WASHINGTON, D.C. — The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the aviation system nationwide, according to the head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
But NATCA President Paul Rinaldi recently told a congressional roundtable on air traffic control modernization that it could also give the U.S. the opportunity to create an even better air traffic control system.
“Out of the chaos of COVID-19, we have an historic opportunity to invest in our nation’s aviation system in both technology and physical infrastructure to ensure the U.S remains the gold standard in aviation worldwide,” he said.
Speaking during the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee roundtable titled, “Final Approach: An Update on ATC Modernization,” Rinaldi told elected officials that the FAA’s physical infrastructure needs attention.
“Our en route centers are almost 60 years old,” he said. “Many towers and TRACONs are in need of repair and replacement. Many of these facilities have exceeded their life expectancy. Some of these facilities need critical replacement of systems such as roofs, windows, and HVAC systems, elevators, and plumbing.”
Rinaldi described the COVID-19 pandemic as “the unthinkable.” But he also expressed optimism that, with a vaccinated workforce of aviation safety professionals and traffic levels returning to roughly 80% of pre-pandemic levels, brighter days are ahead for modernizing the National Airspace System (NAS).
Rinaldi emphasized that collaboration between NATCA and the FAA has been key during the pandemic and will remain crucially important moving forward in modernizing the NAS.
“Over the last 15 months, the FAA and NATCA, through collaboration, have accomplished some remarkable things to keep the front-line workforce safe and the aviation system up and running,” he said. “NATCA has been collaborating with the FAA for the last 12 years on modernization and NextGen. We have had many successes and we anticipate many more.”
But success, he added, will only be possible with a stable, predictable funding stream for the FAA and the NAS.
“Over the years, we have highlighted that a stop and go funding stream will negatively affect the aspects of our National Airspace System,” Rinaldi said. “It undermines air traffic control services, staffing, hiring, training, and timely implementation of long-term modernization projects. It affects preventative maintenance of FAA physical infrastructure.”
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is a labor union and aviation safety organization that represents nearly 20,000 air traffic controllers, engineers, and other aviation safety-related professionals.