US FAA: Administration pushes corporatisation - again

Since as far back as the 1980s, global economies have generally shifted from being led by government expenditure towards greater involvement by the private sector. Whether for infrastructure, research and development, financing or technology, the expansion of the private sector is still rampant in many facets of both developing and developed economies. Sales of state enterprises worldwide reached USD185 billion at the end of the 1980s and, more recently, privatisation revenues have risen from approximately USD110 billion in 2008 to USD266 billion in 2016, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

For infrastructure, the need for substantial investment has been well documented. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates USD3.3 trillion should be invested p/a through 2030 just to support expected global rates of growth, though most countries are not investing nearly enough, with there being an expected annual global shortfall of USD350 billion.

The Trump Administration published 'Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century' on 21-Jun-2018, a sweeping reform plan and proposals for regulatory restructuring. Nestled within the document is a rebooted attempt to shift air traffic control (ATC) responsibilities from the Federal Aviation Administration to a private, non profit entity.