FAA chief defends ATC modernization slips, seeks $10bn more

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday that the agency's air traffic control modernization programme is running behind schedule in places and needs more money. He asked Congress for at least $10 billion in further funding, describing the effort, known as the Brand New ATC System, as one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects the country has undertaken.

Congress set aside $12.5 billion for the first phase of the work in 2025, and a House committee approved a $4 billion allocation for the agency's facilities and equipment account in June. Bedford characterised the $12.5 billion as a down payment and said the facilities and equipment funding would not be enough on its own. He warned that without further appropriations the national airspace system could face more delays, more cancellations and reduced resilience.

The administrator gave lawmakers a mixed picture of progress. He said 64 percent of old telecommunications wiring has been moved off copper to fiber, satellite or wireless links, and that more than 402 radio sites now use modern equipment. Twenty-two towers have switched from paper flight strips to electronic ones, surface movement radars are in place at five major airports, and 100 surface awareness systems have been installed across the country.

On the telecommunications work, Bedford said the programme is ahead of its original timeline, with completion now expected in September rather than December 2027. He did not commit to a 3.8 percent pay increase for controllers that was provided for in legislation passed earlier this year.