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United States Pilots Association |
Rarely, if ever, do I agree with United States Senator Charles Schumer from New York. However Senator Schumer has publicly called for the resignation of Marion Blakey, Administrator of the FAA, before her term ends later this year. Schumer cites the labor difficulties between the FAA and the controllers union, but primarily the inordinate delays at the three New York metropolitan airports. I have to say he is right on point even if he avoided the subject of user fees. If there is one thing President Bush can do to restore sanity in the aviation world, it is to appoint an individual who firstly is a pilot, and secondly understands the economics of how to administer a federal agency without favoring one side or the other. Ms. Blakey and her recently appointed former airline executives are singlehandedly destroying all credibility of the FAA.
Here is yet another example. One of the results of Hurricane Katrina was the near total destruction of the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which happens to be the major reliever for the N.O. International Airport. The airlines and Senators Rockefeller and Lott are threatening to restrict our access to large airline served airports because we are restricting the ability of the airlines to operate efficiently in those domains. Lakefront is open, although the FBO operates from a trailer on the field. The FAA has never restored the ILS system at Lakefront so guess where those aircraft that require that service have to go when the weather goes down. It is because of the inability of Ms. Blakey's organization to function as it should that causes delays and demands for service. When the weather goes down in the NY metropolitan area, does any sane person think that only the airlines are affected? Ask the GA pilots flying the Citations out of Teterboro if they are not affected the same way. They all use the IFR system to exit the NY Class B airspace.
One of the worst areas in the country for airspace delays is O'Hare airport in Chicago. If Ms. Blakey was concerned about these delays she would have slammed the door on Saadam Daley when he plowed up Meigs Field, thereby eliminating a major component of the ATC system. Those planes that used Meigs have to go somewhere.
Does anyone remember when USPA uncovered a grand scheme on the part of the FAA to eliminate instrument approaches all over the country at designated airports? When the light was shone on that scheme, they simply reverted to form and began piece mealing the eliminations. How many NDB approaches are still active? Now they want to start eliminating VORs around the country. I am positive that not all of us use GPS for navigation. You get the point.
I am echoing the "good" Senator's call for Ms. Blakey's resignation. I think she should (and probably will) become a lobbyist for one of the major airlines.
I am not against the FAA. I work with the finest individual in that organization who happens to be the FAAST Team manager for West Texas and New Mexico. My point is, instead of appointing political hacks as administrators, why cannot the government promote from within the organization (FAA), and get somebody in the job who does not have an agenda other than Safety, the good and welfare of the people who use the ATC system, and the ability to be fair to all sides including labor? The answer is simple. They do not want to. The government operates best when opposing sides of an issue are made the scapegoats of the failure of the entire system. It is never the government's fault.
Steve Uslan, President
United States Pilots Association