(1) The biggest reason GA is fighting the privatization of air traffic control is cash money. Money drives everything in the industry, and is the primary reason the FAA is pushing for privatization in the first place. GA is concerned that the majority of its participants (schools, students, weekend flyers) won't be able to pay user fees associated with funding of privately owned control facilities, an issue that GA specifically has been fighting for over a decade (Wood, 2015). A secondary issue is that airlines and business aviation, that could afford user fees, would gain priority over general aviation users because they would add to air traffic control companies' profitability. GA typically gives most of the right of way to faster moving traffic anyway, but GA officials fear this would make it typical on behalf of the controllers, with little or no say (barring emergencies) from pilots.
(2) The airlines are on board for a couple of reasons, and with stipulations. They don't want ATC to be for profit, because it would cause more issues in the system as far as what the facilities are spending their money on, which is the same issue the FAA is having now. Airlines do, however, believe privatization could make the push for the National Airspace Revitalization Plan 2002 to become a reality, one that the industry needs desperately with growing air traffic and a shrinking control infrastructure. Although it's still monetarily driven, the new system would allow airlines to choose the most optimized routes possible, saving billions of dollars in operating expenses, which is why some airlines are now saying we should give privatization a shot (Jansen, 2015).
(3) There are a number of other countries that are currently employing a privatized ATC system. Some of them are Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, France, Germany, and the UK, all first world countries with thriving aviation industries. There is a varying degree of government control, however, similar to the government "control" over the middle eastern airlines. Also in similar fashion, those ATC facilities run on their own revenue stream, and they make their own decisions as to how and what they spend their money on. The bottom line for them is they are absolutely as safe and as efficient as our system. Furthermore, New Zealand swung from losing $10 million per year on their ATC system, to profiting $4.2 million per year after they switched to private ATC (Adams, 2005).
(4) Congress would have to pass laws that would direct the FAA to set rules and regulations regarding what the ATC companies needed to do to maintain safety, as well as all the programs necessary to evaluate them and ensure they aren't endangering the flying public. After that, the FAA would write the FAR's necessary and establish all their oversight programs and contacts at individual FSDO's. The whole process could take years to finalize in our system, even longer if the fight over whether or not it's the right thing to do is carried heavily on both sides.
(5) I believe the system would be more efficient. Capitalism has already demonstrated companies abilities to make unbelievable amounts of money. That being said, it has also showed, undeniably, that the people running corporations making that kind of money only do it for one thing; and that is to make that kind of money. So many have gone to jail for ripping people off and editing the books, and if that happened in this industry, we wouldn't realize it until we had another massive disaster killing hundreds of people on a Delta airliner (for example). I'm not convinced the ATC system itself would be safer between the time private companies took over the current system and the time that the future surveillance system is fully functioning (ADS-B and data-link communications, etc.). Once that system is established and the airlines are operating in a "free flight" type of environment, I believe privatization won't have such a greedy impact on safety because the safety is far more controlled by the PIC's and the operations folks at the airline level. It's a tough debate though, because without privatizing ATC and allowing them to make some kind of money, that system might continue to be pushed back and not implemented until we're already retired.
References:
Jansen, B. (2015, December 2). Call to action issued over ATC privatization. Retrieved December 7, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/12/01/airline-executives-urge-
privatization-air-traffic-control/76604766/
Wood, J. (2015, July 8). Call to action issued over ATC privatization. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
Retrieved from http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/07/08/call-to-action-issued-over-atc-
privatization/
I like your comment saying Airlines choosing their own routes. To me, that seems like a big factor that the airlines can choose their specific routes in order to save money. Should be interesting to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteSince you mentioned ADS-B, which is a true statement that that system will have the greatest impact on improved safety than any other. And on the safety aspect, I’ve read more than a few blogs that feel safety will somehow automatically be compromised if ATC is transferred to a private entity. Unless said new entity hires plumbers instead of Air Traffic Controllers, I’m fairly certain operations would continue just as safe. Are we safe now??? Well…Two years ago the FAA changed its Air Traffic Controllers hiring practices from giving preference to Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) programs and Military Controllers, to rely solely on a biographical questionnaire to qualify. That’s right, Joe Schmo off the streets direct to ATC. All because of an agency diversity study…I read an article that listed a few of the questionnaire questions, here’s a few: “What sports did you play in high school?” And “What kind of grades did you get?” Yup, I want that person in the tower when being vectored for an approach. Um, no. Adding insult to injury, when the FAA made this “diversity change” in hiring practices, some 3000 qualified ATC applicants on the waitlist were purged from the system, and you guessed it, they now have an ATC shortage. There is a Bill in Congress to restore the hiring practices to the previous and practical state. THAT my friends, is where we are at safety wise, in our National Air Space.
ReplyDeleteI agree I don’t believe the ATC system will be more safe with the implementation of privatization. According to a study by GI approved that implementing ATC privatization did not make the airlines any more safe than what they already were. So tell me again why are we trying to privatize out ATC?
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