The White House’s proposal to privatize our nation’s air traffic control system is nothing new. The original en route air traffic control system developed in the late 1920s, in fact, was owned and operated by the airlines. But by the late 1930s, after a number of high-profile airline crashes, the federal government and airlines jointly decided that a central authority should be in charge. The obvious answer was for the government to run the ATC system, which it has ably done for the past 80 years with a safety record unmatched anywhere in the world.
On Course: Privatize ATC? No Way!
Key Takeaways:
- The article criticizes the current White House/Rep. Shuster proposal to privatize air traffic control (ATC), highlighting the federal government's 80-year record of safety and prior attempts at privatization.
- Key concerns include the proposed ATC Corp.'s potential for undue airline influence, the introduction of user fees detrimental to general aviation, and the lack of innovation incentives in a non-profit model.
- The author argues that true ATC modernization would be better achieved by reforming the FAA's internal personnel and equipment-procurement policies, rather than implementing the current flawed privatization plan.
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