I suspect that the FAA is trying to play games in order to claim they need a bigger budget, and they want to get out from under the current hierarchy they report to organizationally.
Isn't that potentially a life-threatening game?
The big airports in DK are all privately run now, and they seem to work ok, but not all. Odense Airport is run by a english company but they've failed to gather the money for the airport in the contract etc. for 2 years now so it's not looking good. Kastrup (Copenhagen, EKCH) and Roskilde Airport the main training and GA airport in DK (EKRK) are run by the same company and they seem to be working ok but of course I'm sadly not that knowledge about those places.
It seems like many things aviation in USA are free or cheap vs in Europe, like low taxes and fees if any, that's interesting since that's what we have for more normal things here in Scandinavia. Free health-care, road-care (no road-pricing and only the great-belt bridge requires payment to cross but that's to pay it off), free schools right up to and including universities, and there is a system for financial support for students that doesn't have to be repaid as long as you don't cheat of course, and then there are normal study loans. I'd never have gotten my student-exam if DK didn't have that since my dad lost his job due to heart-trouble when I was 16 (he got a blod-clog near the heart the morning after my 16th birthday and that was the only time he's ever been seriously sick in his life). I actually think it's possible to get study support for the ATP education in DK but I'm not sure, it does require about 500K DKK which is about 80K USD I think.
Btw we haven't gotten an ATC in here so far have we? Could be great to hear from them since they are a crucial part of flying too, actually I think there are three people/groups to make aviation work, the controller, the pilot and the mechanic.
Frank
Potentially dangerous... perhaps... but it does depend on the traffic density involved. There are many more low-volume airports in the USA that have no control tower at all, than those with towers and controllers. In fact, if you look on a sectional chart for any part of the USA, look at the number of magenta airport symbols (dentoting uncontrolled fields), versus the blue airport symbols (denoting those with control towers). It's quite an eye opener indeed! In uncontrolled fields, the pilots flying into, and out of those airports are required to do their own separation using proper communication and approach techniques. It does require an extra bit of diligence, and talking, to properly manage flights into, out of, and around uncontrolled fields, but it is done safely daily many times over. It would, however, be unthinkable to have such a situation at a high volume airport. I much prefer having a controller with an extra set of Mark I eyeballs and possibly radar to help look out for traffic... not that it abbrogates the PIC's duties to also maintain vigilance in the cockpit. After all, the ultimate authority is the pilot.. hence the hard-earned title and privledge of Pilot In Command. A heady title.... with heavy responsibility in reality.
As for things in the USA being free versus other countries, it all depends on one's perspective. Nothing is truly free, when it comes right down to it. The FAA is funded by tax money, which we as citizens pay in. Of course, taxpayers, and the flying public (via taxes on airline tickets) all pay into the funding of the system. So, even if one may not pay a fee for ATC services when flying a GA aircraft here (yet), it's being paid for in other ways, and likely, in part, by the pilot using the services via taxes anyway.
In Europe it seems that taxes are very high, and they still impose such user fees on flights, to make up the difference allowing them to provide the free health care, road care, and tuition. In other words, the European system is much more akin to socialism in that regard, with wanting to provide a lot of "free" services paid for by the governments, but they still get their money from the people... one way or the other.