"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...

You think there's no one waiting in the wings to bid against
Lockheed-Martin?

I'll bet there's at least half a dozen companies, all willing to bid on
the ATC contract, all promising to do it "cheaper-faster-better"...

That may be, but that's not competition. Competition will come to ATC when
the user has his choice of providers. Of course, when that happens, ATC
will no longer be able to ensure separation.


That comment raises an interesting question. Let's imagine that ATC
services are bid by some logical boundary (center?). Would different
companies manning different sectors really mean a loss of separation?

My initial thought is NO. What professional ATC person will
"sabotage" any element of the system to make another company look bad?
I do see where a company will do their best to look good thus
enhancing their prospect of picking up additional sectors.

The one nagging concern is the law of unintended consequences.

Ron Lee