Long-time readers will recall my several scribblings in opposition to proposals to privatize the U.S. air traffic control (ATC) system, and my encouragement to those same readers to communicate their views to their federal elected officials. I’m happy to report our opposition to this solution in search of a problem has been successful: On February 27, U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Penn.), the proposal’s architect and chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, announced he would remove it from pending FAA legislation.
This is a big deal, and a big win for general aviation. If enacted, the Shuster proposal would have turned over the ATC system—for free—to a yet-to-be-formed organization mostly comprised of airline companies with few constraints on their actions. In his statement, Shuster bemoaned the lack of support from his “own colleagues” and said the proposal “did not reach the obvious level of support needed to pass Congress.” He added that he would work with his Senate counterpart, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), to move forward with pending legislation to reauthorize the FAA.
