On 23 Dec 2005 11:43:43 -0800, "Doug"
wrote:

As a pilot, I mostly fly VFR,
and land at airports with no control towers so if I have to pay for FAA
services, I will simply avoid using them as much as possible. It is now
possible to get full preflight weather briefings on the internet or
local computer feed, so there will be little need for me, personally to
use ATC services.

Therein lies one potential problem, that people may be inclined to
attenpt VFR flight into IMC in order to save money. It's bad enough
now that people attempt VFR when they really shouldn't.

While alternative weather may be available online, one needs to
remember that a reason to check FSS or DUATS is so that they can have
an entry in their log for CYA purposes. If something happens, the
investigators check for briefing logs and if they don't see that you
got an FSS briefing they might consider that reckless operation.

I think it would be a mistake to completely privatize
ATC, but I will admit there is a lot of pork in ATC and the FAA, so a
good remaking of the service probably is in order.

The whole idea of privatization of government services is to allow
market forces and competition to push service providers to improve
service and efficiency. So should ATC have competition? If I don't
like the clearance I get with one ATC service could I file with its
competitor and maybe get a better price? Or should ATC be a regulated
monopoly? People who like the phone company ought to love commercial
ATC.

What other government services might be supported by a user fee? I've
considered whether the IRS ought to be supported by a user fee. Maybe
about $25 to file a form 1040, in addition to your taxes. So if you're
filing for a refund of your witholding on that summer job selling ice
cream, you'd get the $10 tax refund and pay $25 to file the return.
Hey, that's fair. Everyone ought to pay the costs of government,
right?

RK Henry