Washington, DC, May 6, 2015 – The following is a statement by National Air Transportation Association President and CEO Thomas L. Hendricks following the National Research Council’s (NRC) release of its review of FAA’s air traffic control modernization effort:
“When it comes to the challenges faced by NextGen, some in the aviation community are unfortunately suffering from a bad case of “group think” that pillories both the institution of the FAA and its thousands of highly skilled and dedicated employees. In fact, there is significant work being done at FAA, work that we risk throwing away by addressing reasonable concerns with potentially disruptive solutions.
"No one in the aviation community suggests accepting the status quo. Like any large organization with an established bureaucracy, change can be extremely difficult and there are numerous examples of where the injection of additional private sector practices has and would continue to greatly improve the FAA’s operating structure and performance. However, it appears almost deliberately unnoticed by some that the FAA is bringing online highly advanced and improving technologies. Good changes to our air traffic system are underway and we need to keep the pressure on for more and faster change.
Before we leap too far down the proposed path of some pundits, to remove the air traffic control system from its governmental role to a network run by users, let’s avoid basing any decisions upon outdated, unrealistic expectations. While modernizing and adapting for future requirements is an absolute must, let’s ensure we’re not using more than decade-old assumptions and expectations as a pretense for potentially disruptive changes to the world’s best and safest air traffic control system.”
