End of an Era for FSS

[greygoose]

Also, heavy-hitting organizations such as AOPA and the EAA do have friends in DC. Write them a letter too! anything is worth a try, right?

AOPA is one of the biggest supporters for this, since it will become commercialized it means new modern equipment for the facilities.

 

[corytx]

When you fly into an airfield with a tower that's operated by a contractor, you don't know the difference. It'll be the same for FSS. It's a positive change.

except no more face to face briefings (not that many people still get face to face briefings). What the people at my local FSS say is that there will be 3 offices for the entire nation, one in Salt Lake, Ft. Worth, and another on the east coast. If your flying around Chicago you will be getting a briefing from someone in Ft. Worth.

I wonder if we will have to start paying for our briefings, don't they do that in Canada?

 

[bobbysamd]

FSS Privatization

Maybe I'm missing something here, but where does it say that the jobs will be leaving the country...?
(Or are y'all making assumptions based on other industry trends?)

In Canada we have the consolidated FSS under NavCanada and on the east coast at least, they do an excellent job. Provided that there's enough people working in that particular office, service is top notxch. In the Quebec region, they do seem to suffer from understaffing, and there is often delays, but that's more of a not enough people as opposed to it being a central location.

Is NavCanada a government entity?

In the U.S. situation, if the FSSs are indeed operated by a non-governmental, private entity, the private entity will undoubtedly seek the cheapest source of manpower. So, yes, since call centers and even income tax preparation have been moved, lock, stock and barrel, to India, it's not unreasonable to assume that FSSs will also move. Which will put a great number of FSS specialists out of work, unless they want to move to New Dehli.