Bush administration has a lot of "cutting and outsourcing" plans in the works for FAA. One of the things they were/are planning to do is to close most of the flight service stations. They are claiming that internet, online resources and DUATS will be a nice and less costly replacement for that. None of them being stuck in an airport with no facilities except a phone, I can assure you that this will cause more and more pilots leaving with no preflight briefings before their flights. On top of that they are arguing that ATC controllers should and can be outsourced. AOPA has been fighting this left and right. I guess by not investing in the infrastructure that needs work, they are going to make the system less reliable. You can only look at the computer problems that ZJAX went through last week. While they are spending like crazy in unnecessary things like rebuilding Iraq, I guess cutting FAA's budget will make more sense.. BAHA Fan of FAA and the great people in there.. -----Original Message----- From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of RWM Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 7:27 PM To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: Tripling of Capacity for Air Traffic ATC facilities and equipment cut by 16% but where's the confusion? "Smoke and mirrors" is far less costly than tangible improvement. "Herman R. Silbiger" wrote: > > To make this possible I read a news report that a 17% cut in funds for > the FAA is being proposed.. > > > > >Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 09:54:34 -0500 > >From: Bill Hough <psa188@xxxxxxxx> > >Subject: NYTimes.com Article: Tripling of Capacity for Air Traffic Is Sought > > > > > >Tripling of Capacity for Air Traffic Is Sought > > > >January 28, 2004 > > By MATTHEW L. WALD > > > >WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 - The secretary of transportation > >called Tuesday for tripling the air traffic capacity of the > >United States in the next 15 to 20 years to make room for > >more jet taxis, private jets, airliner traffic and the use > >of unmanned aerial vehicles. > > > >The secretary, Norman Y. Mineta, said that air travel was > >recovering from the terrorist attacks of 2001 because of > >improved security and a rebounding economy and that new > >runways, control towers, air traffic computers and other > >improvements were being added. But, Mr. Mineta said, "the > >changes that are coming are too big, too fundamental for > >incremental adaptations of the infrastructure." > > > > <Snip>