do some research into the all seeing all knowing US airspace and find out how many mid airs they have had in the past 20 odd years...then post your findings here and explain why they are all dead would you?
Where in the US is 'E' available without Radar coverage; and directed avoidance information from ATCs? See and avoid is a myth in the US to IFR aircraft. We will have far worse stats here, we have less information.
Why should GA pay for ATS? If the system which currently costs about 70cents per PAX flown was charged as a TAX (ASA revenue divided by Pax flown), say $1.00 (maybe even $2.00), then GA companies small RPT or charter ops would only pay for the amount of PAX they carry, i.e. ****** all. Majors would pay for majority of charges, expenditure, investment, but if it was a PAX cost TAX, such as the soon to be removed ANSETT tax, it wouldn't worry the majors at all; also if they carried 20 PAX on a 767, then their cost would be $20.00, nothing like it is now. Maybe a set cost for freight only operators.
We need to get away from ATC is provided in a profit regime; all it does is alienate staff, alienate customers, subject it to radical unreasonable change which generally delivers no real benefit whatsoever.
NAS: More freedom for a few VFRs, that's great, more RISK for IFRs, more confusion (higher workload) and risk for ATC. Oh yeah, forget the rhetoric more cost for all.
We currently have 60 consoles, according to Wes, to suggest we can reduce anything is a joke, we have made moves to have more consoles open during the day, from an ATC perspective NAS is harder (more responsibility to watch the scope). During peaks we'll have about the same, during the slack, more open... How does that save money?
Bottle of Rum