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#1
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
The government appears to want to place US aviation in line with
that of other countries, such as in the EU. In the short run they may not be able to do much, but in the long run they certainly can, especially with a declining pilot population, which this will accelerate. I'll make a suggestion that I'm sure nobody here will like. If we are able to tie any user fees that come about to actual services, the next step is to STOP the creation of any new control towers on small airports, then follow that up with getting RID of as many control towers, and FAA personnel, as possible. With modern technology such as ADS-B, there is less need for them, and getting rid of FAA personnel is the natural answer to the whole user fee question. The FAA themselves have floated the idea that even IFR might someday be uncontrolled. Uncontrolled = no controller. Its both a "solution" to the FAA's (imaginary) "controller private aircraft workload", and a THREAT, to the FAA. Ie., if you want to move to a model of charging us to use a controller, we will want to move to a model without controllers. Scott Moore Roger wrote: I can not find the initial post on this thread, but... That said, I would expect if user fees go into effect we will se a lot of flying outside the system, be it VFR or even IFR and that is not a good or safe idea. I'd certainly be tempted to fly VFR outside the system by going between small airports and staying away from the larger ones unless it was absolutely necessary. Oh... Wait, I already prefer to fly that way. :-)) I'd also fly in legally marginal conditions when I'd otherwise go IFR. I'd not fly IFR outside the system, but I'd bet there would be many who would. Weather briefings? I'd bet the weather channel would become real popular if they charge for weather briefings. VFR flight plans when they charge for them? Yah gotta be kidding. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
#2
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
Ps. While I am offending everyone, if user fees begin, a good
start would be to close down the FSS system COMPLETELY, and fire all of the employees. The system is useless, redundant with more modern methods, and would remove an entire line item from the FAA budget, leaving them less to bitch about. Not to mention letting the FAA know we are serious about reducing the size of the FAA. The FSS system should never have been privatized. It should have been shut down completely. Scott Moore scott moore wrote: The government appears to want to place US aviation in line with that of other countries, such as in the EU. In the short run they may not be able to do much, but in the long run they certainly can, especially with a declining pilot population, which this will accelerate. I'll make a suggestion that I'm sure nobody here will like. If we are able to tie any user fees that come about to actual services, the next step is to STOP the creation of any new control towers on small airports, then follow that up with getting RID of as many control towers, and FAA personnel, as possible. With modern technology such as ADS-B, there is less need for them, and getting rid of FAA personnel is the natural answer to the whole user fee question. The FAA themselves have floated the idea that even IFR might someday be uncontrolled. Uncontrolled = no controller. Its both a "solution" to the FAA's (imaginary) "controller private aircraft workload", and a THREAT, to the FAA. Ie., if you want to move to a model of charging us to use a controller, we will want to move to a model without controllers. Scott Moore |
#3
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
scott moore wrote:
Ps. While I am offending everyone, if user fees begin, a good start would be to close down the FSS system COMPLETELY, and fire all of the employees. The system is useless, redundant with more modern methods, and would remove an entire line item from the FAA budget, leaving them less to bitch about. Not to mention letting the FAA know we are serious about reducing the size of the FAA. For the most part, I agree. About the only function of FSS that I use on a regular basis is flight watch. I don't see any way to automate that. But, it certainly could be centralized. I'm already talking to a person 100s of miles away; what difference does it make where he's sitting? And what difference does it make if he's sitting at a radio console in a building that says "FSS" on the door or one that says "ATC" on the door? Routine dissemination of weather information is better done by automated methods. Likewise with filing of flight plans (VFR or IFR). Obtaining clearances at uncontrolled airports via FSS is equally silly; they just act as a telephone relay to ATT. The phone call could just as easily have been switched to ATC directly. Once in a while, I'll call FSS and ask for a phone briefing. Most commonly these days, I'll do that on my cell phone in the car driving to the airport because I was to busy to get a DUATS briefing before I left. While I'll miss that convenience, I can't see any way I can justify the cost to the federal government of having a person read me stuff on the phone that I could have just as easily read myself on DUATS had I been a little more organized or a little less lazy. |
#4
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
While I'll
miss that convenience, I can't see any way I can justify the cost to the federal government of having a person read me stuff on the phone that I could have just as easily read myself on DUATS had I been a little more organized or a little less lazy. Actually, I find an advantage to it. If you get NOTAMS, you will (by yourself) be presented with reams of irrelevant stuff, but you don't know what's irrelevant until you read through it. Ditto text weather at fifteen stations near you, near your destination, enroute, etc. A briefer who has seen all this stuff all day can sift through junk and pick out the important pieces. That is valuable. Jose -- Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully understands this holds the world in his hands. for Email, make the obvious change in the address. |
#5
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
"Roy Smith" wrote in message ... About the only function of FSS that I use on a regular basis is flight watch. I don't see any way to automate that. I haven't used Flight Watch in 3-4 years, since I got XM Wx in my airplane. So it is automated that way. However, if that equipment breaks..... |
#6
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
"Roy Smith" wrote in message ... About the only function of FSS that I use on a regular basis is flight watch. I don't see any way to automate that. But, it certainly could be centralized. I'm already talking to a person 100s of miles away; what difference does it make where he's sitting? And what difference does it make if he's sitting at a radio console in a building that says "FSS" on the door or one that says "ATC" on the door? Even in-flight weather is now available from sources other than FSS. |
#7
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
Roy Smith wrote:
scott moore wrote: For the most part, I agree. About the only function of FSS that I use on a regular basis is flight watch. I don't see any way to automate that. But, it certainly could be centralized. I'm already talking to a person 100s of miles away; what difference does it make where he's sitting? And what difference does it make if he's sitting at a radio console in a building that says "FSS" on the door or one that says "ATC" on the door? The airlines don't use flight watch, nor do the high-end biz jet operators. So, if the airlines gain control of the system, flight watch will be really expensive for light aircraft drivers. |
#8
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
Ps. While I am offending everyone, if user fees begin, a good
start would be to close down the FSS system COMPLETELY, and fire all of the employees. Whoo-wee, Scott -- and I thought *I* was the "King of Anti-Government Rants" here. You've really stepped in it now. ;-) (And you are right on, BTW. Between my home PC, my office PC, and my Garmin 496, I've got 500-times more -- and better -- weather at my fingertips than any FSS briefer had until just a few years ago.) -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#9
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
scott moore wrote:
Ps. While I am offending everyone, if user fees begin, a good start would be to close down the FSS system COMPLETELY, and fire all of the employees. The system is useless, redundant with more modern methods, and would remove an entire line item from the FAA budget, leaving them less to bitch about. Not to mention letting the FAA know we are serious about reducing the size of the FAA. The FSS system should never have been privatized. It should have been shut down completely. No doubt about it. Asd to towers and ATC in general, do you suppose the FAA, or even Congress, can take on the controllers' union at this point? It is like the Governator here in California trying to take on the prison guards' union. |
#10
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If user fees go into effect I'm done
Sam Spade writes:
Asd to towers and ATC in general, do you suppose the FAA, or even Congress, can take on the controllers' union at this point? Yes, easily. It has been done before. -- Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail. |
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