"Outsourcing" ATC
 

Last week, the US FAA renewed its contract with SERCO, a British firm, for air traffic control services at 54 airports from California to Alaska.

The FAA also selected Airservices Australia for ATC at 4 airports in Hawaii and 2 in the US Pacific territories.

Is this "outsourcing" of ATC the future of the industry - a few large companies providing the world's ATC? Is it shrewd resource management or "selling ATC to the lowest bidder?"

Oh, and who is next?

ATC 24/7

I have recently heard of company speak that they are looking to expand from the UK into Europe as they believe that in the next few years the main ATC players in europe will fall from 16 to around 12 ( something like that anyway ).

I guess outsourcing is a real possibility, and moving radar positions abroad, as well as moving into other peoples towers, is more and more viable with technological advances and the possibility of money saving. Cheaper property rent / relocation costs etc etc.

Just hope we don't go the same way as insurance companies and the way they outsourced. It has led to a massive increase in service degredation. - And its a long trek to Bombay!!!

TIO

A country doen't need to outsource it's ATS to save money. Just ask all the happy peeps from the new Vancouver Centre about their move.