FAA working the PR machine on the effects of sequestration. FAA statement attached.

[danielfindling]

It looks like the FAA is reporting delays on commercial airline flights to stir public opinion in favor of more funding.
Has EAA issued a statement on the effects of sequestration on GA?

Daniel

FAA Statement Date: April 25, 2013 Contact: Laura J. Brown Phone: 202-267-3883 As a result of employee furloughs due to sequestration, the FAA is implementing traffic management initiatives at airports and facilities around the country. Travelers can expect to see a wide range of delays that will change throughout the day depending on staffing and weather related issues. For example, the FAA is experiencing staffing challenges at the Cleveland, Washington and New York En Route Centers, the Chicago, San Antonio, Southern California and Tampa TRACONs, and Newark, LaGuardia and JFK and Regional South West Florida Airports. Controllers will space planes farther apart so they can manage traffic with current staff, which will lead to delays at airports including Newark, LaGuardia, JFK, Chicago O’Hare, Regional South West, and Tampa. The FAA also expects delays at a number of other airports because of weather and winds. The FAA will continue to work with the airlines throughout the day to try and minimize delays for travelers. We encourage all travelers to check their flight status and also to visit fly.faa.gov for the latest airport delay information. Yesterday more than 863 delays in the system were attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furlough at the New York, Washington, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Los Angeles En Route Centers, the Potomac, Dallas and Southern California TRACONs and Detroit Tower. There were more than 2,132 additional delays as a result of weather and other factors. Subscribe to FAA updates on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/FAANews) Get daily updates from FAA on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/FAA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You can view or update your subscriptions, password or email address at any time on your User Profile Page. All you will need are your email address and your password (if you have selected one). This service is provided to you at no charge by the Federal Aviation Administration. Visit us on the web at www.faa.gov. If you have any questions or problems with the subscription service email support@govdelivery.com for assistance. This email was sent to daniel@findlinglaw.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Federal Aviation Administration · 800 Independence Avenue, SW · Washington, DC 20591 · 1-866-TELL-FAA (1-866-835-5322)

[Floatsflyer]

Come to Canada where the word "sequestration" is just another word for "not in our vocabulary" and the fully manned national air traffic control system works so well we seldom ever think about it.

[mikw53]

Come to Canada where the word "sequestration" is just another word for "not in our vocabulary" and the fully manned national air traffic control system works so well we seldom ever think about it.

It should be pointed out that Canada sold the assets to the entire Air traffic control system in 1996 for 1.5 billion dollars and is now run by NavCanada as a not for profit model.
If the Americans had done the same it probably would look and feel the same but would be run far more efficiently as is usually the case between public (where money is just a tax payer away) and private .

[Joe LaMantia]

mikw53,

Tell us more... I assume the Canadian govt. still writes the aviation rules and there must be some kind of system to insure that the rules are followed. Is NavCanada put through some "audits"? If it's a "private" organization who would actually invest money in it without a profit? What did NavCanada do with the 1.5 billion? I know Canada has already implemented what we're calling "NextGen" and that should be a more cost effective system from an operations standpoint. What we've seen in the US is of course a great resistance to any change, somebody is already happy with things as they are and changes could be negative for some segment. We have "privatized" some things that we're formerly run buy the various parts of our governmental system like toll roads in Indiana and parking meters in Chicago, not to mention parts of military operations, such as the Blackwater thing. Unfortunately, the US "system" sets us up for failure when these "deals" are made, all too often a handful of people get paid a lot while results remain below expectations.

Joe

[martymayes]

NavCanada is far from perfect. They have delays for no apparent reason, just like anywhere else, they have unexplained failures in the system just like anywhere else.

I prefer that ATC remain essentially a gov. service, thank you.

[hogheadv2]

Fear mongering, Giving the "News" channels something to exploit.

[mikw53]

mikw53,

Tell us more... I assume the Canadian govt. still writes the aviation rules and there must be some kind of system to insure that the rules are followed. Is NavCanada put through some "audits"? If it's a "private" organization who would actually invest money in it without a profit? What did NavCanada do with the 1.5 billion? I know Canada has already implemented what we're calling "NextGen" and that should be a more cost effective system from an operations standpoint. What we've seen in the US is of course a great resistance to any change, somebody is already happy with things as they are and changes could be negative for some segment. We have "privatized" some things that we're formerly run buy the various parts of our governmental system like toll roads in Indiana and parking meters in Chicago, not to mention parts of military operations, such as the Blackwater thing. Unfortunately, the US "system" sets us up for failure when these "deals" are made, all too often a handful of people get paid a lot while results remain below expectations.

Joe

This explains a bit about their operation http://www.navcanada.ca/ContentDefin...itn0401_EN.pdf
Mike

[wacoc8]

NavCanada is the user fee system that EAA, AOPA, and NBAA are fighting against instituting here in the U.S.

[WLIU]

Be careful what you wish for. Canadian regulations require that you file a flight plan, which qualifies as using ATC services, if you go more than 25 miles from your starting point. And it is interesting for an American to have bills for ATC services show up in the mail after a short flight into Canada.

We do not want a NavUS.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[Frank Giger]

It's also VERY important to know that delays at major hubs are an artificial effect purposefully put into motion by the FAA.

Every department was allowed to decide how to implement sequestration. The FAA took the lead of the air traffic controller's union (union is an old school definition of a DNC PAC) to where any furloughs would be spread out through airports regardless of the amount of traffic.

So while a furlough would have zero actual impact if placed, say, in Tuscaloosa, AL very sleepy tower to the general public and commercial traffic and keep things rolling in Atlanta, there isn't a political statement served that way.

They willfully rejected prioritization of airports in order to make a political point - at the cost of the very citizens they are supposed to be serving.