Fri, Apr 25, 2008
New FAA Trend Monitors Overall Performance, Not Individual
Components
The FAA has seen what critics term a 'philosophical' shift in
its maintenance of the nation's air trafrfic control
infrastructure. Instead of focusing attention on 45,000 individual
pieces of air traffic control equipment, the new trend is to
evaluate overall system performance.
The Associated Press reports that shift has its fans, but also
its detractors.
FAA officials say the change is aimed at making agency
inspectors more efficient, and is made possible by the fact that
modern radar and other communications equipment is more
reliable.
Sid McGuirk is a former air traffic controller and FAA manager
who now serves as coordinator of the air traffic management program
at Embry-Riddle. He says the new FAA policy makes sense to save
taxpayers money and, "I see no degradation of safety with this
policy shift."
Among those on the other side of the argument is Tom Brantley,
president of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the union
that represents the technicians and inspectors who work for the
FAA. He says problems are often fixed during planned outages after
being caught during preventative checks, checks the FAA wants to
eliminate.
"Down the road, this will lead to major (flight) disruptions,"
Brantley states.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association filed a
grievance against the FAA earlier this month for failing to brief,
and then bargain, with its members over the changes. The complaint
asks that the FAA immediately stop implementing the new policy.
A NATCA spokesman acknowledged to the AP, however, "the only way
they will stop is with public outcry or congressional action."
More News
Very High Frequency The frequency band between 30 and 300 MHz. Portions of this band, 108 to 118 MHz, are used for certain NAVAIDs; 118 to 136 MHz are used for civil air/ground voi>[...]
Aero Linx: Aviation Suppliers Association Established February 25, 1993, the Aviation Suppliers Association (ASA), based in Washington, D.C., is a not-for-profit association, repre>[...]
Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]
From 2021 (YouTube Version): Colorado Campus Offers aVariety Of Aerospace Entertainment And Education Wings over the Rockies Exploration of Flight is the second location for the Wi>[...]
Also: Paramotor Champ's, Electric Ultralight, ICON BK Update, Burt Rutan at Oshkosh! The Popular Rotorcraft Association is reaching out for help in rebuilding their private runway >[...]