----- Original Message -----=20 From: "Bahadir Acuner" <bahadiracuner@xxxxxxxxx> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 10:44 PM Subject: Re: Tripling of Capacity for Air Traffic > 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. Just out of curiousity if I read what you say correctly, what airport = still has a co-located FSS? If you have to brief by phone, does it = matter where the briefer is located? What percentage of your flights do = you contact an FSS before departing? Not having flown recently I cannot = speak about current effectiveness of the FSS's. >=20 > On top of that they are arguing that ATC controllers should and can be > outsourced. AOPA has been fighting this left and right. Isn't AOPA's iron in the fire more about the potential to have to pay = for ATC services rather than safety? I must apologize at not having = kept up on the list of potential contract towers. But I don't recall = anything other than what was referred to as a Level I VFR tower on the = list. The safety level has not been compromised (as far as I know) at = any of thepreviously contracted towers. >=20 > 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. Once again I must plead being uninformed. What happened to Jacksonville = Center's radar? Was it the radar or automation? > While they are spending like crazy in unnecessary things like = rebuilding > Iraq, I guess cutting FAA's budget will make more sense.. Baha, I am not necessarily a fan of privatization but I like to consider = myself a realist. Al >=20 > BAHA > Fan of FAA and the great people in there.. >=20 > -----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 >=20 > ATC facilities and equipment cut by 16% but where's the confusion? >=20 > "Smoke and mirrors" is far less costly than tangible improvement. >=20 >=20 > "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> >=20