When the new president takes office in January, among the myriad issues he’ll address will be the concerns of the aviation community. Certain to top the list are FAA reauthorization, air traffic control modernization and the selection of a new FAA Administrator.



Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who took office in January 2005, has little track record on aerospace and defense issues. The junior senator from Illinois has sided with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association in its long-running dispute with the FAA about controller pay and working conditions. In the summer of 2006, after nine months of negotiations, the FAA unilaterally imposed the contract, despite the union’s objections. Obama has introduced a bill to change the process for resolving impasses.



Although the Aerospace Industries Association has described transforming the air transportation system as “a national priority,” at this stage of the campaign neither candidate has outlined positions on aviation issues. However, when an FAA computer glitch snarled air travel in August, both candidates said they support updating the ATC system.



Sen. John McCain (R. Ariz.) has listed FedEx founder and CEO Frederick Smith; John Chambers, chairman and CEO of Cisco; and Meg Whitman, former eBay CEO, as advisors on aerospace, aviation and technology. Obama has no such separate list of advisors under that category.



While Obama has no apparent track record with business aviation, McCain is well known for his support for user fees on corporate jets. In 1997, when he was chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, he backed a system of user fees and did not oppose the concept of a government corporation to operate the ATC system.



User-fee Debate