No matter how often the ATC privatization debate comes up, only a few people seem to remember that even a decade ago, the strongest supporters of the move to split air traffic off from the FAA were the major airlines. In fact, the idea of splitting ATC away from the FAA first began with the airlines.
General Aviation Hasn’t Forgotten Aunt Edna
Key Takeaways:
- The idea of privatizing Air Traffic Control (ATC) originated with major airlines over a decade ago.
- Current legislative efforts (H.R. 2997) to privatize ATC, though offering user-fee exemptions to general aviation, struggle to gain widespread support.
- This resistance is linked to the 2007 "Aunt Edna" campaign, where airline lobbyists aggressively targeted business aviation for not paying its "fair share" and advocated for airline priority in the ATC system.
- The article suggests that the general and business aviation communities remember this historical animosity, making them wary of current privatization proposals.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
