Release #99.59

October 14, 1999

WASHINGTON---The head of the nation's oldest and largest airline pilots' union today told Congress that the only answer to airline travel delays is a complete modernization of the nation's airspace and air traffic control system.

"The operational capability enhancements the FAA has tried to date have, and will continue to have, very little impact because they cannot solve the real problems," said Capt. Duane Woerth, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International. ALPA represents 55,000 airline pilots at 51 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. "We simply don't have the infrastructure to support the demand—much less the further increase in capacity.

"Piecemealing pilot and controller procedures will not work and may actually have a detrimental effect on the system. We can't improve capacity by changing the way pilots fly airplanes; we have to change the environment in which they fly. We can do this by providing the pilot and controller better equipment to do their jobs, a positive structure in which to work, and adequate ground systems to support all weather conditions," Woerth said.

In ALPA's view, the first step toward this massive undertaking must be taking the Aviation Trust Fund off-budget, so its money can be programmed into long-term support for this necessary, long-term undertaking.

The House version of the FAA reauthorization bill, H.R. 1000, would do just that. The Senate version lacks this feature. ALPA hopes that when the House and Senate reconcile their bills, language removing the Trust Fund from budget consideration will survive intact.

As the world’s premier safety organization, ALPA is ready to contribute its considerable resources and expertise to move NAS modernization forward. Woerth told the subcommittee that the Association is initiating a six-year program to raise public awareness on this critical need. "It (ALPA’s NAS Modernization Program) will focus on obtaining increased long-term funding commitments for NAS modernization, and maintaining the industry consensus essential to success," he said.

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