Aviation Week & Space Technology - 30 March-12 April 2015

Washington Outlook

T

he idea that FAA should transfer its air trafc control duties

to a commercialized non-profit has picked up powerful sup-

port from a major airline trade association. Now the question

is whether lawmakers can agree on the specifics by the end of

September. At a March 24 House Transportation Committee

hearing, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said the FAA is ill-

suited to operate air trafc control. ATC is “a commercial func-

tion that is run through a political organization, and that creates

all sorts of problems,” said Parker, speaking on behalf of Airlines

for America, the U.S. airline industry’s trade organization. “If we

ran our airlines the way ATC is run, we wouldn’t make decisions

to invest in our future.” Parker emphasized, however, that safety

oversight should remain an FAA function. But time for an FAA

overhaul is running short. Rep. Rick Larsen (Wash.), the top

Democrat on the aviation subcommittee, notes FAA’s current op-

erating authority expires in six months, and that there is no plan

on the table yet. “Without that happen-
ing, I find it difcult to foresee an on-
time FAA reauthorization bill if we are
to tackle this topic,” Larsen warned. “If
stakeholders want to push for this pro-
posal, they need to put something on
the table, or risk heading us down the
chaotic path of multiple, short-term
FAA bills.” One proposed fix is on the
way: Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), the com-
mittee’s former chairman, has drafted
legislation that would allow current air
trafc controllers, airlines and users to
operate a new ATC system. He plans
to introduce it on April 16.^ c

BOULDER MOVE
NASA ofcials are opting to grab a
boulder for the White House’s proposed
Asteroid Redirect Mission. The admin-
istration’s preferred option adds about
$100 million to the cost. The alternative
was to capture an entire asteroid of a
specific size. Scientists favor the boul-
der because it allows them to scrutinize
more options rather than chasing a
single target. Plus, the boulder capture
includes an extended “gravity tractor”
demonstration for planetary defenses.

The asteroid mission grew out of a 2010

directive by President Barack Obama

to explore an asteroid by 2025 in

preparation for a mission to Mars in the

middle of the 2030s. The boulder choice

was supposed to have been delivered

to Congress last December, but wasn’t

outlined until March 25. Now the deci-

sion moves to Congress, where in the

past lawmakers have said they prefer

missions that target the Moon rather

than Mars. c

POWER PROJECTION

After 28 years in the Senate and a failed

presidential bid, John McCain (R-Ariz.)

is now leading the Senate Armed Ser-

vices Committee. He has a lengthy list

of ways to improve the military, which

he laid out in a March 26 speech to the

Center for Strategic and International

Studies. The list includes cyber and

space control capabilities, directed-

energy weapons, unmanned combat

aerial vehicles, and future aircraft

carriers. McCain also is wading into the

details of the stalled Unmanned Carrier

Launched Airborne Surveillance Strike

(Uclass) program, which remains on

hold while the Pentagon reviews its

plans for intelligence, reconnaissance

and surveillance (ISR). The chairman,

who backs the review, wants a plat-

form that will do more than ISR—a lot

more. In a March 24 letter to Defense

Secretary Ashton Carter, McCain

urges the Pentagon to “consider what

attributes could enable the Uclass

program to perform strike, as well as

ISR, missions.” His wish list includes

an unrefueled endurance several times

that of manned fighters; a refueled

mission endurance measured in days;

broadband, all-aspect radar cross

section-reduction sufcient to find and

engage defended targets; and the ability

to carry internally a flexible mix of up

to 4,000 lb. of strike payload. c

LENDING A FIST

The Air Force may have a new strategy

for selling Congress on retiring the

A-10 Thunderbolt (see page 54.). But

the close air support aircraft known as

the Warthog, and the “Chuck Norris of

airplanes,” has an ever-growing base

of defenders. That includes the famous

tough guy, who studied martial arts

while in the Air Force in South Korea.

Last week, Norris wrote an op-ed for

the conservative WND, saying the

A-10 is not ready for retirement and

has a range of upgrades to maintain its

relevance. “I just celebrated my 75th

birthday, but I’m nowhere near ready

to head to the scrap heap,” he writes.

“Some things just improve with age, and

the A-10 has done just that, too.” c

Change of Control

Airlines back moving ATC out of FAA

COMMENTARY

Edited by Jen DiMascio

Managing Editor-Defense,

Space & Security Jen DiMascio blogs

at: AviationWeek.com/ares

[email protected]

28 AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/MARCH 30-APRIL 12, 2015 AviationWeek.com/awst

‘If we ran our airlines the

way ATC is run, we wouldn’t

make decisions to invest in

our future.’

—DOUG PARKER

GETTY IMAGES FILE PHOTO