Senate - Commerce
In light of this very interesting set of dialogues among and between aviators the confirmation hearing set for tomorrow (Wednesday March 1) for the current nominee to head the FAA should be quite interesting. Or maybe quite interesting for what is not asked and what is not said - will the nominee be asked about how this incident, and other recent incursions, reveal the imminent needs of the NAS? And will anyone, whether Committee members or the nominee, delve into this particular ATCO and what did and did not happen in Austin . . . Texas?
I'm holding back on slamming the administration for dallying about the vacancy in Montreal. If it can't comprehend the necessity in the current overall situation confronting FAA to nominate and get confirmed an FAA Administrator deeply aware of the workings of all the parts of the NAS and how they interact in good times and also when things go wrong - and evidently it hasn't comprehended this yet- what hope can there be to get someone nominated and confirmed for holding up the United States's end of the deal at ICAO? The pending activity to reformulate NOTAMs, by itself, warrants getting real aviation depth in place . . . . . without delay.