IU Professor Says US Air Traffic Control Unsatisfactory

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(BLOOMINGTON) - A book published by an Indiana University professor says air traffic control in America is falling behind the rest of the world in structure and financing.

IU's Professor Clinton Oster, and William and Mary College Professor John Strong co-authored the book Managing the Skies: Public Policy, Organization and Financing of Air Navigation which will be published in January.

Oster, who is a professor and associate dean of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU says America does not have best practices in its air traffic control anymore, citing a disconnect in costs versus funding, diffused accountability leading to poor performance and a lack of an independent organization overseeing air traffic control specifically.

Oster says part of the problem is the US being the last major nation running traffic control 100% by government, and finances it by taxes.

Oster says a better idea would be using a specific government corporation, a public-private partnership or possibly privatizing traffic control.

A bad idea, however, would seem to be reading his book while waiting at your gate at the airport.

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