NATCA Bookshelf

ISSUES 28 NiW Today NATCA in Washington 2026 Issue Increased Funding Critical for Modernization and Infrastructure Efforts be integrated into the existing NAS while maintaining safety and efficiency. It is critical that NATCA remain involved with the safe and efficient integration of these new technologies. NATCA Subject Matter Experts are Critical to Modernization and Safety Programs As a result, controller staffing and infrastructure progress are inextricably linked. A properly-staffed workforce of fully certified controllers is needed for the FAA to successfully develop, test, deploy, and train the workforce on new technology and modernization programs on time and under budget. Without proper controller staffing, investments in infrastructure and modernization programs will not yield their full potential. NATCA subject matter experts must continue to be productive and collaborative participants throughout all stages of development, testing, training, and implementation across a wide range of safety, technology, and modernization programs. NATCA's continued involvement will ensure that the FAA delivers these initiatives to the flying public and industry stakeholders on time and at a cost savings to the American taxpayers. When NATCA representatives are not involved throughout the entire process, modernization programs are delayed and experience cost overruns, because of extensive, costly, and time- consuming revisions following development, testing, and after implementation. FAA Modernization and Technology Programs Were Constrained by Flat F&E Funding The FAA must continue to be transparent with its need for increased F&E funding so that it can meet its own equipment sustainment, replacement, and modernization needs. If not, it will exacerbate the FAA's significant sustainment and replacement backlog. Failing to maintain and replace critical safety equipment that has exceeded its expected life introduces unnecessary risk into the system. These funding limitations also have prevented the FAA from designing and implementing new technologies that will improve safety. Prior to FY 2022, the FAA generally distributed F&E funding evenly among all F&E programs. However, this approach was unsustainable because an evenly spread flat budget that did not keep up with inflation over the previous 15 years was always going to result in chronically underfunded programs. Most programs were instructed to and learned how to operate with less money than requested by revising a program's scope, functionality, deployment timelines, and overall positive effects on the NAS. For example, both En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) and Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) are currently the foundational platforms that affect the safety and efficiency of the NAS. However, as a result of lower-than-needed budget requests by the FAA, both programs have been forced to defer much- needed controller enhancements and strictly focus on sustainment efforts. Another example is Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM), which not only provides controllers with electronic flight strips, but also promotes efficiency gains throughout the NAS through modern updated software. TFDM was originally planned to deploy to 89 air traffic facilities, but insufficient funding forced the FAA to divert funding from TFDM to other programs slashing the TFDM deployment schedule to 49 sites. However, additional funding for BNATCS allowed the FAA to expand deployment back to the original 89 facilities. Now that the FAA is focused on BNATCS, a single, prime integrator will consolidate many of these prior systems under one umbrella covering: communication, surveillance, automation, and facilities. BNATCS will aim to enhance safety, reduce delays, and improve air travel by ensuring controllers have a modern system with the safety functions and modern technology they need such as radar, software, hardware, and telecommunications networks. NATCA strongly supports BNATCS and stands ready to partner with Congress, the administration, and industry stakeholders to achieve these goals. FAA's Rapidly Aging Physical Infrastructure Must Be Addressed NATCA continues to advocate for additional funding to fix the FAA's rapidly-aging physical infrastructure and improve working conditions. NATCA leadership has testified about this issue numerous times over the past decade in both chambers of Congress. The FAA operates more than 300 air traffic control facilities of varying ages and conditions. The FAA's 21 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) were built in the 1960s and are more than 60 years old. The FAA's Terminal Radar Approach Control facilities (TRACONs) are, on average, more than 25 years old.

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