The hand of government means cost overruns and delays
About five months ago I lamented about our “can’t do” government. The hits just keep on coming — the FAA and our ATC once again have been subjected to no action. Anytime our government is involved, projects stall and costs rise. Heaven help us with our national financial bailout adventure.
FAA left without new funding by Congress, now lacks authority says GAO
If anyone wonders why our air traffic system is in a steady state of decay, take a look at recent action and inaction in Washington DC. The 110th Congress punted funding decisions to the incoming 111th Congress with a limited continuing resolution that expires in March 2009 and a GAO lawyer concluded recently that the FAA has no authority to auction slots at NYC airports.
Government can fix the air traffic system — but does it want to?
The meltdown of the nation’s financial infrastructure over the past two weeks has generated a fix or bailout that may cost a trillion dollars. That is trillion with a “T” — a whopping amount of money. The cost to fix the air traffic control system and fully modernize it? Fifty two billion. A drop in the bucket.
Good at squabbling. Bad at solving problems.
The controversy continues over whether or not the Department of Transportation should cap the numbers of flights in the New York airspace. Now the obviously overwhelmed New York Port Authority has joined the chorus of “Let’s do nothing.”
Do something for New York airspace congestion now
To deal with New York’s chronic air traffic congestion problems, the Transportation Department has proposed flight caps and a novel auction for landing and take-off slots at JFK and Newark. But its approach has left the airlines howling.
Air traffic, a government mess, we pay
Thirty years after deregulation, the government is gumming up the works. Everything for which they are responsible is crumbling or working poorly with no solution in sight.