The Hill is reporting that a Senate committee did not include President Trump’s controversial proposal to separate air traffic control from the federal government in a must-pass aviation bill. The post reports that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who leads the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said the Senate’s long-term reauthorization of the FAA will not include the […]
ATC
Democrats introduce legislation to stabilize FAA funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democrats are rejecting President Trump’s plans to privatize America’s air traffic control system, instead introducing legislation to stabilize FAA funding. Rep. Rick Larsen (Washington), the top-ranking Democrat on the House Aviation Subcommittee, joined by Rep. Peter DeFazio (Oregon) and other Democrats on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced H.R. 2800, […]
The skies belong to the people
WASHINGTON, D.C. — While testifying before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on reforming ATC, Hartzell Propeller President Joe Brown testified that he finds the idea of privatizing ATC troubling, noting that the U.S. skies belong to the people and should be managed by their elected representatives and the FAA, which can balance collective […]
FAA to hold Airspace Workshops in Las Vegas
The FAA will hold three public information workshops this coming week on proposed airspace improvements over the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The improvements are part of the FAA’s Las Vegas Metroplex project, which proposes to use streamlined satellite navigation to move air traffic more safely and efficiently through the area. The project includes McCarran International Airport, […]
Private planes may not be taxed under Trump’s plan to update U.S. airspace
President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser has said that the administration’s proposal to modernize U.S. air traffic control “probably” would not include a tax on general aviation or business aircraft, according to a news story at McClathcyDC.com. “We’re probably not even going to tax general aviation,” Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, was […]
GA groups share concern about ATC with Congress
With the need to authorize the FAA before Sept. 30, 2017, a number of general aviation association leaders joined together to send letters to House and Senate transportation leaders underscoring “real and long-standing concerns” about a concept being pushed by some airlines regarding air traffic control. Specifically, the GA organizations cited concerns over a proposal to create “a new […]
Video: Behind the scenes at ATC
Air Traffic Control is there to help, but for many new pilots, the other side of the radio is a mystery. In a video tip, Sporty’s goes behind the scenes with Air Traffic Control to learn what tools they use, how they see weather on their screens, how transponder codes work, and what services are […]
Debate over privatizing ATC: Us vs. Them?
In the space of one week in February, a report calling for sweeping changes to Air Traffic Control, including taking control of ATC from the FAA and putting it in the hands of a non-profit organization funded by user fees, was released, just days after a survey was released showing that most voters oppose privatizing […]
GA advocates for contract tower program
GA advocacy groups recently joined with other industry groups to ask Congress to fully fund the Contract Tower Program as part of the FAA’s 2018 fiscal year appropriations bill. The March 9 letter to lawmakers asks for “not less than $159 million” in funding for the program. “The FAA Contract Tower Program has provided cost-effective and essential air traffic safety services […]