A unified coalition representing virtually every sector of our Nation’s aviation and aerospace industry and workforce wrote a letter to President of the United States-elect Donald J. Trump urging his incoming Administration to work with industry to find a unified path forward to create efficiencies within the FAA that will ensure our nation’s aviation system remains the safest in the world for all users.
“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,” the groups wrote. “Our nation’s ATC system is a vital infrastructure asset, essential to safe air travel and to our nation’s economic growth and competitiveness.
“To maintain a best-in-class ATC system that is globally competitive, our objective is to work with your Administration to find common ground so that together we can address needed efficiencies within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including process reforms to procure and deploy air traffic control equipment, modernize and realign facilities to improve operational efficiencies, address key staffing shortages, and ensure stable and predictable funding, including multi-year budgeting, to strategically manage and deploy the FAA’s ATC assets.”
The groups encouraged the Trump administration to work with industry, exclusive representatives of the FAA’s workforce, and Congress, to support these needed improvements and efforts to ensure the FAA can more effectively utilize the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to upgrade and modernize FAA’s facilities and air traffic control equipment.
“Addressing these areas will cut costs, reduce 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 groups wrote in the December 23 letter. “Our organizations believe the areas we have outlined will ensure the FAA is more capable and prepared to deliver economic growth, foster American innovation, adapt to challenges, and continue to manage the safest, largest, and most complex air traffic control system in the world. We stand ready to work with you and your administration.”
To view the full letter, Click Here
Stakeholders signing the letter include:
- Aeronautical Repair Station 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 Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International
- Aviation Technical Education Council
- Cargo Airline Association
- Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations
- Experimental Aircraft Association Inc.
- General Aviation Manufacturers Association
- Global Business Travel Association
- International Air Transport Association
- International Council of Air Shows
- National Air Carrier Association
- National Air Traffic Controllers Association
- National Air Transportation Association
- National Agricultural Aviation Association
- National Association of State Aviation Officials
- National Business Aviation Association
- NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots
- Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO
- Southwest Airlines Pilot Association
- Travelers United
- U.S. Travel Association
- Vertical Aviation International
- Vertical Flight Society
