NATCA Bookshelf

30 I s s u e s N A T C A I N W A S H I N G T O N 2 0 2 4 N i W To d a y Communications (CPDLC), most often referred to as DataComm. This system is the next generation of communication between pilots and controllers and is just one example of the harm caused by the shutdown. The unpredictability of a stop-and-go funding stream, and specifically stringing together multiple short-term CRs, makes planning for long-term improvement and modernization programs inefficient and extremely difficult. Stopping and restarting modernization programs can cause significant delays to development, testing, and implementation timelines, while also making them more expensive. Some program development, testing, and implementation may need to completely start over. For instance, the April 2013 sequestration- mandated furloughs caused delays to modernization programs such as En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) that cost $6 million per month. More recently, the 35-day shutdown also delayed implementation of dozens of modernization projects including en route DataComm. MESSAGE Sta ble & S ufficient Fu nd i ng The NAS moves over 45,000 flights and 2.9 million passengers, and more than 59,000 tons of cargo every day across more than 29 million square miles of airspace. Although it is the safest, most efficient, and most complex system in the world, we always strive to bolster safety, mitigate risk, and improve efficiency. Stable and sufficient funding for the FAA has become increasingly critical to accomplishing these goals. Although we are hopeful that the current uncertainty with FAA reauthorization soon should be resolved, the FAA continues to grapple with stop- and-go funding and significant budgetary shortfalls. This instability places the NAS in jeopardy of falling behind on safety, efficiency, and capacity. Traditionally, the FAA has been funded consistent with its budget requests. However, those requests consistently have been insufficient to meet the Agency's obligations and have failed to account for or keep up with inflation, especially for its Ops and F&E budget line. The FAA's future budget requests must account for current and future funding needs to prevent further budget shortfalls that could jeopardize hiring, training, modernization, sustainment of critical equipment and programs, and physical infrastructure. Moreover, robust authorization levels also will help protect the $5 billion in air traffic control facility repairs and upgrades provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). NATCA believes IIJA funding should remain supplemental – as Congress intended – and not serve as an offset to justify lower base appropriations. C o n t r o l l e r H i r i n g & Tr a i n i n g Despite meeting its self-imposed air traffic con- troller hiring goals for much of the past decade, the FAA has not kept up with attrition. Consequently, as of the end of FY 2023, the FAA netted only 15 additional Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs) compared to FY 2022, resulting in 1,160 fewer CPCs employed by the FAA than a decade earlier. Al- though the FAA upwardly adjusted its hiring goal for each of FY 2024 through 2026 to 1,800 new train- ees, only 60% of all controller trainees reach full certification within five years (many of those who do not are removed or resign from employment with the FAA). This increased hiring goal will take several years to have a positive effect on CPC totals. In addition to increasing controller hiring targets over the next three fiscal years, the FAA Operations (Ops) account must be funded sufficiently to appropriately and successfully train each of the 1,800 new hires annually at the FAA Academy and provide classroom, simulator, and on-the-job training instruction once they reach their assigned facilities. F a c i l i t i e s & E q u i p m e n t The FAA's F&E budget has not kept pace with inflation over the past 14 years. In FY 2009, the F&E budget was $2.94 billion. It subsequently was lower than that in each fiscal year through 2017, before it peak- ed at $3.3 billion in 2018. However, since then it has remained just above or below $3 billion. Estimating for a modest 2% average annual inflation rate over the last 15 years, the FAA's F&E budget should be approx- imately $3.9 billion based on its 2009 budget. The FY 2024 appropriations package that was signed into law in March of this year boosted F&E funding to approx- imately $3.19 billion. Although this was a positive de- velopment, the F&E budget still falls short of what the Agency needs and NATCA will continue to advocate for additional increases in FY 2025 and beyond. The loss of spending and buying power for F&E over the last 15 years has required the FAA to FA A F u n d i n g R e q u i re s R o b u s t A u t h o r i z a t i o n a n d A p p ro p r i a t i o n s L eve l s Issue

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