Is President Trump about to corporatise ATM?

The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump has started a process to separate the air traffic control elements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and to then corporatise that entity.

Such a move will see the separation of the regulatory function, to remain with the FAA, and the operating entity that provides the air traffic management (ATM) services for the United States.

It will also give the new entity significant autonomy and, it is hoped, allow for it to arrange it’s financing without reference to the appropriations process of the Congress. That, in turn will allow for long-term stability and focus.

The chair of the ATM Policy Institute, David McMillan noted that:

“The separation of the ATO from the FAA would be a very welcome first step in the modernisation of the US air traffic management system.”

McMillan went on to say “It would also open the opportunity for the more commercial, customer-led approach that we believe is necessary to secure the performance improvements that aviation needs”.

The ATM Policy Institute

The ATM Policy Institute is an independent think-tank created to provide economic research on ATM policy issues. In particular, it leads the debate on how to improve the efficiency and efficacy of ATM through market liberalisation and the use of modern technology, and to communicate the benefits of enabling ANSPs to compete with each other