Cleared for the option, Left closed traffic, click click.
For people that aren't pilots, or aviation aficionados, or even a few enroute center types, the title may seem like jibberish.
Most of the piece will be phil's two cents on the privatization of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, but a few housecleaning items along the way.
Tomorrow begins the real nothing burger. Driveby media (CNN and ABC) are both reporting that Comey will not testify that the President tried to force him to drop the Russian investigation. That, and a Bernie loving Deep State contractor has now been arrested for illegally forwarding information. They are downplaying big time, knowing that it is extremely unlikely that there will be any bombshells.
Senator Schumer, D-NY, is arguing that they don't have a say in the Repeal and Replace process for Ocare. He argues that the GOP says Ocare sucks because it was one party that did it, and now the GOP is doing the same thing. Huge difference, Chucky, because GOP members were not allowed to participate in 2009. Your party is choosing not to participate now. So you are CHOOSING to sit on your hands. In the Senate, with a narrow majority, there is opportunity to offer amendments and to craft at least try have your voice heard. But you won't, will you?
If you don't care about ATC, then that is it. If you do care, whether as an indirect system user, (flying on an airline) a pilot, or an air traffic controller, then here goes.
Every few years, Robert Poole comes around with an updated study, showing how bad the system is. His studies show that the infrastructure of the ATC system is outdated, it is overpriced, and contributes to delays, cancellations, etc. He wants to privatize the system to make it more efficient, cheaper, blah blah blah.
Disclaimer. I worked in the ATO as a controller, supervisor, and facility manager, but have retired. I often thought privatizing the system would solve some, but not all problems, and some may be worse because of it.
There is a huge problem with technology, and its implementation. No party would disagree. This problem was supposed to be fixed when the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) was stood up in the mid 90s. It wasn't, and as usual, politics get in the way.
A problem is that Congress hasn't provided steady funding. (regardless of party). The system is often paralyzed in procurement, as they can't buy, due to the funding still on hold. (not the day to day, just R&D and such) That would be benefited by privatization, won't lie. Instead of contracting out, perhaps just a significant reworking of the procurement laws? The ATO does have a LOT of leeway to change, if it wanted, and IF Congress provided the consistent funding needed.
Delays. Very rarely is a delay an actual "air traffic delay", the airlines know when people want to get places, and so they schedule their arrivals to be at the airport at the same time. Because aircraft can't land literally nose to tail, those aircraft have to be spaced out. the closer to the destination, the more likely you are to be delayed. This problem could be fixed easily, and overnight, BY THE AIRLINES!
Weather is an issue in and of itself. If the airlines could get a consensus on what the forecast is, along with the ATC stakeholders, plans could be made more efficiently. Some weather is fairly predictable, but airlines are fairly aggressive about minimal route changes. Not sure how to fix that, but here is a piece: The regional jets that are more common these days can't deviate off of their routes once airborne, due to fuel considerations
Air traffic controllers- The hiring is maddening, all going back to 1981, when PATCO walked off the job, and 11,000 controllers were fired. Because of that, it is a cyclical pattern. It takes anywhere from 1-3 years, depending on the facility, for a controller to certify, so you can't just say, "Oh no, we have a bunch of retirements coming up, let's hire a bunch of people". That needs to end, and they need to just pony up the money to even it out.
ATC dodged a bullet back when the FAA privatized Flight Service. And here is the problem that would face a privatization today. You can't just open the handbook to understand EVERYTHING controllers do. (that became very clear when Flight Service was contracted out, and what the FAA thought, and what Lockheed thought, were two very different things.) If you don't put it in the contract, the organization that takes over won't do it. Controllers do WAY more than the book. Ask someone whose life was saved by one.
Congress needs to provide a steady funding stream. The airlines need to stop creating "air traffic delays" with their scheduling. The personnel piece needs to be streamlined, and the boom and bust hiring needs to stop. Procurement and R&D, well, something needs to be done about that. If that were fixed, then privatization probably doesn't need to happen. If it isn't fixed, then something's gotta give.
Most of the piece will be phil's two cents on the privatization of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, but a few housecleaning items along the way.
Tomorrow begins the real nothing burger. Driveby media (CNN and ABC) are both reporting that Comey will not testify that the President tried to force him to drop the Russian investigation. That, and a Bernie loving Deep State contractor has now been arrested for illegally forwarding information. They are downplaying big time, knowing that it is extremely unlikely that there will be any bombshells.
Senator Schumer, D-NY, is arguing that they don't have a say in the Repeal and Replace process for Ocare. He argues that the GOP says Ocare sucks because it was one party that did it, and now the GOP is doing the same thing. Huge difference, Chucky, because GOP members were not allowed to participate in 2009. Your party is choosing not to participate now. So you are CHOOSING to sit on your hands. In the Senate, with a narrow majority, there is opportunity to offer amendments and to craft at least try have your voice heard. But you won't, will you?
If you don't care about ATC, then that is it. If you do care, whether as an indirect system user, (flying on an airline) a pilot, or an air traffic controller, then here goes.
Every few years, Robert Poole comes around with an updated study, showing how bad the system is. His studies show that the infrastructure of the ATC system is outdated, it is overpriced, and contributes to delays, cancellations, etc. He wants to privatize the system to make it more efficient, cheaper, blah blah blah.
Disclaimer. I worked in the ATO as a controller, supervisor, and facility manager, but have retired. I often thought privatizing the system would solve some, but not all problems, and some may be worse because of it.
There is a huge problem with technology, and its implementation. No party would disagree. This problem was supposed to be fixed when the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) was stood up in the mid 90s. It wasn't, and as usual, politics get in the way.
A problem is that Congress hasn't provided steady funding. (regardless of party). The system is often paralyzed in procurement, as they can't buy, due to the funding still on hold. (not the day to day, just R&D and such) That would be benefited by privatization, won't lie. Instead of contracting out, perhaps just a significant reworking of the procurement laws? The ATO does have a LOT of leeway to change, if it wanted, and IF Congress provided the consistent funding needed.
Delays. Very rarely is a delay an actual "air traffic delay", the airlines know when people want to get places, and so they schedule their arrivals to be at the airport at the same time. Because aircraft can't land literally nose to tail, those aircraft have to be spaced out. the closer to the destination, the more likely you are to be delayed. This problem could be fixed easily, and overnight, BY THE AIRLINES!
Weather is an issue in and of itself. If the airlines could get a consensus on what the forecast is, along with the ATC stakeholders, plans could be made more efficiently. Some weather is fairly predictable, but airlines are fairly aggressive about minimal route changes. Not sure how to fix that, but here is a piece: The regional jets that are more common these days can't deviate off of their routes once airborne, due to fuel considerations
Air traffic controllers- The hiring is maddening, all going back to 1981, when PATCO walked off the job, and 11,000 controllers were fired. Because of that, it is a cyclical pattern. It takes anywhere from 1-3 years, depending on the facility, for a controller to certify, so you can't just say, "Oh no, we have a bunch of retirements coming up, let's hire a bunch of people". That needs to end, and they need to just pony up the money to even it out.
ATC dodged a bullet back when the FAA privatized Flight Service. And here is the problem that would face a privatization today. You can't just open the handbook to understand EVERYTHING controllers do. (that became very clear when Flight Service was contracted out, and what the FAA thought, and what Lockheed thought, were two very different things.) If you don't put it in the contract, the organization that takes over won't do it. Controllers do WAY more than the book. Ask someone whose life was saved by one.
Congress needs to provide a steady funding stream. The airlines need to stop creating "air traffic delays" with their scheduling. The personnel piece needs to be streamlined, and the boom and bust hiring needs to stop. Procurement and R&D, well, something needs to be done about that. If that were fixed, then privatization probably doesn't need to happen. If it isn't fixed, then something's gotta give.
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