extending gps technology and the aviation industry. the house aviation subcommittee is looking at plans to use gps to replace radar and air-traffic control system. this is an hour-and-a-half. the committee will come to order. we meet today to discuss a critical part of transportation infrastructure as a global positioning system commonly referred to as gps. we think the witnesses for their participation in the hearing and would like to say a special welcome to the deputy secretary and the witnesses from the united nations international civil aviation organization. a very important framework for our global aviation industry. your participation in today s hearing speaks to the importance of this issue not only here but around the globe. aviation safety is the top priority. according to the department of transportation the global positioning system served as a critical component of aviation safety improvement that the aviation community has embraced. moreover, gps is critical
that all ahead unless breaking news changes everything. a spokesman for the family of senator ted stevens said today the former senator died in a plane crash in alaska at the age of 86. senator stevens of coursed the longest serving republican senator in the history of the body before he lost his bid for reelection in 2008. we re told his plane went down in the southwest part of the state of alaska near the town of billing ham, about 300 miles southwest of anchorage. nine people were on the plane including the former head of nasa. it s not clear the condition of the former head of nasa, james o keefe. whoever did survive had to wait overnight until rescuers arrived on a chopper. team foxes coverage, james rosen from washington. dan springer stringing live in juno, alaska. dan? shep, we know that that plane left a hunting camp, a lodge, 17 miles north and east of dillingham about 2:00 yesterday but it wasn t spotted by a pilot until about 7:00 that night, about five hours