Op-Ed: Essex County Freeholder ‘Got It Backwards’ About FAA Laws, AIRR Act

Editor's Note: The following op-ed article comes courtesy of Robert Checchio, vice president of the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Coalition. The following viewpoints are not necessarily endorsed by Patch.

By Robert Checchio

The recent op-ed regarding the privatization of the nation's air traffic control system (FAA Laws and the AIRR Act, Leonard Luciano, Essex County Freeholder, 5/27) unfortunately ignores many key facts.

• See related article: FAA Laws and the AIRR Act, Leonard Luciano, Essex County Freeholder and Livingston Native

First and foremost, Mr. Luciano got it backwards - the only people actually in favor of privatization of the air traffic control system are the commercial airlines and their proponents. Every couple of years, Congress reauthorizes funding of our Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unfortunately, every time that they do, the airlines spend millions of dollars to push for a privatized system, which would give them greater control over our air traffic control.

A privatized system would mean that our system would be run by a board accountable to the commercial airlines and industry interests, instead of the flying public and their elected Members of Congress.  Everything from gate access to routes, fees, and airport investment, would be dominated by the airlines. Sound like a bad idea?  It does to most people.  According to a recent poll, Americans by a nearly two-to-one margin oppose privatization of our air transportation system.

The assertion that general aviation creates an undue burden on the air traffic control (ATC) system is incorrect. In fact, corporate aviation makes use of the capacity that has been created to meet the peak demands of the commercial airlines. Further, while it is true that air traffic control services in many European countries have been privatized, there is little, if any, evidence that congestion at European airports has lessened. If you really want to see what causes delays, look at the conga line of Boeings and Airbuses all waiting to take off from Newark Liberty International Airport one morning, with nary a corporate jet among them.

Moreover, the truth is that it is small to mid-sized businesses, rural communities, and critical service providers that would be most adversely affected by privatization.  According to a recent study conducted by NEXA Advisors, LLC, 85 percent of the companies that rely on general aviation are small- to mid-sized businesses, and the majority that use these aircraft are technical employees, sales personnel and mid-level managers.  These businesses pay into the aviation system through a fuel tax, which is simple, efficient and easy-to-use – the bigger your aircraft, the longer you travel, the more you are charged.  Pretty simple.  Proponents of privatization ignore the huge costs associated with implementing a bureaucratic user fee structure that privatization depends on. Not only that, for many communities around the country, medical care, blood transport, agriculture, law enforcement, firefighting, and many other critical services depend on these smaller aircraft and airports, all of which will be harmed by privatization.

Finally, the modernization efforts that privatization proponents claim can only be accomplished via privatization are in fact already in progress. The project known as "NextGen", or Next Generation Air Transportation System, is well underway and is already providing benefits, without the need for privatization.

Privatization of our air traffic control system would leave consumers and smaller companies and communities much worse off.  Keep Congressional oversight of our air traffic control system.

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