ATCA Joins Aviation Coalition on FAA Modernization Request

Dear Chairs Cruz, Graves, Nehls, Collins, Cole, Hyde-Smith, Womack, Vice Chair Murray, Ranking Members Cantwell, Larsen, Cohen, DeLauro, Gillibrand, Clyburn and Senators Moran and Duckworth: 

As representatives from our nation’s aviation sector, we are united in our grief over recent aviation accidents and our commitment to making sure that accidents like these never happen again. 

Similarly, the undersigned organizations, representing our nation’s aviation and aerospace sector, are united in expressing our continued support for ensuring America has a safe, resilient and modernized air traffic control (ATC) system. Congress provided significant leadership toward that end as part of the recently enacted FAA reauthorization bill, and we urge you to protect and build upon the baseline investments in the law to enhance safety in the air and on the ground. 

The aviation industry – from commercial aviation to general aviation, manufacturing, labor, airports, advanced air mobility and other emerging technologies – accounts for more than 5% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) generating over 10 million high-quality jobs. Our ATC system is a vital national infrastructure asset, essential to safe air travel and to our nation’s economic growth and competitiveness. The FAA is responsible for the management of over 50,000 flights daily transporting more than 2.9 million passengers across our 29 million square miles of airspace. 

To maintain a best-in-class ATC system that is globally competitive, it is our unified objective to work with the U.S. Congress and the Administration to find common ground to ensure the operational safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). To achieve this, we must support air traffic controller workforce hiring and training, modernize and deploy state-of-the-art air traffic control facilities and equipment, implement procurement and program efficiencies and facility realignment, and address budget reforms for the Airport & Airway Trust Fund (AATF). We are aligned on not pursuing privatization of U.S. air traffic control services and believe it would be a distraction from these needed investments and reforms. 

Our priorities include: 

1) Robust emergency funding for critical air traffic control technology and infrastructure and controller staffing and training 

2) Direction to FAA to achieve prudent divestment from legacy NAS elements and utilize new and innovative procurement methods to facilitate the deployment of state-of-the-art technology 

3) Realignment and modernization of ATC facilities to improve operational efficiencies 

4) Additional financial mechanisms to more effectively utilize AATF balances to enhance safety in the air and on the ground including through multi-year budgeting 

5) Exempting the Federal Aviation Administration from government shutdowns to ensure a predictable funding stream to ensure continued safety and air traffic control personnel hiring and training 

We have attached a white paper to discuss the challenges and opportunities in more detail. Addressing these areas will reduce costs, inefficiencies, and strengthen American competitiveness and will also ensure the FAA continues to uphold the highest standards of safety for all who use our nation’s airspace. The FAA’s primary mission has been, and should continue to be, ensuring the operational safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). Everything the FAA does must be directly tied to, and in support of, that mission. 

Our organizations are ready to work with you to ensure the FAA is more capable and prepared to deliver economic growth, foster American innovation, adapt to challenges, and continue to be the safest, largest, and most complex air traffic control system in the world. Please let us know what we can do to support your consideration and efforts. 

Aeronautical Repair Station Association 

Aerospace Industries Association 

Air Line Pilots Association

International Air Traffic Control Association 

Aircraft Electronics Association 

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association 

Airlines for America 

Allied Pilots Association 

American Association of Airport Executives 

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA 

Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International 

Aviation Technical Education Council 

Experimental Aircraft Association Inc. 

General Aviation Manufacturers Association 

Global Business Travel Association 

InternationalAir Transport Association 

International Council of Air Shows 

National Agricultural Aviation Association 

National Air Carrier Association 

National Air Traffic Controllers Association 

National Air Transportation Association 

National Association of State Aviation Officials 

National Business Aviation Association 

NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots 

Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO 

Recreational Aviation Foundation 

Regional Airline Association 

Southwest Airlines Pilots Association 

Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO 

Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO 

Travelers United U.S. Travel Association 

Vertical Aviation International 

Vertical Flight Society