HAI: White House Threat to General Aviation

June 6, 2017

Zuccaro: Let’s privatize the technological development and implementation portion of ATC and keep the world’s best-operating ATC system where it belongs, under the control and watchful eye of the FAA and Congress

At noon yesterday, President Trump revealed his plans to privatize the U.S. air traffic control (ATC) system.

Describing the safest and most reliable air traffic control system in the world as “broken” and decades out of date, the president outlined his plans to hand over control of the ATC to a private nonprofit board made up almost entirely of commercial airlines, leaving just one seat on the board for general aviation and no direct representation for the helicopter industry.

In the light of day, the plan appears to be a play by the airlines to control the air traffic control system in this country, with the potential to diminish resources available for general aviation.

HAI President and CEO, Matt Zuccaro is very vocal in his opposition to the plan as presented. You can read his comments here.

The response of the entire general aviation community and its representative organizations has been equally tough. You can read the industry response to this proposal here.

We hope you will join us in efforts to keep the U.S. National Airspace the safest and most efficient system in the world and available to all aviation stakeholders. In the coming weeks we will ask you to contact your elected official to inform them of your opposition to this plan.