General aviation advocacy groups are seeing the current public outcry over air traffic control challenges as a chance to “seize the day” and make lasting improvements in the National Airspace System. While record delays and stories of airline passengers stranded on ramps for hours have garnered headlines, tragic accidents have also dominated the news cycles.
At the 2025 Air Traffic Modernization Summit yesterday (July 15), National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen said at the event hosted by the American Association of Airport Executives, “This is not just a once-in-a-generation opportunity. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’ve never seen this level of public awareness, industry unity and bipartisan resolve in Washington. The time to act is now. We can only go as fast as our oldest technology. It’s time to build something new, not just patch the old.”
The summit also saw participation from congressional aviation leaders, including Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Reps. Rick Larsen (D-02-Wash.) and Steve Womack (R-03-Ark.), and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill). While lawmakers have already allocated $12.52 billion for ATC upgrades in the current budget package, Duckworth said that’s just one-third of what’s needed to effectively modernize the system.
Bolen added, “We know the mission and have begun laying the groundwork, but we can’t stop halfway up the hill. We’re in this together, with industry coalitions like Modern Skies, with our partners in Congress, and with our nation’s air traffic controllers. We have a clear goal, a clear timeline, and unprecedented support.”
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