OMG: A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN!

On April 21st Aviation will be different in this world as we have never seen it before.

The FAA sequester starts on April 21. Every pay period of 14 days a controller has to take one day off without pay. There will be no overtime allowed unless a controller calls in sick and has to be replaced. Vacations are guaranteed without any overtime allowed to replace the controller(s) that are on vacation. Controllers are going to do everything by “the book” which is going to slow things down even further.

The FAA has decided to close almost all contract towers starting in April. Government was not allowed to close FAA operated towers due to the union contract. It could take over a year of negotiations with the union before any FAA towers could be closed. No common sense was used in which towers will be closed. A good example is Whiteman airport in the Los Angeles basin. This airport sits between Van Nuys and Burbank airports. Piston airplanes are going to be mixing it up with corporate jets and airliners in some of the busiest airspace in the country. I’ve always said that the FAA does not believe in safety, but what is in their best interest.

The question arrises what does this mean to aviation travel. The following scenarios have been given to me by someone in the know at the FAA. There will be a ground stoppage due to the lack of controllers to work a flight in their sector. There will be fewer slots at an airport. What this means is a flight that is scheduled to leave Phoenix to Kennedy with a departure time of 9AM might not leave until 11AM. Airliners will have to carry more fuel on board because there is a real possibility they will be put into a holding pattern before their arrival. This will cost the airlines dearly in flying a heavier plane that will increase fuel usage. International flights will be given clearance to taxi, and you could see 50 planes lined up waiting to depart for up to 3 hours. Crews could time out waiting for departures, and numerous flights could be cancelled.

Corporate jets will also sit on the ground waiting for a delayed clearance of up to 3 hours. In some cases corporate jet are allowed to depart VFR and ask for a pop up clearance. There is no guarantee that this clearance will be granted. Most Part 135 corporate jets have rules that they can not depart VFR.

Piston aircraft will no longer be given flight following as the controllers will state that they are too busy. IFR flights will be ground delayed, and pop ups might not also be granted as ATC can say they are too busy to grant this. If you are VFR going into IMC you will have to turn around, or if weather is closing in behind you declare an emergency.

Some management in the FAA think that Congress will have no position other than to grant the FAA funds to go back to regular operations by June 1, and some think that this slowdown could go on until October. No matter what happens aviation will be a disaster waiting to happen until this is settled.

Congress and the President decided to use Aviation as a bargaining chip. The only people that are going to suffer are FAA employees and the general public. When the slowdown starts effecting Congress then something might be done. It’s only a shame that ATC can not work AirForce One stating that they are too busy please hold at your current location.