Wed, Dec 24, 2003
Could Revamp System
The FAA has formally
announced that it will conduct a public-private competition to
determine the best way to run automated flight service station
(AFSS) services. Because FSS services are so important to general
aviation pilots, when the agency originally announced plans for the
study, AOPA staff successfully argued the association should have
the opportunity to participate in the study to ensure that the
process accurately reflects the needs of users.
Aviation weather services are a critical safety function that
must be provided by the government without fees to pilots, and AOPA
would vigorously fight any action that would take that
responsibility away from the government or 'privatize' FSS
functions.
The association has provided comments as the FAA has drawn up
the parameters of flight service stations' new duties. The current
FSS system is run on obsolete computers from the 1970s, and current
modernization efforts are behind schedule and over budget. Without
significant changes, pilots will experience a degradation of
FSS-provided services while the costs to the government for
providing the service will continue to rise. For these reasons,
AOPA's participation in this study is critical to the future of
FSS.
In an A76 study (so named for the Office of Management and
Budget document that describes the process) private contractors are
asked to submit proposals to run a government-provided function.
The government entity currently providing the service is also
permitted to submit a proposal.
Ordinarily, the government
entity is somewhat handicapped, because its submission deadlines
are usually earlier than the private contractors'. In this case,
though, the FAA has attempted to level the playing field. The
agency has received an exemption that will give flight service
stations the same deadlines as contractors.
"The men and women who provide flight services to America's
pilots are second to none," said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
"Unfortunately the system they're constrained to work with has
become antiquated and obsolete.
"AOPA believes the federal government must continue to provide
flight services to pilots without fees. One outcome of this study
could be that the government continues to run the FSS system. But
it may turn out that having a contractor run the service under
government supervision, much like DUATS works currently, will
provide flight service personnel with a better work environment and
pilots with a better product."
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