United Airlines CEO Lays Out Three-Step Plan To Modernize FAA, Heaps Praise On Trump Administration

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has penned a three-step plan to “finally fix” the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and in so doing, heaped lavish praise on the Trump Administration and Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

United Airlines CEO Lays Out Three-Step Plan To Fix FAA

Kirby first lays out the problem, arguing “air traffic delays are overwhelmingly because of air traffic restrictions – often weather. But last year, even on clear, blue-sky days, 68% of United’s delays were for air traffic control restrictions. The American traveling public deserves much better.”

But Kirby is “very encouraged that Secretary Duffy and the entire team at the FAA/DOT are expressing a sincere commitment to addressing these challenges.” He then proposes a three-step plan:

I. Improve Staffing

Kirby attributes the FAA staffing shortage of 3,000 controllers to a lack of adequate avenues for training new hires:

But about a decade ago, the FAA closed all the training avenues except their own single training facility. And unfortunately, at maximum capacity, that facility can only start training 1,800 controllers per year, and because of the very high and rigorous standards and testing, the washout rate is high. Combine that with a mandatory retirement age of 56 and last year, the FAA filled all 1,800 slots at the academy…and ended the year with only 36 net new controllers.

That’s a startling statistic and I also was not aware that there is only one training facility or that the washout rate was so high.

Kirby praises Secretary Duffy for his “plan to ‘supercharge’ controller hiring” and suggests “increasing capacity at the Academy in Oklahoma City and expanding the Collegiate Training Initiative to train controllers at private colleges and universities.”

II. Update Technology

Kirby argues that “technology investment to upgrade antiquated ATC systems and infrastructure” is “desperately needed,” bemoaning that “some of the systems are so old that they can’t be maintained because their parts are no longer manufactured or because the technicians who service them have retired.”

In tandem with the removal of the Cold War-era technologies, the FAA should implement all steps to dramatically increase the speed to market of new and innovative technologies. Canada started using electronic flight strips 25 years ago, while we have been unsuccessfully trying to replace our antiquated paper strips at towers since 1983.

Good solution, but easier said than done!

III. Invest In Facilities

Kirby laments that FAA spends roughly 92% of its facilities and equipment budget to patch together the old existing towers, centers, radars, and other equipment rather than genuine upgrades. He proposes “that number should be inverse, with 92% going to upgrade and modernize, and 8% for repair.”

He argues “the funding that supports the safety and efficiency of our airspace is designated on an inconsistent, year-to-year basis. It makes no sense. We can, right now, change budget treatment to designate FAA’s Facilities and Equipment account as mandatory spending.”

Kirby believes this is necessary for long-term capital planning and would also improve staffing concerns.

CONCLUSION

I’m largely in agreement with Kirby’s solution and I also appreciate that there was no scaremongering in his plan:

To be clear, our ATC system is safe. When there are staffing or technology shortfalls, the controllers slow or stop aircraft from flying at all to maintain safety. But now is the time to give the greatest country in the world what its citizens deserve – the best air traffic control system in the world.

He calls these upgrades “the most important change the government can make for the American traveling public” and he’s absolutely correct. He’s also correct there is bipartisan support for this (“I’m encouraged that the administration wants to fix the FAA and that there is bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for fixing it.”).

If the new administration could work with Congress to upgrade our infrastructure…that would truly help to make America great again…