This email was sent out to every member of Congress and they have been asked to sign the letter below to the FAA Administrator.
Please contact your representatives today and ask them to sign this letter ASAP.
STOP THE PRIVATIZATION OF FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS!
Please co-sign the following letter to urge the FAA to delay their plans to privatize flight service stations until the President signs the FY 2006 TTHUD Appropriations bill into law. It is our hope that once the President signs the TTHUD bill, the FAA will be prevented from privatizing flight service stations because it will include an amendment that passed the House 238-177 to ban this risky privatization scheme. Below the letter, you will find a listing of flight service stations that will close and/or privatized if the FAA goes ahead with this scheme. To add your boss to this letter, please contact Warren Gunnels in Rep. Sanders' office at 5-4115, or Ryan S. in Rep. Herseth's office at 5-2801.
DEADLINE FOR SIGNATURE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, C.O.B.
September 29, 2005
The Honorable Marion Blakey
Administrator
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591
Dear Administrator Blakey:
We are writing to urge the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) delay implementation of plans to turn functions of Flight Service Stations over to a private company until Congress completes the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 appropriations process. As FY 2005 comes to a close, it is important that any funds used to implement the privatization plan are directly appropriated by Congress.
The House of Representatives has already weighed in against privatizing Flight Service Station operations through the FY 2006 Transportation Appropriations Bill. On June 30, 2005, the House of Representatives rejected the FAA's proposal by approving an amendment, by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 238 to 177, to prohibit the FAA from spending funds on the privatization plan. The Senate has yet to consider the FY 2006 Transportation Appropriations Bill.
General aviation pilots depend on Flight Service Stations to provide weather briefings, temporary flight restrictions, emergency information, and aid in search and rescue. Flight Service Station Specialists use their expertise of regional weather, landscape, and flight conditions to ensure pilots reach their destinations safely. Their work has kept general aviation running smoothly and has literally saved lives.
The Federal Aviation Administration's proposal to privatize Flight Service Stations will lead to decreased safety for pilots of small planes because they will no longer be talking to personnel familiar with regional weather and topography. The consolidated system will strain service capability because fewer employees will be responsible for a growing system of general air traffic.
The proposed plan will be especially harmful to rural areas that more heavily rely upon smaller aircraft. Whether moving products and services as part of the global economy, or shepherding sick patients for medical care, communities require a basic air infrastructure network. By ensuring that Flight Service Stations can continue to serve all areas, general aviation pilots will continue to be able to serve regions that may otherwise not have service.
Accordingly, we request that the FAA delay implementation of plans to turn Flight Service Stations functions over to a private company until Congress finalizes the FY 2006 budget. While the FAA intends to shift these government employees over to private control as soon as October 2005, it is important that this transition is not implemented until the Senate can consider the privatization of Flight Service Stations.
According to the FAA Director of Competitive Sourcing, the net cost of stopping this transition prior to October 1 would be approximately $5 million. If the FAA proceeds on October 3 and is subsequently directed by Congress to suspend or reverse implementation, it could mean significant additional expenses to the FAA. For these reasons, we request that you delay the implementation of this transition until the bill is signed into law. Your prompt action on this request is appreciated.
Sincerely,
FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE UNLESS THIS AMENDMENT PASSES:
| STATE |
CITY |
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES |
| ALABAMA |
ANNISTON |
29 |
| ARKANSAS |
JONESBORO |
28 |
| CALIFORNIA |
HAWTHORNE |
32 |
| CALIFORNIA |
RANCHO MURIETA |
28 |
| CALIFORNIA |
RIVERSIDE |
31 |
| CONNECTICUT |
BRIDGEPORT |
47 |
| FLORIDA |
GAINESVILLE |
30 |
| IDAHO |
BOISE |
21 |
| INDIANA |
TERRE HAUTE |
36 |
| IOWA |
FORT DODGE |
18 |
| KANSAS |
WICHITA |
23 |
| KENTUCKY |
LOUISVILLE |
18 |
| LOUISIANA |
DERIDDER |
21 |
| MAINE |
BANGOR |
27 |
| MISSISSIPPI |
GREENWOOD |
16 |
| MISSOURI |
ST. LOUIS |
29 |
| MONTANA |
GREAT FALLS |
18 |
| NEBRASKA |
COLUMBUS |
18 |
| NEVADA |
RENO |
28 |
| NEW JERSEY |
MILLVILLE |
31 |
| NEW YORK |
BUFFALO |
27 |
| NORTH DAKOTA |
GRAND FORKS |
21 |
| OHIO |
CLEVELAND |
33 |
| OHIO |
DAYTON |
24 |
| OKLAHOMA |
MCALESTER |
37 |
| OREGON |
MCMINNVILLE |
28 |
| PENNSYLVANIA |
ALTOONA |
36 |
| PENNSYLVANIA |
WILLIAMSPORT |
33 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA |
ANDERSON |
28 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA |
HURON |
16 |
| TENNESSEE |
JACKSON |
19 |
| TEXAS |
CONROE |
39 |
| TEXAS |
SAN ANGELO |
37 |
| UTAH |
CEDAR CITY |
30 |
| VERMONT |
BURLINGTON |
32 |
| WEST VIRGINIA |
ELKINS |
20 |
| WISCONSIN |
GREEN BAY |
36 |
| WYOMING |
CASPER |
19 |
| GRAND TOTAL |
38 FACILITIES |
1044 TOTAL JOBS LOST |
FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE PRIVATIZED IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:
1. Prescott, Arizona with 44 employees.
2. Oakland, California with 45 employees.
3. San Diego, California with 26 employees.
4. Honolulu, Hawaii with 29 employees.
5. Seattle, Washington with 46 employees.
6. Denver, Colorado with 53 employees.
7. Fort Worth, Texas with 71 employees.
8. Columbia, Missouri with 58 employees.
9. Albuquerque, New Mexico with 38 employees.
10. Princeton, Minnesota with 52 employees.
11. Leesburg, Virginia with 46 employees.
12. Nashville, Tennessee with 37 employees.
13. Raleigh, North Carolina with 42 employees.
14. Islip, New York with 42 employees.
15. St. Petersburg, Florida with 76 employees.
16. Macon, Georgia with 58 employees.
17. Miami, Florida with 75 employees.
18. San Juan, Puerto Rico with 18 employees.
19. Kankakee, Illinois with 57 employees.
20. Lansing, Michigan with 62 employees.