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    Obama signs bill modernizing aviation system

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has signed legislation Tuesday that modernizes the nation's aviation system, speeding up the nation's switch from radar to an air traffic control system based on GPS technology. The law also opens up the skies to military, commercial and privately-owned unmanned drones.

    The legislation faced opposition from some labor unions because it set new rules governing union organizing elections at airlines and railroads.

    The Senate passed the bill last week, completing action after a struggle that shut down the Federal Aviation Administration for two weeks.

    The law authorizes $63.4 billion for the FAA over four years, including about $11 billion toward the air traffic system and its modernization. It sets a deadline of June 2015 for the FAA to develop new arrival procedures at the nation's 35 busiest airports.

    "This critical effort to shift from our antiquated air traffic control technology to a GPS-based system will improve air traffic efficiency and safety, reduce fuel burn and pollution from aircraft, and bring costs down for consumers," said Republican Rep. John Mica of Florida, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

    In a compromise, the legislation set some new requirements for union organizing elections. While some unions accepted the changes, others called for it to be rejected. Among those opposing the legislation were the Teamsters, Communications Workers, Machinists and Flight Attendants.

    The president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Paul Rinaldi, praised the new law.

    "This new technology will help reduce delays, give controllers better tools with which to perform their jobs even more efficiently and provide a platform for further technological and safety enhancements," he said in a statement.

    Under the new law, the FAA must by Sept. 30, 2015, begin permitting unmanned drones controlled by remote operators on the ground to fly in the same airspace as airliners, cargo planes, business jets and private aircraft.

     

    50 comments

    • Daniel  •  Dubois, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      Drones? I love my country, but fear my government.
      • Tim 3 mths ago
        gov already can, this bill will now include privately-owned unmanned drones.
    • Petercha  •  3 mths ago
      Why do we need drones flying over America?
      • Daniel 3 mths ago
        Big Brother needs to watch you.
      • Jr Rice 3 mths ago
        target practice.
      • Martini Master 3 mths ago
        Save an Al Queda terrorist... they can use drones to crash airplanes, load drones with explosives and crash them into buildings and detonate nuclear warheads in major metropolises. This will reduce Al Queda's hazardous employment and make their jobs safer.
    • J C...63  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  2 mths ago
      YUP Orwell was right on the money!! LET ME see one and IT will be SHOT DOWN QUICK---can anyone say INVASION of PRIVICY!!! NO reason for ANY GOVT AGENCY to be using these anywhere BUT on our BORDERS! "So they've got us surrounded, good! Now we can fire in any direction, those #$%$ won't get away this time!" --CHESTY PULLER, USMC "The above was brought to you by a DHS-CERTIFIED TERRORIST---A VIETNAM COMBAT MARINE--a VETERAN with an ATTITUDE"----- jscusmc69 65-2005 USMC RVN nad OTHER PLACES
    • Old_School!  •  3 mths ago
      Drones in Domestic Airspace?
      • Larry 3 mths ago
        This sets the stage for airlines to begin getting rid of the pilots. That technology has existed for years and now it looks like they're moving forward with it.
    • BrianC  •  Phoenix, Arizona  •  3 mths ago
      Obama aside (ya I get it), this will definetly improve aviation safety by using GPS and getting away from our prehistoric system. As far as the drones go.....WOW thats pretty crazy. There will be a lot of serious criteria in order to be allowed to use one of those in our airspace. I have a feeling this is primarily for military use not so much private.
    • Any variation of Yoder  •  2 mths ago
      I don't know much about aviation so these are legitimate questions. If we go to a GPS system will we still use radar? If not wouldn't an aircraft with it's GPS disabled be invisible to air traffic controllers?
    • zzzz  •  3 mths ago
      Great, if the drone hacking by Iran is in fact truth, terrorists will eventually crash commercial planes simply by manipulating the GPS signals rather than trying to board with bombs...
    • freedom  •  3 mths ago
      Once again federal government doing one thing that everyone would agree with...making everyday flight more proficient and more safe but tacking on a little something for itself. What is safety if it strips us of our privacy and freedoms. This administration must be stopped, citizens must continue to educate themselves on world issues and how government is always and has always been hungry for power no matter the losses suffered by the everyday citizen. Our founding fathers warned agents these very instances. Love America not our current American government.
    • Karen  •  Chico, California  •  3 mths ago
      ""This critical effort to shift from our antiquated air traffic control technology to a GPS-based system will improve air traffic efficiency and safety, reduce fuel burn and pollution from aircraft, and bring costs down for consumers," said Republican Rep. John Mica of Florida..."

      It may bring ticket prices down someday, possibly in the far future but any cost reductions would be offset by Obama's budget plan to charge a new tax/fee on tickets to help pay for the T.S.A.

      Another shell game of lets make it look like we will reduce ticket prices when he will actually raise them if Obama gets his way.
      • WrathOfKhan 3 mths ago
        put down the crack pipe for minute Hon..
    • Daniel  •  Dubois, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      11 billion for GPS what is the other $ 52,400,000,000.00
    • GusH  •  3 mths ago
      We need to get rid of the TSA gropers, and we really need to get rid of obama.
    • Thomas  •  Gig Harbor, Washington  •  3 mths ago
      Please identify just one good reason for drones flying over United States airspace and don't bother to mention spying on us because I've already thought of that one.
    • The Holmes  •  Phoenix, Arizona  •  3 mths ago
      My question is this: Why can't the $16B/yr budget for the FAA come from fees on the tickets of those who actually fly? Instead of everyone paying for this infrastructure, can't they live off of their own self-generated revenue? I can only suspect its due to the fact that ticket prices would shoot up, reducing air traffic and hence the airlines and unions lobby against it - better to get something free than pay for it.
    • Chris  •  3 mths ago
      NDAA, SOPA, FEMA CAMPS, DRONES, SCANNERS, OFFICIAL-UNOFFICIAL AGENCIES, ect...

      See something wrong here?..
    • Rick  •  Elmhurst, Illinois  •  3 mths ago
      Predators over Pasadena, drones over Dayton.... help Sarah Commor!
    • Bill  •  New Orleans, Louisiana  •  2 mths ago
      Anytime you step outdoors, and even when you are indoors, depending on lighting and window size, telescopic cameras mounted on manned planes and helicopters can watch you from several miles away. At that distance, you cannot see or hear them, but they can see if you are wearing a tie or not.
    • momyhawk  •  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  •  3 mths ago
      I just hope they don't involve the same people that designed the nav system at GM. To say that it is pathetic is an understatement. $2300 and my $100 Garmin has a better database.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  3 mths ago
      Whatever Obama signs, I'm very suspicious of.
    • A Yahoo User  •  3 mths ago
      Well isn't that just terrific?
    • Andy  •  3 mths ago
      Several posters have asked about air-travel fees to fund the FAA. In fact, fees collected for each ticket do fund the FAA, as least partially, despite the protests from air-traveler lobby groups. Congress has proposed fees for general aviation (GA; all those small propeller aircraft mostly flown for training and fun), but various groups have opposed airport-user fees for GA, as GA has already shrunk compared to coupla decades ago, what with the high cost of insurance, and avgas. At my local non-profit flying club, it's tough to rent a Cessna 172 for
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