Committee hears calls for more FAA funding, staffing and stakeholder engagement on ATC modernization

Senators used the hearing to press witnesses on the broader air traffic control (ATC) modernization effort and the investments needed to translate technology into safer operations.

Stakeholder engagement and SMART/CAP: Airlines for America and other witnesses praised FAA engagement on the SMART (strategic management of airspace routing trajectories) program and urged continuing early stakeholder involvement in the Common Automation Platform (CAP). “We’ve seen the FAA engage private‑sector subject matter experts early in SMART’s development,” A4A’s Chris Snun told the committee, but he cautioned that meaningful progress requires a second round of funding beyond the $122.5 billion down payment.

Certification and manufacturing constraints: Manufacturers and carriers told senators that many modern aircraft are ADS‑B capable, and some airliners could receive software updates fairly quickly, but FAA certification capacity remains a bottleneck. James Viola (GAMA) and other witnesses called for resources to accelerate FAA certification pipelines and to reduce delays in getting safety equipment into service.

Controller staffing and training capacity: Panelists warned that controller staffing shortages and training bottlenecks remain operational risks. Witnesses cited examples where single controllers were covering multiple runways and noted that repeated government shutdowns deter recruitment. Industry requested continued investment in training centers and simulators funded through modernization appropriations.

Why it matters: Without dedicated funding and certification resources, a statutory mandate for equipment (for example, ADS‑B‑In) may be delayed in practice. Senators indicated they will press appropriations and authorizing committees to align resources with legislative timelines so policy goals translate into deployable safety improvements.

Ending: Senators and witnesses agreed on an all‑of‑the‑above approach—modernize ATC, improve equipage in cockpits and on surfaces, and staff and fund the institutions that certify and operate the system. The committee requested technical follow‑up on modernization priorities.