A unified coalition representing virtually every sector of the U.S. aviation and aerospace industry and workforce wrote a letter to President of the United States-elect Donald J. Trump urging his incoming administration to work with the industry to find a unified path forward to create efficiencies within the FAA.
“The aviation industry — from commercial aviation to general aviation, manufacturing, labor, airports, advanced air mobility and other emerging technologies — accounts for more than 5% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) generating over 10 million high-quality jobs,” the groups wrote. “Our nation’s ATC system is a vital infrastructure asset, essential to safe air travel and to our nation’s economic growth and competitiveness. To maintain a best-in-class ATC system that is globally competitive, our objective is to work with your Administration to find common ground so that together we can address needed efficiencies within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including process reforms to procure and deploy air traffic control equipment, modernize and realign facilities to improve operational efficiencies, address key staffing shortages, and ensure stable and predictable funding, including multi-year budgeting, to strategically manage and deploy the FAA’s ATC assets.”
The groups encouraged the Trump administration to work with industry, exclusive representatives of the FAA’s workforce and Congress, to support these needed improvements and efforts to ensure the FAA can more effectively utilize the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to upgrade and modernize FAA’s facilities and air traffic control equipment.
“Addressing these areas will cut costs, reduce inefficiencies, and strengthen American competitiveness and will also ensure the FAA continues to uphold the highest standards of safety for all who use our nation’s airspace,” the groups wrote in the Dec. 23 letter. “Our organizations believe the areas we have outlined will ensure the FAA is more capable and prepared to deliver economic growth, foster American innovation, adapt to challenges and continue to manage the safest, largest, and most complex air traffic control system in the world. We stand ready to work with you and your administration.”
Stakeholders signing the letter include:
Aeronautical Repair Station Association
Air Line Pilots Association, International
Air Traffic Control Association
Aircraft Electronics Association
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Airlines for America
Allied Pilots Association
American Association of Airport Executives
Association of Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International
Aviation Technical Education Council
Cargo Airline Association
Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations
Experimental Aircraft Association Inc.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association
Global Business Travel Association
International Air Transport Association
International Council of Air Shows
National Air Carrier Association
National Air Traffic Controllers Association
National Air Transportation Association
National Agricultural Aviation Association
National Association of State Aviation Officials
National Business Aviation Association
NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots
Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO
Southwest Airlines Pilot Association
Travelers United
U.S. Travel Association
Vertical Aviation International
Vertical Flight Society
