It’s too early to say what the ultimate impact of these changes will be on the GA pilot, FAA spokesman William Shumann told AVweb yesterday. But initially, “pilots won’t see any difference,” he said. “They will still be talking to the same people at air traffic control and at the Flight Service Stations.” Any changes that occur would be gradual, he said, and won’t begin until the initial in-depth analyses of the organization have been completed. FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said in Tuesday’s news release, “The ATO will bring about lasting change in how we manage our air traffic services, systems and resources.” But those changes “will be invisible to the flying public,” said Shumann. “The aim is to deliver better service at lower cost to taxpayers,” he said. “Pilots now are not paying directly for those services, and that is not going to change.”
…With What Effect On GA Services?…
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA's new Air Traffic Organization (ATO) aims to improve the management of air traffic services, systems, and resources, with a goal of delivering better service at lower cost to taxpayers.
- Initially, pilots will experience no immediate changes, continuing to interact with the same air traffic control and Flight Service Station personnel.
- Any future changes implemented by the ATO will be gradual, "invisible" to the flying public, and pilots will continue not to pay directly for these services.
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