Trump’s Air Traffic Control Proposal Promises Change Without Giving Details
Skift Take
A private air traffic control system isn't dangerous or untested; many countries around the world use them. Until more details are known about what it will take to implement and operate this new system in the U.S., however, you should remain skeptical about the transformative prospects of such a change.
In an event concocted to resemble a bill signing ceremony, President Donald Trump unveiled a list of principles on Monday intended to guide the government's move towards transitioning from the current public air traffic control system to a new private system based on the model of countries such as Canada and Germany.
The plan, however, doesn't include specifics or concrete details on what such a transition will look like on a functional level.
A look at the site created by the Trump Administration to explain the changes, dubbed SmarterSkies, lacks crucial details. A series of fact sheets and FAQs are aimed at offering broad questions about the changes, but don't include the intended timing of such changes and what the process of rolling the current air traffic control system into a new version would look like.
The site touts support from aviation heavyweights like International Air Transport Association CEO Alexandre de Juniac and National Air Traffic Controllers Associat
