Flight Service Sigmet

The GAO has produced yet another report on the FAA. Again, contrary to AOPA President Boyer, it details the problem of falling revenues and rising demands (pg 12). But it is in the conclusions on page 81 that contain interest for many parties:

The Secretary should direct the FAA Administrator to (1) balance current and
long-term investment priorities; and (2) use all available management tools and,
after establishing a record of improved financial management, explore more
fundamental changes that could provide greater financial management flexibility.
…We continue to believe that FAA should explore further uses of available
management tools such as opportunities to contract out its services; consolidate
major facilities; and accelerate decommissioning of ground-based navigation
aids, as we have noted in this report.

The first part looks like another euphemism for ‘user fees’, or at least the authority to assess them as deemed necessary, as well as removing encumbrances that trap the FAA in free-fall spending. The second part is of interest to air traffic controllers and pilots. The controllers, since this bolsters the case for further contracting out of tower functions, which we believe will eventually lead to the contracting and/or consolidation of TRACONs and centers as well.

The message for pilots is mixed. Some favored facilities may be decommissioned or become unusable due to lack of proper maintenance, and new fees seem to be in the future. At the same time, new navigational tools will help bring aviation into the 21st century, an improvement long overdue.