cabin has the largest cross section among midsize executive jets and the only flat floor offered in the segment, for a best-in-class cabin experience. The cabin provides seating for eight to 12 passengers, and includes a generously-sized galley and large washroom.

Cessna’s new Citation Latitude is delivered fully equipped with NextGen compliant technology. “The Latitude’s Garmin G5000 avionics system revolutionizes the way pilots access flight data. With just a few flicks of the finger, pilots can take command of the aircraft’s robust navigation, traffic, surveillance and communications systems,” a company spokesperson said. In addition, the integrated flight management system provides extensive navigation and flight-planning as well as en route, takeoff, and landing performance information.” The aircraft’s impressive flight deck includes auto-throttles, a valuable addition. “Because the pilot no longer has to manually control the engines, auto-throttles represent a big leap ahead in convenience and ease of operations for business jet operators,” the spokesperson continued. The technology throughout the jet includes a state-of-the-art cabin management system, so passengers can control individual cabin features and entertainment on their personal mobile devices, and Wifi comes standard on all new Latitudes.

Both government requirements and passenger needs have helped evolve the future of aircraft. Updated safety technologies and traveler comforts are combining to elevate the standards of private jet travel: while the Wright Brothers might never have seen these advancements coming, they likely would have been pleased at the results.