ATC Privatization, HR 2997

Just curious...Â* If any country sent me a bill for my US registered
aircraft and I'd not flown it in that country, I'd tell them politely
that it wasn't me and then ignore all further communications from them.

As to tolls, last I heard the air was free and, since I'm not required
to have a transponder, I could simply remove it.Â* Problem solved (for now).


On 10/7/2017 6:43 AM, wrote:
I keeping thinking ADS-B's larger impact will be that it will become the toll beacon of the sky. That will impact soaring and all air sports as I'm sure any exemptions will canceled in a privatized ATC sky. Transponders squawking 1202 will just not be 'safe' enough.
Frank, glad to see someone else believes we will eventually all be paying a toll whether we use ATC or not. The problem with privatization is that it is based on user fees and giving priority to the airlines. That is sort of like giving bus lines control and priority over cars, which has already happened in some places. The initial response by GA will be to avoid ATC to avoid fees. Pilots that might have flown on an IFR flight plan (even in VMC) or requested flight following, will then fly without ATC. The chance of a mid-air for GA will most certainly increase. It does not appear the airlines have realized the problem it will create for themselves by having so many more GA pilots outside the ATC system. Currently, ATC will vector a GA pilot they are controlling to minimize the impact on airlines in the same vicinity. If ATC is not talking to the GA aircraft, then the airlines will have to do ALL of the vectoring to avoid GA. That will eventually lead to major inefficiencies for the airlines and they will then need to lobby for all aircraft to be controlled over larger areas or lose even more money. Eventually, all of the airspace could become "controlled" and everyone pays a user fee. We do not even need ADSB for that to happen, since the mode-S transponders we use now give ATC and the FAA all the information they need to send us a bill whether we use ATC or not. I've received dozens of invoices from Canada even though I have not flown there in more than 15 years. Either their system has issues, someone is flying with my mode-s code, the N number was heard incorrectly, or they simply want to send out bills hoping the payee will not notice. I even received an invoice for my balloon of all things. The sad part is that I have to be the one to prove my aircraft was not there, not the other way around. While I do not expect this all to happen in my lifetime, the next generation or two will not have the opportunities we all had.

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Dan, 5J