Jim Burnley published "Modernize our air traffic control system sooner,
not later" in The Hill on May 1, 2015. This
article was co-written by former Sen. Byron Dorgan.
Every day millions of people flying across the country rely on
World War II-era technology to guide them safely to their
destinations. That's because the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) is still using radar guidance instead of
upgrading to the modern satellite-based technology. With the
reauthorization of the FAA due by September 2015, FAA and the
Congress have an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of
the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).
Hoping to assist in implementing this program faster, a Working
Group, of which the writers of this article are co-chairs,
consisting of a wide variety of air transportation experts, was
created to research, evaluate past attempts at reform, explore
successful ATC models in other countries, etc. They have
recently released their first public document - a Statement of
Principles - to assist lawmakers with the modernization of the ATC
system. In the document, their ten principles address what they
feel should be priorities by giving a blueprint for a viable way
forward.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
