Four leading Nebraska aviation groups joined with many others nationwide Wednesday to oppose H.R. 2997, a bill that would privatize our air traffic control system, putting it in the hands of a private board dominated by commercial airline and private interests.
Duncan Aviation, Nebraska Association of Airport Officials, Nebraska Aviation Council, and Nebraska Business Aviation Association represent a majority of the Cornhusker State’s aviation community.
All four entities signed a letter to Nebraska’s Congressional Delegation.
The letter states as follows:
“Recently, the three entities specifically created to provide Congress with non-partisan research and analysis have reviewed the air traffic control (ATC) ‘privatization’ proposal being pushed by the big airlines. The Congressional Research Service said H.R. 2997 was ‘likely unconstitutional.’ The Congressional Budget Office said the bill would raise the deficit by $100 billion. Finally, the Government Accountability Office said privatization would interfere with ATC programs that have delivered $2.7 billion in benefits to all users of the system and are on budget.
In addition, over 100 business leaders from 50 states, most of whom are pilots, have expressed their opposition to the ATC privatization proposal from the big airlines. These are successful business leaders who understand a profit and loss statement, as well as flight plans, and are responsible for a significant number of jobs and investment.”
Western Nebraska Regional Airport Manager Darwin Skelton joins those opposed to privatization.
Skelton, a former president of the Nebraska Association of Airport Officials, told KNEB News that relinquishing control of a system that is currently motivated by government regulation to a system that would be financially motivated would be a bad idea.
http://kticradio.com/regional-news/four-nebraska-aviation-organizations-speak-out-against-air-traffic-control-privatization/