Our current Air Traffic Control system is based on World War II technology of ground based radar systems that have to send out a signal and receive one back from the airplane. This equipment is old, outdated, and expensive to keep running. The old system depends on ground based Nav aides such as VORs and NDBs to set up routes for Air traffic. Both of those technologies have been around for more than 70 years, and as the volume of air traffic has increased, very busy airports have seen delays and choke points develop. However, even using old, outdated technology, the ATC system in the USA is the safest and most efficient system in the world, handling over 65,000 flights a day. (1)
The touted answer has been the coming of a new satellite based Next Generation Air Traffic Control System, Next Gen. Next Gen is more than just using satellites to track aircraft. It is a completely different way of thinking about Air Traffic Control. What the Next Gen will allow pilots to do is to file for more direct routes between airports, set up approaches and descents in a more stabilized and fuel saving manner.They are able to do this through better tracking of aircraft and the fact that the controllers will have real time data of both aircraft position, altitude and speed, but also real time weather. (2)
One of the main pushers of ATC Privatization has always been the airlines, basically they want to get their hands on the ATC process and make it either work for just them or make it so expensive to General aviation that the airlines could have the skies to themselves. Because of this big push from the airlines, GA has been firmly against Privatization. The Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association is a great pilot lobbying organization, that I am a longstanding member of, and they have in the past been very against the idea of privatization, mainly because they know that if ATC were to privatize then user fees would not be far behind. Every time that the idea of User fees are brought up, the AOPA has been on the forefront fighting them. The Experimental Aircraft Association, is another great organization that advocates on behalf of General Aviation, and has always fought against privatization and user fees. I remember going to Oshkosh and signing petitions and walls and anything else we could to tell law makers how opposed to user fees pilots are.
There are other countries that have privatized ATC, the one that is brought up most often is Canada, in fact the current bill is modeled after Canada's not-for-profit NavCanada. Much of Europe is also ran by private entities as well, and are funded by user fees. And they do seem to work fairly well...from the outside. The main problem with looking at other countries ATC is just the fact that the US handles 9.6 million Airline flights a year, that is three times the next closest, China, and that doesn't even include the thousands of General Aviation flights everyday.(3) Plus, I have flown General Aviation in Europe and people fly much more unsafely, doing things like avoiding airspace, turning off transponders and not talking to ATC, all to avoid paying, what can at times be thousands of dollars in user fees.
Right now the temporary funding bill is set to expire in March of this year, many of the details have not come out on how, where, when and how much it will cost or hurt GA(4). But it my opinion that it will be hastily rammed through the congress, probably in lame duck, if the Republicans get beat in November and then all hell will break loose after that.
My opinion is that there is nothing that could be worse for General Aviation and really the future of avation than this idea of ATC Privatization and the User fees that are sure to come shortly after. I have seen this fight for almost 15 years now and they keep bringing it back with small tweaks and get a little bit closer. But if you want to see the death of General Aviation and I would say a 10 fold increase in the pilot shortage in the next ten years, watch what happens if they pass and implement Privatization.
1. DeGood, K. (2015, May 5). 4 Essential Questions About Air Traffic Control Privatization. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2015/05/05/112406/4-essential-questions-about-air-traffic-control-privatization/
2. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). (2014, November 21). Retrieved January 16, 2016, from https://www.transportation.gov/mission/sustainability/next-generation-air-transportation-system-nextgen
3. Bachman, J. (2015, September 11). Should the U.S. Privatize Air Traffic Control? Retrieved January 16, 2016, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-11/should-the-u-s-privatize-air-traffic-control-
4.Silk, R. (2015, October 26). Drop in number of controllers fueling debate on privatizing air traffic system: Travel Weekly. Retrieved January 15, 2016, from http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Drop-in-number-of-controllers-fueling-debate-on-privatizing-air-traffic-system
So utilizing your 3rd reference, it states that Nav Canada is the best current model for ATC privatization. Without consideration of currency fluctuation it states that Nav Canada costs 8 cents more per mile. So if we were to agree with this number, that increase would be largely apparent to the industry. Additionally, the conversation of how the fee payment would be broken down for each category of aviation. These debates typically do not discuss if the FAA is the most capable in providing the best system with the developing world. Historically private organizations preform better in the IT realm than that of the government. So I believe a private organization would provide a more efficient system. With that comes personnel concerns. However, if we were able to come to a "fair" breakdown of fees for each category of aviation do you feel that the safety benefits, as well as, the saving in fuel costs, and convenience would out weigh the additional cost of operating in the system?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post it really had me thinking why do the airlines want to privatize the ATC system so bad. Some airlines say they are supporters and don't really provide any reasons where as Delta explains in many articles why they are against the matter. What you said about them supporting it, to get what they want and to get the majority of GA out of the sky, I think is a very valid point. From what most can see most airlines have a greedy side and like to control airports and routes so why not want to control the whole ATC system by making the GA sector be ate up by all the user fees.
ReplyDeleteI too found that Nav Canada is currently known as the best model for a privatized ATC. I just think it would be more difficult to fund it here in the US simply because of the higher amount of traffic we have in our skies. I couldn't agree more with you that this would be a catastrophe for the future of our aviation industry here in the US. This would most definitely cause so much of a set back for all of our current and future pilots because of adding such a pricey cost. I like your blog very much because of how descriptive you are with your facts and how opinionated you made it. Your blog was very insightful.
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