Flight Service Sigmet

On June 30th, Representative Bernie Sanders was successful in attaching an amendment to the Transportation funding bill on the House floor that would prohibit the FAA from spending any funds to outsource the nations Flight Service Stations. What this means is that Congress would have a chance to sit back and look at what the FAA hath wrought without their oversight. The surprise is how many Republicans (48) joined the Democrats in wanting to take a closer look at what is being done by an agency known for its traumatic failure in managing contracts.

Now the action moves to the Senate. A mark-up is expected this week in the Appropriations sub-committee that overlooks Transportation. From there it goes to full committee. If the 'year delay' language survives those two hurdles, it will face its toughest test in September when the House-Senate conference committee meets to iron out differences.

Resolutions favorable to Flight Service Stations and those who serve in or use them have been introduced before, but lost in conference. In 2003, the FAA Reauthorization bill passed the Senate, but with an amendment that would prohibit the outsourcing of ATC functions, including Flight Service. The favorable language was stripped out during the House-Senate conference.