Trump announces plans to privatize US air traffic control system

Re:Trump announces plans to privatize US air traffic control... by reverend_gonzo on Monday June 05, 2017 @01:55PM (#14489670)

There is a reason that air traffic is tightly controlled, primarily there is massive public risk for minimal errors.

There is a saying that the FARs are written in blood, as in regulations aren't passed willy-nilly, but passed after there has been a serious incident.

Air traffic is one place where "Iterate quickly and break shit" doesn't work. What happens when in the name of "efficiency", one tower reduces current safety limits because "99% of the time these are unnecessary", then the one time it actually was necessary, you've got two jets about to make a head-on collision, or one quickly changes course, loses control, and crash-lands into a town.

There are absolutely improvments that can be made with the FAA, but privatizing ATC is definitely not one of them.

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Re:Trump announces plans to privatize US air traffic control... by icebraining on Monday June 05, 2017 @02:01PM (#14489735)

I find the proposal suspect, but this seems like fear-mongering. Planes are already built and operated by private companies, yet I don't see them "iterating quickly and breaking shit". Of course the FARs have much to do with that, but it's not like they'll stop existing.

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Re:Trump announces plans to privatize US air traffic control... by d0lph on Monday June 05, 2017 @02:00PM (#14489731)

Well then don't iterate quickly. Ideally they would introduce some automation that removes human error.

I see what you're saying, but couldn't these same regulations be applied to private industry?

You don't necessarily need 0 governmental oversight for it to be private.

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