National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen yesterday urged a congressional aviation subcommittee to fund air traffic control (ATC) system infrastructure and controller hiring and training, while recognizing the critical contribution of industry safety initiatives.

In written testimony submitted for the US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Aviation hearing, “America Builds: Air Traffic Control System Infrastructure and Staffing", which took place March 4, Bolen noted that the country’s robust and diverse ATC system is world-leading, but will only remain so with appropriate funding to modernize infrastructure and hire and train more air traffic controllers, while expanding on proven industry safety initiatives including data-sharing programs.

Bolen also noted concern over public response to recent accidents and incidents, in which some have rushed to place blame, rather than allowing the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to complete the investigative process unencumbered by speculation or rumor.

He noted that a just culture foundation, together with robust FAA/industry educational outreach and training, has significantly contributed to the reduction in the incident and accident rate, with a scheduled airline fatal accident rate among US air carriers near zero, until last month’s tragedy, and a general aviation fatal accident rate of just .762 per 100,000 flight hours in 2023, down from 1.118 per 100,000 flight hours in 2013. In the first 10 months of 2024, the rate of serious runway incursions fell by 73% compared to the same period in 2023.

The President and CEO described safety initiatives, including the development of pioneering technologies such as GPS and airborne collision-avoidance systems, as well as collaboration with the FAA on its Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) initiative and the development of the International Standard for Business Aviation Operations, or IS-BAO. Data-sharing programs have been key to reducing accident rates and runway incursions in the US, he added.

NBAA commended the subcommittee for recognizing the importance of funding ATC infrastructure and the controller workforce, adding the association looks forward to collaboratively working to address ATC safety and efficiency to ensure that America’s aviation system remains the preeminent aviation system in the world.

See for details AVIONEWS 1 and 2.