Funding of the air traffic control system should be doen on an equitable basis

Implications: - Current Fee structure is illogical. Airlines pay 90% of the cost for two-thirds of the usage. - The Air traffic control system is going to get far worse with the continued growth of corporate aircraft and "very light jet" (VLJ's) -Airlines pay for 90% of the air traffic control system and use only two- thirds of the system. - This proposal  being considered is based on user fees which is far more logical, and equitable.

Analysis: The current method of funding the air traffic control system is outdated and unfair.  While it may have made sense many years ago before the rapid growth of corporate aircraft, it will only get worse still with the coming of "Very Light Jet's. (VLJ's).  VLJ's will carry 4 to 8 passengers and will operate like a "taxi service" from mostly from satellite airports.   They, along with the growth of corporate aircraft  will only further clog the current Air Traffic Control System.

The current system has airlines paying 90% of the cost of the air traffic control system and yet using only two-thirds of that system.  How logical is that when faced with the growth of private aircraft including VLJ's?  The proposed system suggests paying a "user fee".  Therefore if you use it you will pay...what could be more fair than that?  AOPA, would have you believe  that this is some how unfair and that their cost will increase dramatically.  While it is true their costs will increase dramatically, those hurt the most will be corporations that have a growing fleet of private aircraft and the VLJ's.  The notion that this will some how impact smaller airports is simply not true.

The ATC system is already in serious trouble which is resulting in costly delays, wasting precious fuel because of these delay and cannot continue in its current state.  Let mew share with you a little tactic that corporate aircraft pilots do to help to add to these delays.  It is no secret that the northeast has they most congested airspace in the country, and all 3 of three local airports in NY  (LGA, JFK, EWR)are in the top 5 in airport in terms of delays.  What private pilots do (most of which are private corporate aircraft) is file a flight plan that does not include flying to the NY area airports.  Once airborne they change their flight plan to fly to NY.  They do this because they cannot get a "slot" when they want and do this as a way to circumvent the system, which only creates additional pressure on the air space around all of the NY airports.  Keeping in mind that while these private aircraft may or may not be flying to one of the big 3 NY airports, they are using the same air space as those airports!.

Considering all the discussions about global warming, carbon emissions and fuel conservation...the user fee concept even makes more sense to help develop and fund a new GPS based ATC system.  Anyone outside the aviation industry would look a a user fee concept would agree that the current way no longer fair and the proposed change is the right thing to do on so many levels.