U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean P. Duffy has unveiled a plan to build a “brand new air traffic control system” that he says will be the “envy of the world.”
“Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age,” he said. “Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity, and the time to fix it is now.”
The plan addresses critical safety needs, he said, noting the FAA will replace core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware, and telecommunications networks.
“We have a system that is built for the past, we are proposing a system built for the future,” he added.
The plan is comprised of four infrastructure components:
Communications
Surveillance
Automation
Facilities
Proposed actions include:
Replacing antiquated telecommunications with new fiber, wireless, and satellite technologies at more than 4,600 sites, including 25,000 new radios, and 475 new voice switches.
Replacing 618 radars that have gone past their life cycle.
Addressing runway safety by increasing the number of airports with Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) to 200. SAI is now operational at 18 airports, with previously announced plans to add 32 more airports by the end of 2025.
Building six new air traffic control centers and replacing towers and TRACONs.
Installing new hardware and software for all air traffic facilities to create a common platform system throughout towers, TRACONs, and centers.
Addressing the challenges that face Alaska by adding 174 new weather stations.
General aviation advocates expressed support for the new plan, including those who are part of the Modern Skies Coalition, a group of 56 aviation stakeholders, including pilot organizations and aviation companies.
“Without a doubt, we have the safest aviation system in the world and it has never been safer,” said Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President and CEO Darren Pleasance. “But that doesn’t mean it can’t be safer – and we owe it to all of us who utilize this National Airspace System to make it as safe as it can be and to invest in the technology it requires to achieve that,”
Officials at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) agreed, noting the modernization plan supports many of EAA’s longstanding requests to support the air traffic infrastructure that would, in part, support recreational aviation, including:
Continuation of general fund support of FAA operations and consideration of additional flexibility within the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) to meet existing obligations and help FAA manage long-term facility and technology upgrades through access to long-term capital funding and multi-year budgeting.
Exemption of the FAA from government shutdowns to ensure more predictable funding and support for continued safety and air traffic control personnel hiring and training, as well as other critical FAA activities.
Emergency funding for critical air traffic control technology and infrastructure and controller and technician staffing and training.
Officials with the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) echoed those comments, adding they “applaud the administration’s budget request of $4 billion for FAA’s technology and facilities account (F&E), which is higher than ever before.”
“However, based on decades of federal budgets not even keeping up with inflation, the system is in serious need of continued sufficient budget requests, as well as an immediate robust infusion of resources,” they added.
NASAO officials added they believe “a minimum of $18.5 billion in additional emergency funding should be appropriated over the next three years above the FAA’s annual F&E budget.”
“The staffing and technology challenges facing the National Airspace System did not appear overnight and will require strong leadership and oversight to hold FAA accountable to maximize the value and effectiveness of these investment resources and deliver a world class system,” they said.
You can read a summary of the plan at Transportation.gov
