Professional Pilot, June 2017

POSITION HOLD an editorial opinion Looking for data on ATC privatization Canadian airspace is governed by NavCanada privatized air traffic control system funded by user fees We should be able to look to them and other similar systems for detailed cost and operational data Theres no need to guess I f you are even peripherally involved in aviation it is almost as hard to escape reading about user fees and ATC privatization as it is to avoid articles about the rebranding of Obamacare as Trumpcare Oops I meant to say the repeal and replacement of Obamacare by Trumpcare As many of you know I like to write articles containing a fair amount of statistics and charts add in some opinion and conclusions and top it off with a bit of snarkiness When I decided to add my 2 cents to the ATC debate I was certain that finding lots of data would be the least of my problems After all discussions about privatizing air traffic operations go back 30 years If there is a government or private organization with an alphabet name that hasnt been tasked with studying and reporting on the issue I dont know which one it is Lack of hard comparable data Well guess what After much research I could take all the hard comparable data I found put it in the smallest zip 10 PROFESSIONAL PILOT June 2017 lock bag you can buy shake it vigorously and the various pieces would be unlikely to come in contact with each other In other words finding apples to apples comparisons is a touch more difficult than finding the holy grail For example Delta Airlines released a report in early 2016 the summary of which is current system good privatization bad This is not shocking given that Delta is the only major airline that supports the status quo instead of user fees and the privatization of ATC Delta states in this report that NavCanadas fees went up 59 between 1996 inception of their privatization and 2012 However the report footnotes no source for this information although most of the other statistics of the Delta report ate footnoted A review of NavCanadas 2016 annual report would indicate the total of their current charges is running about 105 of the 1999 base year It has been as high as 112 and is actually scheduled to drop next year to about 102 In truth NavCanadas pricing schedule has changed its structure since its beginning As a result there is likely some ambiguity in interpreting and comparing their pricing over time Realistically it would be pretty optimistic to expect NavCanada to have gotten their pricing right on the 1st try However this does not obviate the need and obligation to do the work If you are going to present numbers and use them as an argument for or against something as monolithic as a change in the way the US runs its air transportation system prove them Dont just state what you want to say and move on to a conclusion Let me point out another issue that solidifies the sentiment that Figures dont lie but liars can figure The report contains the sentence These increases prompted Canadians to cross the border in search of cheaper airline tickets 4 The number 4 footnote references a Public Radio International PRI article from 2012 that discusses Canadians coming across to US airports and airlines to get lower fares The article goes on to discuss a passenger that has come from Vancouver to Bellingham to board an Allegiant Air flight to Las Vegas He estimates the fare is By Bob Rockwood Managing Partner Bristow Associates Table 1 New Zealand UK Canada US Year of turnover 1987 2001 1996 N A Ownership State owned Public private Private Fed govt Annual com flights 1000000 2340000 12000000 25100000 Controllers 350 1636 2000 15000 Staffed facilities 27 40 200 538 Controlled space 30M sq km 291M sq km 487M sq km 751M sq km Table 1 Characteristics of selected air navigation service providers and the FAA