For example, Susan Godfrey of Morristown, New Jersey, was recently returning home from a trip to Alaska, which required a stop and change of planes in Seattle.

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Several hours and a change of planes north of YVR, the gnomelike Swiss pilot flying the Grumman Goose to King Pacific Lodge is holding forth about Sasquatch (he's seen one from the plane) and spirit bears and avalanches.

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That can't change until all planes have more accurate navigation systems.

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Planes report every 14 minutes, though controllers can change that to more frequent reporting, if necessary.

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Other companies are also seeking to develop more environmentally-friendly planes, amid concerns over their contribution to climate change.

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Billions of dollars are still expected to change hands as passenger jets, cargo planes, fighter jets and unmanned drones are snapped up.

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Climate change is part of it - but ships and planes and globalisation have also destroyed the need for the camel trains that used to bring legitimate goods across the Sahara.

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