The last few days I have been distracted by other important stuff, and also I live in Europe, so I have to be honest that I didn’t follow the whole sequestration debate going on in the States very closely. Although I have read about how it will affect the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds, what kind of impact will this have on general aviation?
the problem is they are working to make it “feel” most painful.
To put it in perspective, spending has grown some 89% over the past few years.
Because the President threatened to veto any bill that gave him the ability to choose what really needs cost cutting and make the sequester “painless”, the cuts are now “random” and “across the board” … for a total of 3%. So with these “cuts”, we are spending 3 cents less of every dollar we do not have (our debt is around 16 trillion dollars so it will grow some piddling less than it has but is still growing as there are no cuts, we are just expanding things slightly less than the fools want). Of course they cut things we actually need like keeping criminal illegal aliens in jail while awaiting deportation and not the waste like research into the sex lives of snails or the buying the TSA muggers at the airports new uniforms (according to one report I read at a cost of $1000 per agent).
Wise words my friend. If the NAVY would just send one submarine less on patrol, they probably would save the same money but nobody would see the difference. Anybody know how many subs are currently out patrolling? But shutting the Blue Angels down will be noticed by a lot of people.
Us in the Fire business are worried about the making it “feel” most painful. Letting houses burn down because there aren’t enough aircraft because there isn’t enough money will certainly make an impact. But I really hope they’re not going that route…..
“Grass Roots?”
I flew out of Aretz for a few years before it shut down – one grass strip, one cement strip.
Look ‘em up – Aretz Airport; Lafayette IN.
The affects that this will have is that the FAA will be shutting down ATC centers, eliminating the night shift on others and just having lay offs at many other facilities. When if the government does what mike is suggesting and stop paying themselves 6 figure salaries, so the pending cuts would not have to affect the safety of the american public.
We love Chicken Wings! Regarding the budget disaster, they are planning to close 173 towers starting April 7. See this link for a well-worded official petition started by a flight school in Connecticut. Please consider signing it and alerting others to its existence. We are familiar with some of the airports on the list – close to B airspace, multiple runways, etc. It sure doesn’t sound safe.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/prevent-closure-air-traffic-control-towers-us-result-budget-control-act-sequestration/3CsfLn46