In 1995, Congress exempted the FAA from federal acquisition rules, largely in response to the escalating costs and schedule delays associated with the agency's air traffic modernization effort. Since then, the FAA has made significant progress in reducing the time to award contracts and in deploying key systems on time and within budget. Also in 1995, Congress passed a law exempting the FAA from federal personnel. The new rules produced immediate results. AIR is a much-needed boost to the FAA, considering that the agency languished since 1996 without reauthorization funding.
Reform is in the works, albeit slowly.
Although industry leaders disagree with politicians on the user fee issue, they all do agree that satellite-based navigation and other technologies are expected to expand the effective capacity of our nation's airways and runways. And, that Free Flight is the key to aviation's future. Inc. All Rights Reserved.