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Aviation Flight to the future 航空业 飞向未来 Modernising creaking air-traffic systems will be a huge task 实现老化的航空系统现代化是一个艰巨的任务 THESE days a $15,000 car comes with GPS satellite navigation fitted as standard. 目前，一辆价值一万五千美元的轿车配有GPS导航系统，才被认为达到标准。 But a $150m airliner still has to be guided through the skies by spoken instructions from abloke with a radio in a control tower. 但是一辆价值一亿五千万美元的客机在航行时依然是通过指挥塔台上的人员通过广播进行操控。 That is because air-traffic management systems are stuck in the 1950s. 这是因为空中交通管理系统还是上个世纪50年代的。 Instead of flying straight, planes must zigzag from one ground beacon to the next, andascend and descend in steps, at each stage obtaining permission from the ground. 客机必须曲折地从一个信号站飞到下一个，而不是直线飞行;每一步上升或下降都需要得到地面的许可。 The controllers radar only shows planes approximate positions, so they must space themwell apart. 空管员的雷达只能显示出飞机的大概位置，好让两架飞机之间有足够的距离。 | 
