Last week, AVweb asked readers to peer into the future of U.S.
aviation and offer up their best predictions — specifically, with
regard to privatization, price hikes, and those dreaded user fees.
The biggest segment of our readership (35%) foresaw privatization
of both FSS and air traffic control, as well as the advent of user
fees.
9% of readers said that, while FSS privatization is on the
horizon, user fees won't be coming to the U.S. anytime soon.
But a much larger percentage of our respondent (25%) thought U.S.
pilots would be paying user fees for something other than avgas in
the near future.
20% of respondents even went so far as to predict they'd give up
flying because of fees within the next few years.
The remaining 11% of participants in last week's poll were far
more optimistic, reminding us that fuel prices and funding
shortfalls are only temporary setbacks — and that the FAA is
investing a lot of time and money in the recruitment of a new class
of "Sport Pilots" who aren't likely to pay any user fees.
*** THIS WEEK'S QUESTION ***
Conductive
keratoplasty, radial keratotomy, wavefront Lasik — options for the
visually challenged are widening, but not all are approved by the
FAA. How's your vision?
Have an idea for a new QOTW? Send your suggestions to
qotw@avweb.com.
NOTE: This address is
only for suggested QOTW questions, and not for QOTW answers or
comments.
Use
this form to send QOTW comments to our AVmail Editor.
Email this article
