Shuster Backs Down on ATC Privatization Plan

Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 08:19 PM ET

Verified

An eleventh-hour proposal by Rep. Bill Shuster to remove air traffic control from the FAA and place it under the jurisdiction of the Transportation Department was dropped after an outcry by GA pilots. NATCA

Key Takeaways:

GA pilots and organizations strongly opposed a congressional effort to shift air traffic control (ATC) oversight from the FAA.
This effort was viewed as a veiled attempt to privatize ATC and give airlines significant control.
Due to intense lobbying from GA groups, the proposal was significantly revised, abandoning plans for an airline-influenced board.
The revised bill focuses on creating a chief technology officer position within the FAA to improve ATC management.