Twenty minutes in the queue awaiting the new and improved FSS

Justin Gombos wrote:
On 2007-05-13, Don Poitras wrote:

My first experience trying to get a clearance on the ground via
Lockheed today. ... Tried the GCO, but no one answered. Plane behind
me on taxiway is asking whether I'm trying GCO. "Yeah, but they're
not answering.

I had the same issue.. tried to get ahold of Kankakee in the Chicago
area around 2am, and go no answer after making multiple attempts on
all the frequencies in the area. It's a little unnerving to fly VFR
at night w/out flight following. Is Lockheed now in charge of all
FSS's?

Here's the transition schedule:
http://www.afss.com/transition/

AOPA was originally very happy about all this:

"And all of these enhanced services are being provided without user
fees - AOPA made sure of that," Boyer said. "It is estimated that
Lockheed's 10-year contract will actually save the government about
$2.2 billion."

Subtract .18 billion from that savings:

Lockheed Martin is looking for a 10-percent increase in the fees it's
being paid to take over flight services. According to a report from the
Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General, the
company, which was awarded a $1.8 billion contract to assume the
function, says it's owed another $177 million, mostly because the FAA
didn't supply accurate labor cost information.

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--
Don Poitras