September 15, 2026
In the wake of a report yesterday from the Government Accountability Office on the FAA’s efforts to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control system, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford appeared this morning before the House funding subcommittee responsible for writing the agency’s annual budget. During the hearing, lawmakers quizzed Bedford on the Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATS) effort; controller staffing, pay, hiring, training, and morale; and airport infrastructure upgrades needed to accompany ATC modernization efforts.
Controller Staffing: Not surprisingly, controller pay proved the most contentious part of the hearing, with several committee members pressing Administrator Bedford to provide controllers with additional pay that Congress provided in a previously approved appropriations bill. The law gives the FAA administrator discretion to approve the 2.8 percent pay increase based on operational efficiencies, which Bedford has indicated he is working with controllers to achieve in part with more time on position.
GAO Report on ATC Modernization: GAO found that while FAA has made progress implementing its ATC modernization efforts, the agency “could be prioritizing speed over costs and air traffic disruptions.” The report indicates that FAA doesn't have a lifecycle cost estimate or master schedule for related projects, and without them, the agency could end up causing air traffic disruptions or prolonging reliance on severely outdated systems.
The report also notes that FAA does not currently have enough money to complete Phase 1 of its ATC modernization plan let alone the approximately $10.2 billion (not including facilities) the agency says it needs for Phase 2. GAO also says FAA lacks a sufficiently detailed overall schedule and has not fully calculated future operating costs.
Bedford noted that with the $12.5 billion and the bump up in F&E funding in FY27 the FAA is on track to achieve Phase 1 objectives, which are primarily focused on telecommunications upgrades and replacing radar equipment. But he said the agency can’t rely on incremental increases in F&E funding to achieve Phase 2 objectives. The GAO report also notes that the $10 billion for Phase 2 does not include necessary facilities upgrades.
Although Administrator Bedford took issue with GAO findings that the agency lacks cost estimates or a master schedule for ongoing ATC modernization efforts, he highlighted the specifics in the report outlining the challenges in modernizing the ATC system and documenting past failures. During the hearing today, Administrator Bedford recommended that members read the report to understand the magnitude of those challenges.
On Phase 1 progress, Bedford told lawmakers that “63 percent of the targeted legacy copper connections have been replaced with fiber 5G low earth orbit connectivity.” He went on to say that the FAA is on track to make the transition to fiber optic cable by September 2027, slightly ahead of schedule. But in an exchange with Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR), Beford said the agency is running behind schedule on its plans to replace 612 radars by June 28, in part, because of supply chain issues.
Airport Infrastructure Funding: Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL) asked Bedford what the FAA is doing to ensure that small- and medium- sized airports like Huntsville International Airport have proper resources to pay for their infrastructure needs. Bedford highlighted the Airport Improvement Program and Airport Infrastructure Grant funding being allocated to smaller airports. (AAAE and ACI-NA are continuing to urge Congress to extend AIG funding to avoid a $4 billion annual funding gap.)
“I think there's a very considerate look to make sure that we're supporting our small and medium-sized airports and keeping them healthy,” Bedford said. “Of course, you can do more with more. So, there's a lot of demand on those infrastructure dollars and not enough of them to go around.”
Contract Towers: In an exchange with Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Bedford voiced his support for the FAA Contract Tower Program and commented on how the program helps the FAA with its controller staffing challenges.
“…the FCT program, I think, is a wonderful way for us to look at emerging airports and provide them with control services that otherwise they wouldn't qualify for a federal tower.,” Beford said. “So, in doing so, as we create more contract towers, we're also creating another workforce feeder stream because as they gain experience in the contract tower program, they then become eligible to transfer into the Federal Air Traffic Control Services organization.”
Other issues discussed included the FAA training facility in Oklahoma City and ongoing efforts to hire and train controllers, controller staffing levels in specific facilities, aircraft noise concerns, and numerous parochial concerns.