No User Fees, But ADS-B In To Include Banner Ads

ANN April 1 Special Edition

The FAA announced April 1 that it has decided to bypass Congress before it can establish a non-profit corporation to run Air Traffic Control and has awarded a contract to Google to take over the function next year.

“We’re tired of having those guys tell us what to do all the time,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “So we turned to an established company with a track record of success in the high-tech arena. Since ATC is going to be largely computer and satellite based anyway, Google seemed to be the natural choice.”

Under the plan, the Internet giant will use its extensive algorithms to predict areas of heavy traffic and give instructions to pilots based on previous use of the system. “It will be pretty easy to establish those patterns,” said Google co-founder Sergey Brin. “You’ve seen how quickly we can establish your search patterns and give you ads that match things you’ve looked for online. That can be easily translated to air traffic control once ADS-B is in place and every flight is tracked by ‘N’ number.”

Co-founder Larry Page agreed. “We’re in the process of making deals with all of the online and tablet-based flight planning systems to deliver this product. Once you establish a flight plan on your connected device, Google’s algorithms will determine how many planes will be using that route or destination and sequence flights accordingly. It will work for everything from LSAs to airliners.”

To address the concerns about user fees, Google has turned to a tried-and-true method to fund the concept. “It’s all about the banner ads,” said Brin. “Along with your ADS-B In data will come banner ads that will be displayed on the glass panel in your cockpit. If you want services, just click the ad and you’ll be met at the airport by the appropriate provider.”

For airplanes with steam gauges or local flights that do not require a flight plan,  Page said that they are working on an ATIS-like system to broadcast ads based on the area to which you’re traveling. “It’s all very regional, and of course the ads will be interrupted for communications from our controllers … though that will soon be automated as well.” he said.

AOPA president and CEO Mark Baker said the association welcomes the plan. “Anything but user fees,” he said.

FAA administrator Michael Huerta said that rather than wait for Congress “to ram something else down our throats like they did with ADS-B in the first place, we’d just take matters into our own hands. Google has agreed to share revenues with us from the ads, so the plan will ultimately be a win for taxpayers.”

Brin said that the FAA contract will have an added benefit for the company. “We’ll be in control of the airspace, so we’ll be able to give priority to our delivery drones. Amazon’s drones may experience some clearance delays …”

FMI: www.google.com, www.faa.gov