Bush Admin Seeks 12.6% Cut In Equipment Funding For FAA

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON (AP)--The Bush administration wants to trim the Federal Aviation Administration's budget for buying new air traffic control equipment at a time when more planes are in the air.

Air traffic controllers argue that more backup equipment could have mitigated the shutdown of a radio system at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday that left controllers unable to talk to pilots and caused a ripple effect of delays across the country.

--SNIP--

But the administration has proposed cutting next year's FAA budget for equipment and facilities by 12.6%, from $2.862 billion to $2.5 billion. Both the House and the Senate have gone along with that figure so far in the budget process.

--SNIP--

"Cutting the budget by almost 14% is insane," said Brantley, who represents the people who maintain air traffic control equipment. "Seventy percent of the systems out there are in need of upgrade or replacement."

--SNIP--

Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, ranking Democrat on the House aviation subcommittee, said the administration is scrimping on equipment needed to meet the growing air traffic demands.

"They're driving the public air traffic control system toward a cliff," said DeFazio.

He said he found it "extraordinary" that the Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Center lacks a redundant backup system. "Tax cuts won't fix the air traffic control system," he said.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. But the rich people need more money

from tax cuts.

[mhr]

4. The Rich People Won't Need The Air Traffic Control System Either

in a few more years.

The poor people (us) will not be able to fly as the cost escalates.

This will leave the skies virtually empty and without risk.

Hence the few rich people can jet around in their private jets with impunity.

Ergo - they won't need the ATC system.

Cut the budget with impunity!

[Beetwasher]

2. Your Tax Dollars At Work

Remember this when some idiot Repub says he supports them because he hates taxes. Ask him if he likes to fly too....

[louis-t]

3. That's our b*shie

Talkin' out both sides of his face. Makin' us safer by cuttin' back on funding.

[whistle]

5. No way that Bush will modernize the FAA, he wants to....

...privatize it. All part of the 4 step program to totally privatize America. Would you feel safe flying when you know that for profit companies are in charge of flight traffic control, equipment maintenance and looking out for your safety as a passenger? Remember the Titanic? Passenger safety was totally in the hands of private companies. The ship was unsinkable, the captain was expected to break all trans-Atlantic speed records and the ship had 60% fewer lifeboats than were needed for the safe disembarkation of all its passengers and crew. Nearly 100 years have passed, but Bush wants us back to those times. Bushit!

[lanlady]

6. I work at FAA

and we're facing $700 million all told in budget cuts. It's a disgrace.

[Deja Q]

7. He's not supporting these things that help prevent terrorism

Does he want another attack?

Is he really so excited to use our arsenal of nukes, or what might be worse? :scared:

[Jacobin]

8. Typical

"Who cares if the flying public is safe? I have AirForce One. Imma WarPrezdint" heh heh heh.

Fucking scumbag.

[NoMoreChimp]

9. only 2 more months

till we are finally done with shrub.

[steely]

10. Wasn't it just 2 days ago that many flights in SoCal were

disrupted/delayed due to a key "radio" going bad?

on edit:

and how much is he spending on his new whirly birds? a couple mil?

[Protected]

11. Well there we go

Let's waste $200 billion in Iraq and then save $400 million by cutting back an already cash-strapped FAA.

More tax cuts, please!

[struggle4progress]

12. Faulty maintenance of FAA radio causes near mid-air collisions

By Michael R. Blood, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Failure to perform a routine maintenance check caused the shutdown of an air traffic communications system and the grounding of hundreds of flights around the country, the Federal Aviation Administration said yesterday.
In at least five cases, aircraft in the sky passed dangerously close to each other Tuesday night after the system based north of Los Angeles failed and contact with pilots was cut off, a union official said.

Two flights "were almost near-mid-air collisions," said Hamid Ghaffari, local president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

The FAA said it was looking into five instances in which planes apparently got too close to each other during the communications blackout. <snip>

http://www.marinij.com/Stories/0,1413,234~26642~2405688,00.html


Report: Near collision involving two jets at LAX (? Sept 2004)

LOS ANGELES An Asiana Airlines jet arriving at Los Angeles International Airport last month came dangerously close to a departing Southwest Airlines flight.

The Los Angeles Times has obtained a report that says a mix-up in the air control tower may have placed both planes on the same runway on August 19th.

The Southwest jet was in position to take off at the end of the runway and head to Albuquerque. When the Asiana jet was approaching the airport, the plane's captain saw the Southwest plane and took action to avoid it. The jet flew within several hundred feet of the Southwest aircraft.

The incident is the closest call at L-A-X in at least four years. Air traffic controllers blame it on old radar systems and understaffing during a busy Friday-afternoon rush. <snip>

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=2244604

[genius]

13. Does anyone here feel safe flying?

[DeepModem Mom]

14. kick