U.S. Airlines Request to Tap into Heating Oil Reserve
Future Cell Phones Equipped with Biochips to Diagnose Ailments
Aircell Connects Passengers to Wi-Fi
If Approved, Project May Ease Congestion at JFK
U.S. AIRLINES REQUEST TO TAP INTO HEATING OIL RESERVE - CNN
As U.S. carriers are struggling with soaring jet fuel prices, they have asked Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to use home heating oil reserves to lessen the burden on fuel supplies. “… making the Heating Oil Reserve available to the commercial market would yield immediate, tangible benefits for residential consumers of heating oil as well as the nation’s airlines and their customers,” ATA President James May wrote Bodman. The 2 million barrel Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve was created in 2000 as an emergency reserve in case of supply disruptions during cold winter months. Should “regional supply shortage of significant scope and duration” occur, the president has the authority to open the reserve.
Link: CNN
AIRCELL CONNECTS PASSENGERS TO WI-FI – The Washington Post
In-flight broadband is imminent, thanks to AirCell. Yesterday it announced that its network “gogo” is ready to connect in-flight passengers to the ground, which will be as effective 10,000 feet in the air as on the ground. Virgin America’s entire fleet and 15 American Airline aircraft will be equipped with the technology. Passengers will use Wi-Fi to connect, and they will have to shell out about $10 for hops of three hours or less and $13 for cross-country flights. Alaska, JetBlue and Southwest plan on deploying or testing different systems. If you’re considering purchasing a BlackBerry or other smartphone, make sure you get one enabled with Wi-Fi, but know that you won’t be able to make phone calls or send text messages with cell phones.Link: The Washington Post
IF APPROVED, PROJECT MAY EASE RUNWAY CONGESTION AT JFK – NJ.com
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners will vote on a project created to lessen runway congestion at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. It will cost $5 million, and if approved, it will include extension and reconfiguration of some taxiways and the construction of new ones. The new project will provide more options for routing aircraft and allow more space for airlines to maneuver into and depart from individual gates. Passenger traffic has increased the three major airports operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey by 5 million between 2006 and 2007. “With every flight delay, with every hour of productivity lost to an aging and outdated air-traffic system, we harm not only our regional economy but the nation’s economy as well,” Port Authority executive director Anthony E. Shorris said.
Link: NJ.com
FUTURE CELL PHONES EQUIPPED WITH BIOCHIPS TO DIAGNOSE AILMENTS - InformationWeek
By the year 2010, travelers with medical issues may be able to communicate with their physicians via cell phones with a drop of blood or sweat for illness or stress analysis. Japan’s NTT DoCoMo plans to create “the world’s first molecular delivery system for molecular communication.” Communication technology intermingled with biochemistry will use molecules as a new medium of communications. This technology eventually may pave the way for the creation of an analyzer or a fingertip-sized biochip. In a cell phone, the biochip could generate data and send it to medical specialists using standard wireless transmission techniques.
Link: InformationWeek
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