Watchdog faults FAA’s air traffic control operations

Business aircraft operators are opposed to a private entity taking over air traffic operations, fearing they’ll have to pick up a larger share of the cost of operations and be forced out of some airports to make room for more airline flights.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the senior Democrat on the House committee, is working on a proposal to make the entire FAA an independent government corporation in an effort to rid the agency of archaic personnel and procurement rules and overly bureaucratic procedures.

Part of the reason costs have risen is expensive security measures taken since 2001 to protect against terrorist attacks and the dramatic increase in global hacking attacks, he said.

[...] the inspector general’s report says that while the FAA reports improvement in its management of such acquisitions, major programs continue to experience problems that delay the introduction of the new technology and defer retirement of costly systems.

Air traffic operations — takeoffs, landings and other aircraft handling by controllers — declined 23 percent from 2000 to 2012 due to a drop-off in air travel as the result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the recession and other events.

[...] air traffic handling per controller dropped 25 percent at approach control facilities and 16 percent at facilities that handle high-altitude air traffic over four years ending in 2012, while the number of air traffic controllers employed by the FAA has remained level.