Sunday, October 16, 2005

 

The Future of Contracting

We’ve mentioned before that contracting out of air traffic control (ATC) will not stop with Flight Service Stations. Within the next two or three years, expect the same to happen with level 5 towers, followed by the busier facilities.

Up until now the FAA has had political difficulties when trying this. When the seven-year FAA Re-authorization bill was debated in 2003, 69 level 5, 6, and 7 towers had been identified as targets for contracts. Some of these served fairly high-profile airports, like Boeing Field (BFI).

This was too much for many politicians to swallow, and a promise ‘not to do that’ for a couple years was placed in the bill. Much of the heat came from the AOPA , who has been committed to the fight against further contracting of towers and centers, and NATCA, the union for the controllers working in the towers, TRACONs, and en-route centers. To break this wall of opposition, the FAA appears to have adopted a more incremental approach in support of their efforts, and we expect that there will be three support ‘pillars’ to their argument, some established, another to be developed:

1) The successful contracting of Flight Service.
2) The proven safety of existing contract towers.
3) Successful contracting of the next level of towers.
Item 1 has largely been accomplished in a PR fashion; all that remains is to create an aura of undeniable, measurable success around the project. Currently, this might be easy, but increased operational errors, reduced controller experience, or delays in delivering promised technology may result in higher levels of pilot dissatisfaction (and with satisfaction rates of 90%, there’s more room for frowns than smiles).

Item 3 is in the future. But unless the AOPA wakes from its tactical slumber, we don’t see significant resistance to contracting of level 5 towers. After the level 5s are gone, it makes it much easier to follow with the level 6s, and so on. Once the pattern is established, where and how will AOPA (and NATCA for that matter) be logically able to object?

That leaves item 2, and has the potential to be a great untold story. We view it as the key in the battle to come.

Comments:
I've been with the FAA for 28+ years and I'm certain that contracting out of Air Traffic Controllers is probable because of the fact that ATC salaries are way above market value and and productivity is way too low. The average base pay at large facilities is $130K plus benefits and OT and holiday pay. The average ATC works 4 to 4 1/2 hours on position. With the advent of automation in the 70's, the job became more routine. An IQ of around 120, certainly not genius level, and a little spatial ability is all that one needs to be successful. Of course NATCA, the ATC union, sings another tune, but what do you expect from any union.
 
I don't think you would find 1 FSS worker....right up to the Facility manager that pulls in 130K+......Centers, towers, Approach....different story.
 
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