Supporters Hope This Time Is More Successful
Consider more than just cost benefits, and ask for input from
all sides, before further consolidating the nation's air traffic
facilities. That's the message to the Federal Aviation
Administration behind H.R. 2443, the Federal Aviation
Administration Facility Consolidation Moratorium Act of 2007.
The bipartisan bill was introduced this week by US
Representatives Ted Poe, (R-TX) and Bob Filner (D-CA), and would
place a moratorium on the consolidation of air traffic control
facilities.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association notes H.R. 2443
comes on the heels of a strong bipartisan effort, led by California
Congresswoman Mary Bono, Rep. Filner, and California Senators
Barbara Boxer Dianne Feinstein, to challenge the FAA's planned move
of the Palm Springs Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) to the
Southern California TRACON.
Representatives with NATCA tell ANN the union is not opposed to
consolidation efforts where they make sense, as long as there is a
transparent process and stakeholders are involved. However, NATCA
President Patrick Forrey maintains the current FAA approach to
consolidation is unwise because "the agency is completely rejecting
any collaboration with controllers, pilots, local officials and
other stakeholders. You cannot make these decisions in a closed FAA
office, with no input from those whose lives you are directly
affecting on such important issues like transferring control of
airspace. Furthermore, the agency should avoid the appearance of
putting cost savings ahead of what’s best for the safety of
the system and the current flawed consolidation process only adds
to this perception."
During the past 20 years, the FAA, NATCA, and affected
stakeholders have successfully collaborated on eight major
consolidations of terminal airspace: New York, Southern California,
Chicago, Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth, Northern California, Atlanta,
and the Baltimore/Washington/Virginia Tri-State (Potomac) Area.
In many cases, consolidations can lead to increased efficiency,
capacity, and savings to the taxpayers. However, NATCA maintains
decisions on consolidation should not be limited to cost benefits
alone, noting the FAA also has an obligation to keep members of
Congress, the public, airport operators, aviation operators, and
other stakeholders informed of potential, planned, or pending
agency efforts that could affect the safety and efficiency of
airspace. A full risk-assessment and cost/benefit analysis must be
performed and made public.
"A moratorium is necessary until the FAA re-embarks on planning
consolidations in the open and involving stakeholders," Forrey
said.
Efforts by Texas Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison to halt the consolidation of the Southeast Regional
Airport’s TRACON in Beaumont, TX to Houston TRACON, and by
Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor to halt the consolidation of Little
Rock TRACON to Memphis TRACON, were also included in the
Senate’s version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill.
The move to halt ATC consolidation is not unprecedented... but
the FAA has also demonstrated an unwillingness to heed legislators'
wishes in the past.
As ANN reported, in 2006 the
House voted 261-166 in favor of an amendment, introduced by Rep.
Alcee Hastings (D-FL) to prevent the FAA from further consolidation
of air traffic control functions for Palm Beach International.
The FAA ignored that amendment... and, in fact, even moved up the planned date of the PBI
consolidation.
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