The FAA said yesterday it will greatly expand the airspace flow program (AFP) this summer, an initiative implemented last summer as a better way to manage airline delays associated with summer thunderstorms. In all, seven combinations were available for use last year, mainly to meter the flow of traffic to the Northeast. This year operators can expect 18 separate geographic possibilities when the program expands to the Midwest. In addition, the agency has reserved the right to develop “dynamic” AFPs, ones that are created and implemented real time. NBAA said it advocated for a number of improvements over last year’s programs, including better notification of when an operator will be faced with a delay. Though the jury is still out on the effectiveness of the program, the FAA said it used AFPs 36 times last summer for a 20-percent reduction in delays associated with the ground delay program.