WASHINGTON, D.C. — During the dog days of August Congress is away and it’s a good time to take a look at some of the subjects not usually considered for news reports — for instance, the FAA’s scorecard. The FAA rates itself in a “”how are we doing” report matched to the goals it sets. […]
Next generation ATC: What will it be and how will we pay for it?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pilots and aircraft owners will be getting new equipment and learning new procedures in the coming years as the FAA develops and puts into operation its next generation air transportation system (NextGen). The cost to the FAA will mean increasing its budget to more than $1 billion a year for the next […]
Airlines’ Attack on GA nothing new
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nothing new happens in Washington — only the cast of characters changes. About 40 years ago, increasing sales of single and light twin airplanes and the growing use of general aviation for business travel brought frantic efforts by the airlines to control this supposed threat. Spearheaded by American Airlines, strong efforts were […]
Smart Skies for who?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The airline industry has a plan spelled out indicating what it wants for the skies over the United States. It’s called “”Smart Skies — Airspace Reform Concepts.”” While at first reading it all might sound logical, closer scrutiny reveals a desire to establish an airline dominated system. First on the list from […]
ATC: Are we headed for a meltdown?
WASHINGTON. —The FAA has spent more than $43 billion on the air traffic control (ATC) system over the past 25 years and plans to spend an additional $9.6 billion through fiscal year 2009 — and the system “”is not much different from that used in the 1960s,”” Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) said recently when opening […]
ATC: A potentially explosive problem
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Not since 1981, when the air traffic controllers struck the FAA and then-President Ronald Reagan ordered them fired and replaced, has the air traffic control situation been as potentially explosive as it is now. After nine months of bitter contract negotiations, by law the mess went to the Congress, which had 60 […]
Tribute dinner shines light on GA’s humanitarian efforts
WASHINGTON, DC — A tribute dinner was held at a hotel just two blocks from the Capitol where legislators are wrestling over FAA budgets, user fees and other issues of aviation. Dinners here are as numerous as fleas on a mangy dog. But this one showed what aviation means to the nation by honoring just […]
Race in on to convince lawmakers about how to fund the FAA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — One thing about Washington politics: It is believed that if something is said often enough, it is going to be believed — that is, unless someone or something also says the opposite often enough. Take funding of the Federal Aviation Administration for instance. Like Chicken Little running around screaming that “”the sky […]
Today’s problems have been decades in the making
WASHINGTON, D.C. — One problem of being around an industry for a long time is that you remember what the worries were then and what was or was not done about them. Take airports and air traffic control, for instance. About 45 years ago, general aviation manufacturers were a part of the Washington-based Aerospace Industries […]