ATC Privatization

In order for the privatization of the ATC system to be in effect it would somehow have to be funded. The main proposal for funding has been through user fees which have been rejected by groups such as AOPA and the NBAA. Mark Baker and Ed Bolen. The heads of these organizations have been rallying against privatization and have stated that imposing user fees will stifle general aviation by restricting access to airport and airspace. (Pope, 2015)

For a while the airline industry has been quiet about the privatization plan but have recently suggested that the system should be privatized. In the hands of the FAA modernization of the ATC system has been severely flawed by expensive costs, failed promises, and missed deadlines. These problems costs $12 billion annually for the airlines which is then passed onto the consumer so it makes sense why the airlines are for privatization. (Boyd, 2015)

As far as I know Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and the United Kingdom have either fully or partially privatized ATC systems. Nav Canada, led by John Crichton, is the private ATC system used in Canada. Before its creation ATC was run by the government much like it is in the U.S. being underfunded and using backwards technology. Nav Canada has been the inspiration for U.S. advocates who want to strip control of ATC away from the FAA and provide more reliable funding. The move is also said will advance NextGen, the FAA’s over budget and delayed modernization plan. (Carey, 2015) The bill has been introduced through Congress and will have to go through the House of Representatives, the Senate, and finally the President.

I can see why privatizing our ATC system is important and I like the idea but I don’t think that it would be as smooth or simple as it seems. I am against privatization because of the uncertainty of implementation and the costs to the general public. Privatization will most likely increase the tax on the general public and the general aviation community. There is also the worry that it privatization will not work well in the U.S. Nav Canada has been good for Canadian aviation industry but that does not mean that it would work for the U.S. especially since Canada has much fewer flights with 3 million per year compared to the U.S. with 15 million per year. As stated before I like the idea of privatization and want to see it eventually, but there is a lot more planning that has to be done within the government and the aviation industry.

References

Boyd, M. (2015, October 6). Time To Privatize U.S. Air Traffic Control, The Right Way. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeboyd/2015/10/06/time-to-privatize-air-traffic-control-the-right-way/

Carey, S. (2015, October 18). Nav Canada Draws Interest in U.S. Retrieved from Wall Street Journal: http://www.wsj.com/articles/nav-canada-draws-interest-in-u-s-1445160603

Pope, S. (2015, June 23). AOPA, NBAA Warn of 'Troubling' ATC User Fee Bill. Retrieved from Flyingmag: http://www.flyingmag.com/news/aopa-nbaa-warn-troubling-atc-user-fee-bill