By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Thursday he would like to see lawmakers approve at least $20 billion in initial funding for air traffic control modernization in President Donald Trump’s tax and budget bill.
Major aerospace companies and airlines have called for at least $31 billion in funding to fix the Federal Aviation Administration’s crumbling air traffic control equipment and radar systems, build new towers and improve runway safety.
Duffy wants funding to purchase new radios and network connections, replace 618 radars, install anti-collision tarmac technology at 200 airports, build six new air traffic control centers and expand the FAA’s network of real-time aircraft traffic information.
House and Senate versions of Trump’s bill, which is currently being debated in the Senate, would both allocate $12.5 billion for air traffic control reform but have significant differences in how those funds would be disbursed.
Duffy supports the legislation in Congress but is in discussions with the Senate to add funding.
“We’re discussing with them additional dollars,” Duffy said, adding that another $8 billion or $9 billion would enable his department to start a large part of the process.
“Then we can wait for another vehicle in the future to give us the rest,” he said.
The FAA’s air traffic control network’s woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January that killed 67 has spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.
“The system we have here is not worth saving,” Duffy said last month.
He also wants funding for airport equipment to prevent near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic controller hiring and retention, which is 3,500 short of targeted staffing.
Duffy said on Thursday that U.S. telecom companies have agreed to stop charging the FAA obsolescence fees of $800 million annually to keep the agency’s copper wire system running as it shifts to fiber and upgrades its network.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Nia Williams)
