Sun, Oct 31, 2004
Claims Administrator Blakey's characterization of the costs of
air traffic services not accurate.
The National
Association of Air Traffic Specialists has issued the following
statement regarding the FAA's statements about the cost of air
traffice services during a speech by Administrator Marion Blakey at
AOPA Expo:
In yet another case of the FAA confusing the issue of
privatization of air traffic services, Administrator Blakey’s
speech addressing the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
(AOPA), indicated that every pilot contact with an air traffic
control specialist cost the government $25.00 and flight service as
a whole cost the FAA $500 million dollars annually.
The truth of the matter
is flight service cost an average of $12.00 per contact until you
factor in the cost of all the technical and administrative support
costs. These support personnel are not included in any
privatization or job elimination study. A simple consolidation of
facilities and attrition of personnel would alleviate most of the
issues the administrator spoke of, in her own words, “Almost
40 percent of Flight Service employees are eligible to
retire.” and “The Inspector General's office has been
saying since 2001 that consolidation of these automated flight
service stations is the right thing to do. He projected that we
could save $500 million over seven years.”
The need for upgrading the flight service option has already
been addressed and partially implemented by the FAA. In yet another
twist of wisdom, the FAA a few short years ago advertised and
lobbied for funds to upgrade flight service with OASIS systems.
These systems have been implemented and operational at several
facilities with outstanding response by the air traffic specialists
and pilots.
The FAA that once saw a
bright future for flight service with the implementation of this
new system have since suspended funding and distribution and now
claim flight service is in dire need of privatization to upgrade
outdated equipment. What happened to those lost promises of a
bright future? Where will we eventually find the current promises
from Administrator Blakey and the FAA?
Although Administrator Blakey stated, “The FAA doesn't
support a fee-based system.” The FAA can not rule out the
possibility that a private company can and will eventually evolve
into just that, a fee based service. This system has had a
devastating affect on general aviation pilots in Canada and
Australia. Privatization of any air traffic services in the United
States would mean a slow painful elimination of general
aviation.
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