From Rindi White in Wasilla:
A story by Matthew Wald in the New York Times Tuesday says a communications system used by pilots in Alaska could prevent mid-air collisions if used more broadly.

The system, referred to in Alaska as the Capstone program and known Outside as "Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast" combines GPS features with a transponder. Planes equipped with the system have a “moving map” display in the cockpit which shows the plane’s location, surrounding terrain, weather and nearby aircraft. The system can warn pilots if other planes are headed their way.

The story states that in Alaska, accident rates in equipped planes have dropped by 48 percent "partly because the system also gives weather information, and keeps planes from flying into mountains."

While the system might not prevent accidents along the Hudson River, where planes fly below federal radars, state Department of Transportation aviation policy planner Rich Sewell told Wald that it would have prevented a mid-air collision between two planes near Wasilla, had the planes been equipped. Note, the Times refers to a plane collision last year, but Sewell said the collision he referred to was the 2006 Palmer Hay Flats crash that killed five.

Sewell on Wednesday said the Federal Aviation Administration plans to expand the Capstone program nationwide. That means recommending pilots install the equipment (which costs around $15,000) in their planes, and that ground-based transmitters be installed to accurately record and transmit the data.

Sewell said the Capstone systems are costly now but the cost would likely drop as demand for the equipment increases. Read more about the Capstone program here.