ATC Privatization

     ATC serves all the different aviation industries, but the biggest industry they serve is the airline industry. Our current ATC system “relies on ground-based radar for surveillance and navigation, and voice communications to relay instructions between controllers and pilots” (May, 2009, p. 2). The communication between ATC and pilots is very important because this is the guidance that is given to pilots to help them have the safest flight possible during all phases of flight. Air traffic is managed by several different facilities that each serve a different purpose during different phases of flights. These different facilities include “Local Control Towers, Flight Service Stations, Air Route Traffic Control Center, The Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), and The Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC)” (Air Traffic Management System , n.d.). On the other hand, NextGen is satellite-based instead of ground-based. This helps to monitor and track where aircraft are more accurately than the system we are using right now. It is supposed to help make traveling more convenient and safer while also saving time and money by reducing delays, time in the air, fuel, and exhaust emissions. “NextGen enables the sharing of real-time data about weather, the location of aircraft and vehicles, and conditions throughout the National Airspace System” (Huerta, 2014, p. 3). With the data being real-time, it gets information to the people who need it at a better time allowing them to make better decisions and make these decisions faster. Another advantage to NextGen is that it allows ATC and pilots to use a proactive approach to finding issues and being able to take action to mitigate and reduce the risks that could be caused by hazards surrounding them such as weather. NextGen also allows flights to have a flight path that is more direct allowing travel times in the air to be reduced. “Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) is crucial to the transformation of the NAS from a radar- to satellite-based system. ADS-B uses GPS signals to determine an aircraft’s location” (Huerta, 2014, p. 11). Through ADS-B, pilots can now communicate data such as where they are or how fast they are going to other aircraft and ground stations that have the ADS-B equipment. NextGen is trying to make the flying public happier by increasing safety while reducing their wait times, delays, and actual time in the air.

     General aviation has spoken against privatization of ATC because if they become privatized, ATC will no longer be under the FAA or be funded by the government. The general aviation population is not for raising taxes. General aviation would not be able to cover all their costs by increasing the taxes that people pay or even the fees that would need to be charged. Unlike the airlines, they wouldn’t be able to generate enough revenue to cover the costs they have by creating more user fees from those who fly. AOPA is one organization that has an opinion on privatization of ATC. “The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, or AOPA, which represents more than 400,000 general aviation members, has repeatedly attacked attempts to establish aviation user fees. The head of AOPA described the user fee proposal as ‘a serious assault on general aviation’” (DeGood, 2015). Due to the fact that they cannot generate enough revenue to cover their costs, they wouldn’t have the money to implement the use of NextGen. Another group that is against privatization of ATC is the National Business Aviation Association or NBAA. “NBAA has taken a position against privatization with the stance that it could create less access to airspace and airports than is currently available” (Bellamy III, 2015). The general aviation population doesn’t want to lose access to airspace so they cannot fulfill their daily tasks or flights. 

     There are quite a few countries that have ATC privatized. “The International Civil Aviation Organization, whose principles are the basis for aviation safety regulation throughout the world, has since 2002 directed member countries to achieve such independence, and the European Union requires it by law. The United States is one of the only advanced industrial countries in which air traffic control is still both operated and regulated by the same agency” (Robyn, 2015). Europe isn’t the only place that has privatized ATC. Canada has privatized ATC which is known as Nav Canada. “Since the users manage the system, self-interest drives them to keep costs low and to invest in capital at the optimal level despite the lack of competition” (Robyn, 2015). This means that people are a lot smarter about what they spend money on and how they try to invest. This could work for them because there isn’t a lot of competition, but it could be harder for places like the United States where there is a lot more competition and there is a lot more takeoffs and landings that occur. The costs are potentially higher due to these factors. There is a lot more traffic that occurs in the United States than there is in Canada.  

     ATC privatization was introduced “by House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), when he intended to introduce legislation to create an independent ATC corporation that would be funded by user fees and separate from the annual budget process” (Wood, 2015). The proposal would have to go through Congress and an aviation committee to be approved. There is no decision right now, but the idea has been brought up to be talked about.  

     

     I think that the current ATC system is more efficient than if it were privatized for now. I think that even though safety is not supposed to be compromised through privatizing ATC, it still is always uncertain, especially with how much traffic goes on within the United States. Being under government regulation makes sure that they are following and working at or above standards that are set by the FAA. I think that there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered and solutions that need to be figured out especially relating to how this will affect other organizations within the aviation industry. I think that they need to make sure that companies can afford to cover costs and be able to expand and advance their technologies if they take away the government funding that will help them to keep up with safety standards.  

References

Air Traffic Management System . (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2016, from Virtual Skies : http://virtualskies.arc.nasa.gov/atm/index.html

Bellamy III, W. (2015, May 21). Aviation Groups Express Support, Opposition to ATC Reform. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from Avionics: http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/topstories/Aviation-Groups-Express-Support-Opposition-to-ATC-Reform_85072.html#.Vpvb7yorLIU

DeGood, K. (2015, May 5). 4 Essential Questions About Air Traffic Control Privatization. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from Center For Aviation Progress: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2015/05/05/112406/4-essential-questions-about-air-traffic-control-privatization/

Huerta, M. P. (2014, August). NextGen Update 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from NextGen: http://www.faa.gov/nextgen/media/NextGenUpdate2014.pdf

May, J. C. (2009, March 18). Air Traffic Control Modernization and NextGen: Near-Term Achievable Goals. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from ATA Testimony: https://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/cyber/Congress%20-%20NextGen%20ATS%20HouseAvSubc_090318_ATAWritten_FINAL.pdf

Robyn, D. (2015, September 28). It's Time to Corporatize Air Traffic Control (The Right Way). Retrieved January 16, 2016, from Brookings: http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/fixgov/posts/2015/09/28-corporatize-air-traffic-control-robyn

Wood, J. (2015, July 8). Call to Action Issued Over ATC Privatization . Retrieved January 16, 2016, from General Aviation News: http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/07/08/call-to-action-issued-over-atc-privatization/