Aviation Industry Coalition Calls on Congress To Strengthen Nation’s Air Traffic Control Facilities

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 2:25 PM ET, Wed July 17, 2024

A broad coalition of aviation industry stakeholders is asking Congress to step-up investment in modernizing the country’s air traffic control system.

In a July 16 letter to congressional leaders of aviation committees, the coalition, which represents nearly every sector of the country’s aviation industry, says “more must be done to not only maintain and sustain the [air traffic control] ATC system, but also to modernize it.”

While applauding the government’s continued support to ensure that America has a “safe, resilient and modernized air traffic control system” the coalition said its “collective view is that Congress should consider making changes to its administration of the Airport & Airway Trust Fund (AATF).”

The changes being sought by the coalition would give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the ability to more effectively utilize the Trust Fund balance for needed facility upgrades and system modernization.

The coalition’s letter also urges Congressional appropriators to work with the FAA and all stakeholders to provide predictable appropriations, primarily from the Trust Fund, in order to help ensure that the FAA has an updated plan “in order to effectively use the resources necessary to continue to grow the [national airspace system] NAS safely and efficiently,” says the letter.

“Supporting the system through robust appropriations primarily derived from the AATF will ensure the system has the resources necessary to grow safely and in a sustainable manner. Robust government investment in our aviation system is critical to continued safety and our global competitiveness,” the letter adds.

Excess funds should be used for 'critical' system needs

The Trust Fund is expected to have surpluses in the next few years, according to the coalition, which includes Airlines for America (A4A) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and a long list of additional industry organizations.

Using those excess funds to aggressively address the aviation system’s needs is critical, according to the coalition.

The latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecast (for June 2024), show that AATF revenues are expected to grow 3.3 percent annually from fiscal year 2024.

In addition, the AATF’s uncommitted balance is projected to reach $5.8 billion by the end of the current fiscal year and is projected to grow to $9.5 billion by the end of the decade.

“The AATF’s significant uncommitted balance along with CBO’s surplus projections show that the AATF is a stable and predictable source of funding to address the system needs across the NAS, and we urge Congress to use them to address safety-critical user needs,” says the letter.

While the coalition acknowledges that the recently passed FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 took important steps to address air traffic workforce hiring, training and staffing, it contends that more must be done for the country’s national airspace system.

Some effects of what the coalition calls NAS “underinvestment” include:

Neglect of necessary maintenance for existing systems. The FAA switched to a “fix-on-fail” model during FY2013’s sequestration and has not returned to a model of preventative maintenance.
Facilities that have exceeded their lifespan. In 2017, the FAA’s Life Cycle Facility Maintenance and Repair Report reviewed the conditions of each of FAA’s 21 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC), as well as San Juan and Guam Combined Control facilities, and determined that only three of the 23 facilities evaluated could be classified in “good” condition. “These and other FAA air traffic control facilities have exceeded their expected lifespan” says the letter.

Every ARTCC and more than a quarter of all FAA facilities are at least 50 years old, with many in need of replacement.
NextGen modernization delays. Underinvestment is facilities and equipment is also affecting NextGen, the multi-decade effort to modernize America’s air transportation systems, says the letter. “The deployment of key NextGen programs has been delayed by deployment slowdowns during COVID that compounded the effects of a tight budget,” the letter continues.

The aviation industry, which includes commercial aviation, general aviation, manufacturing, advanced air mobility and the introduction of other emerging technologies, accounts for more than 5 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

Others signing on to the letter included: Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA); Aerospace Industries Association (AIA); Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA); Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA); Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA); Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA); Airlines for America (A4A); Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA); Cargo Airline Association (CAA); Experimental Aircraft Association Inc. (EAA); Global Business Travel Association (GBTA); International Air Transport Association (IATA); International Council of Air Shows (ICAS); National Air Carrier Association (NACA); National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA); National Air Transportation Association (NATA); National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASEO); National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots; Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS); Regional Airline Association (RAA); Travelers United; U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Vertical Aviation International (VAI) and Vertical Flight Society (VFS).