Advocacy group says rapid infrastructure modernization will enhance safety, create thousands of jobs and reduce CO2 emissions.
Washington, DC – Rapid modernization of the nation’s aging ground-based aviation infrastructure system will improve safety and reliability for air travelers, create thousands of jobs across the country, and cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Ground-Based Aviation Infrastructure Coalition, a new advocacy group launched by providers of safety-critical aviation systems to the FAA, U.S. airports, and air navigation service providers around the world.
Launched to coincide with the 2021 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Annual Aviation Summit, the coalition plans to unite industry and policy leaders around priorities that will advance, strengthen, and ensure the long-term safety of United States aviation system. Coalition members include Antenna Products, Inc.; dB Systems, Inc.: Moog, Inc.; New Bedford Panoramex, Inc.; Parsons Corporation; Selex ES Inc., a Leonardo Company; and Thales USA Inc.
“I welcome the formation of the Ground-Based Aviation Infrastructure Coalition and its advocacy efforts on this important issue,” said U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas). “As aviation technology in the United States continues to age, it is vital we remain committed to modernizing this important technology. I look forward to partnering with the coalition as we continue to advocate for innovation within our aviation system.”
The group will promote aviation system modernization in the infrastructure plan proposed by the Biden Administration and under consideration in Congress.
“The safety-critical systems that underpin our air traffic control network are more than 35 years old, well beyond their intended lifecycle,” said the coalition’s Co-Chairman Chris Giacoponello. “While it is a testament to the manufacturers and FAA maintenance teams that they continue to operate safely, this approach is not sustainable and is inconsistent with operating the safest airspace system in the world. Investment in new, state-of-the-art technology will ensure a safe, reliable and efficient system for airlines, general aviation pilots, and travelers for years to come.”
Aviation infrastructure modernization will also create thousands of jobs in the fields of construction, manufacturing, aerospace and electrical engineering while introducing cleaner, greener technology to the nation’s air traffic management system.
In a recent letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the coalition warned that a decades-long lack of investment threatens the performance and reliability of legacy ground-based air traffic control systems that are, “operating well beyond their planned life expectancy.” According to the coalition, this includes the FAA’s network of more than 2,700 navigation and landing systems at over 1,500 sites, and over 600 primary and secondary radar systems across 50 states.
“Consistent with broader trends in U.S. transportation infrastructure, capital expenditures have remained flat while operations and maintenance costs have steadily increased,” the coalition said. “This is an alarming and unsustainable trend.”
The coalition is advocating for implementation of a comprehensive aviation infrastructure modernization plan that includes:
Rapid Modernization Initiative. A comprehensive and concerted effort is required to remove and replace the oldest systems in the field. By 2030, the FAA must achieve a reduction in the average age of safety-critical systems to a date below the planned service life of equipment, platforms and components across the air traffic control network.
Ongoing Investment in Modernization. The coalition recommends FAA establishment of policy and public-facing metrics to ensure the average age of safety-critical aviation infrastructure remains below planned service life. Rather than boom-and-bust acquisition cycles, a continuous modernization policy ensures that the equipment providing safety-critical services is the safest, most modern in the world.
Cleaner and Greener. Establish policy and public-facing metrics under the FAA Office of Environment and Energy to ensure a significant reduction in power consumption by ground-based aviation infrastructure – including facilities and equipment – over the next 10 years. Target power consumption savings should be comparable to efficiency improvements achieved by the electronics industry since 1980. Replacing these outdated, inefficient systems will reduce CO emissions by more than 1 million metric tons over the next 30 years.
Job Creation. A rapid modernization of safety-critical ground-based systems with U.S manufactured aviation infrastructure would generate more than 5,000 jobs in every state over the next several years. This will not only stimulate the economy but help restore the domestic industrial base.
“The aviation industry remains a critical component of the U.S. economy and transportation infrastructure,” wrote the coalition in its letter to Sec. Buttigieg. “The time has come to reset priorities, generate a sense of urgency, accelerate the acquisition process and rapidly modernize safety-critical aviation infrastructure.”
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