Mica: Improve safety, modernize and improve working conditions

With a cost of more than $16 billion and more than 15,000 air-traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration and our air trafficcontrol operations cost a great deal, but play a vital role in keeping our nation’s airspace safe and orderly for civil aviation.

During my time in Congress, I worked extensively to fix our airtraffic-control system. I served on the U.S. House Transportation Committee for 24 years. I chaired the aviation subcommittee and the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Most recently, I led the House Transportation Oversight Panel, which had oversight of the FAA and the air-traffic-control system.

I have had the unique opportunity to closely observe both the administration and operation of our nation’s air-traffic-control system.

During my tenure, we made improvements that significantly improved aviation safety. We reformed our aircraft inspection protocols and changed from a routine fixed-inspection schedule to a risk-based system. Those measures dramatically limited passenger fatalities.

We also established new protocols for commuter-airline operations, significantly improving safety. And, finally, we instituted reforms in the management and operation of the Federal Aviation Administration.

However, left undone has been reform of our air-traffic-control administration and operations. Coupled with that, unfortunately, is a serious failure of deployment of advanced next generation air-traffic-control technology.

Today, our primary air-traffic-control technology remains a 1950s ground radar-based system. It is far removed from using an advanced space-based platform to guide and locate aircraft safely and effectively.

I pushed to create the next generation of air traffic-control technology, even establishing a research center at Embry-Riddle University. However, the administration did not push these needed changes forward.

We must also modernize our work force and change out the administration and operation of our air-traffic-control-operations system.

I have advocated privatization for some time for several reasons. Privatizing our nation’s air-traffic control can dramatically improve management, advance deployment of next-generation technology, reduce bureaucracy and improve working conditions for our air-traffic controllers.

Some question the need to change our current air-traffic-control system without really having an understanding of the dysfunctional nature of the air-traffic-control organization that has evolved.

Since 1945, when an aircraft hit the Empire State Building, the federal government has hobbled together an air-traffic-control organization.

Over the years, the federal government has added layers of personnel and management, and the FAA is now cumbersome, unnecessarily layered and unresponsive to modernize and deploy technology.

After visiting numerous air-traffic-control towers and facilities across the U.S., I toured Canadian operations that were privatized years ago. What I saw was much better working conditions, more advanced equipment and a much more efficient operation.

Other nations have also advanced their air-traffic-control systems, while the U.S. slides further behind.

Over the past several decades, Congress has tinkered with administrative changes to no avail. Implementation and deployment of nextgeneration air-traffic-control technology has fallen further behind.

The United States is losing its position of leadership, both in operations and development of the most-modern technology.

We have an opportunity to change that, but not with the current cumbersome patchwork organization. Our aviation stakeholders, if properly organized, can significantly change the system and make it safer and more functional and bring the system’s technology into the 21st century.

With stakeholders in charge, we can develop a model for America’s unique air-traffic-control operations, crafted to meet our aviation needs.

While some concerns have been raised, Congress can continue to control fees and charges and exercise necessary financial control and audit responsibility.

Unfortunately, major changes in our federal bureaucracy take place only after a tragedy. Now is the time to act to ensure America’s airways remain safe for the future before the next tragedy strikes.

Other nations advance while the U.S. slides further behind.