As someone who’s flown for years in support of our construction projects throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Minnesota, I know personally how essential general aviation is for small businesses like ours and rural communities.
Our Cessna 206 has allowed us to reach multiple projects quickly for parts, construction meetings and deliver bids when needed in our short construction season. It has been an efficient means to avoid delays and increase communications that save time and money.
I was pleased to see the Trump Administration’s planned investments regarding increasing traffic controllers, upgrading the radar and communications system and staffing and training for use of the new proposed system. These are all reforms we need to improve safety, reliability, and efficiency across the aviation system with ever increasing air traffic.
However, I have heard rumors re-examining the privatization of the air traffic control system and am not in favor of this.
I believe lack of public oversight could limit the ability of rural communities and general aviation users to influence decisions that affect their access to the system in general.
Aviation is important for economic development, emergency response and connectivity in our rural areas. I still fly regularly and believe we can modernize the system as proposed and at the same time, keep the system accountable and accessible for all communities and users.
Dan L. Thompson is chairman of Border States Paving, Inc., in Fargo.
https://www.inforum.com/opinion/letters/letter-air-traffic-control-system-should-not-be-privatized