The Ballad Of Flight Service

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Competitive outsourcing of the U.S. Flight Service Station (FSS) system, now managed by Lockheed Martin, has led to widespread discontent among general aviation stakeholders regarding service delivery.
  • Despite the ongoing public debate, the voices of flight service specialists themselves are absent due to contractual restrictions prohibiting them from commenting publicly.
  • These specialists have, however, created and shared a song internally that articulates their collective feelings about the current FSS system.
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Probably one of the most surveyed subjects in general aviation in the U.S. is the effect of competitive outsourcing of the Flight Service Station system. Some said it was long overdue but it seems like there is a constant buzz of discontent from all corners on how the system delivers services. Lockheed Martin, which now runs the system, politicians, aviation groups, the media and pilots have all had their say in various forums, including AVweb. The only voices that haven’t been heard are those of the diminished ranks of flight service specialists, who aren’t allowed to comment publicly under their contracts. However, they do chat amongst themselves and one or more of them have come up with a song that the specialist who shared it with us says sums up their feelings.

Download the MP3 (7 mb) here.

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