Tracker Pixel for Entry

Privatizing air traffic control would cut off our communities

Last Word | December 6th, 2017

By Matthew S. Lynch
matthew@aviationacrossamerica.com

Agriculture is critical to the economy of North Dakota. Today, about 90% of the state’s land is used for agriculture, with 40 million acres devoted to farming and ranching. Nearly a quarter of the state’s population is employed in the agricultural sector.

To help produce the food that fuels the nation, many farmers depend on aircraft to provide aerial application services, survey land, transport tools, and get to multiple plants and locations in a day. The truth is that aviation is often the 'behind the scenes' tool for businesses and farms to stay connected and profitable.

We have 80 public-use airports across our state so that means that our runways are often just as important as our highways -- and a lot of jobs depend on this activity and network of airports.

Especially for many smaller towns across the state, public airports serve as the lifeline to opportunity. Our local airports are used by business leaders, air ambulance services, young women training to become pilots, and aerial agriculture pilots who contribute to the growth of our great state. And for companies looking to grow and establish plants and businesses, having an airport nearby is crucial to keeping jobs in our state.

However, legislation in the House of Representatives is a threat to this way of life, proposing to separate our air traffic control system from congressional oversight, handing it over to a board of private stakeholders largely dominated by the big commercial airlines.

Under such a system, the airlines would be able to make decisions about where infrastructure investments are made within our vast national network of over 3000 airports.

We can guess how airports in North Dakota would stack up next to the biggest commercial airline hubs. The big airlines have a long track record of favoring more profitable routes between large hub cities, relegating service to smaller airports. In fact, in the last ten years or so, service to small and mid-sized airports has decreased by more than 20 percent.

It’s also true that, like our national defense, our air traffic control system is one of the things that should be overseen by our federal government, so we ensure we retain service to communities big and small, and ensure that our system doesn't just serve the biggest customers.

The airlines claim that they and other private interests can run air traffic control better, but mind you, the big airlines can’t get through a month without a customer service fiasco or a computer problem that causes major delays for travelers.

I would much rather place my trust in a system that is accountable to the public through its elected officials than count on the airlines and other private interests. For those of us in places like North Dakota, access to aviation is just too important to risk.

I hope that our Congressional delegation will continue to provide all North Dakotans this critical access that serves our businesses, farms, and communities.

[Editor’s note: David Gust is past President of the North Dakota Agricultural Aviation Association.]

Recently in:

Press release Celebrate Dinosaur Day on Thursday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum (612 E Boulevard Ave. in Bismarck). This free, family-friendly program is open to all ages. A…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu The Northwest Blade, from Eureka, South Dakota, published a wonderful story in August 2020. It’s called “Granddaughter keeps Grandmother’s precious chamomile seeds,” by Cindy…

Sunday, October 19, 10 a.m.Buffalo River State Park, 565 155th St. S., Glyndon, MNHosted by the Red River Valley Chapter of Herbalists Without Borders at Buffalo River State Park for a fun fall day full of flora. (Say that three…

By John Strandjas@hpr1.com Yes, we know, everywhere you look, the world situation is mental. It’s almost inescapable just how tenuous life’s circumstances are. And how they are mostly — pretty much entirely — out of our…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill we be banging or whimpering at the end of the American empire?T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Hollow Men” accurately portrays the end of most empires in his first lines: “We are the hollow men/…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com The multiple meanings of the title location in Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s “Bone Lake” cover the sex and death spectrum that will flummox Diego (Marco Pigossi) and Sage (Maddie Hasson) as…

By HPR staffsubmit@hpr1.com Mark the first weekend of October on your calendar. It’s the weekend of the Studio Crawl, which takes us all on a wonderful, metro-wide tour of our talented (and often wacky) arts community. On October…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

Press Release As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, Essentia Health is highlighting an innovative — and recently expanded — program that brings early breast cancer detection services to rural communities. Essentia’s mobile…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.comMoral accountability and the crisis of leadership  As a recovering person living one day at a time for the last 35 years, I have learned not to judge others because I have not walked in…