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Senator Sez: NYC's Airports Still a Mess

June 19, 2008 at 1:30 PM | by pbb | 3 Comments

The Feds are still trying to sort out the mess plaguing New York area airports even though this summer (so far) has nothing on last year's nightmarish streak of delays and cancellations. At issue now are the slot auctions proposed by the Bush administration in May and whether they'll be able to save American aviation from itself.

Surprisingly, the airlines and New York's Port Authority--which controls the airports--are lining up behind Democrats, who say President Bush's market-based scheme won't work. Says Sen. Chuck Schumer:

Instead of focusing on real, tested solutions to solve this problem, like upgrading decades-old technology and hiring an adequate number of controllers to staff New York's towers, the [Department of Transportation] continues to miss the point.

Republicans--and the DOT--insist that auctioning off some takeoff and landing slots is the best way to spur competition while maintaining flight caps. Of course, no one's ever tried that before, so they have no idea if it's actually going to work.

By the time all the debate is over, though, the congestion problem may be a non-issue. With fuel prices going up and carriers lurching closer to bankruptcy, there may soon be plenty of room for the few airlines still in business!

Related Stories:
· Debate Over Auctioning of Airport Landing Slots [NYT]
· Airlines Moving to the Grown-up Table [Politico]
· New York Area Airports coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: triplexpresso]

3 Comments

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  1. jtormey3

    Jaunted Member

    Bobby Sturgell of the FAA

    The Bobby Sturgell FAA: (A) continues to subject Americans to a steady stream of aircraft near-misses and near-disasters in epic numbers since Bobby Sturgell took over as Acting FAA Administrator almost a year ago; (B) tells us that it is OK for an agency and airlines working together to enlist publicists to tell Americans that air travel was never safer whilst planes are falling apart in un-inspected disrepair, aviation inspectors are criminally threatened by FAA management, and passengers are continually put in harm's way; (C) is a revival of the Oberstar-decried, Schiavo-decried Tombstone Agency, the notion that `If the plane doesn't crash, we're doing great'; the notion that a federal agency is not required to anticipate and navigate around safety problems, but only react if there is a tombstone. The talent pool is deeper than this. There is more to leadership than wearing aviator glasses. We have an ugly aviation safety crisis on our hands. Let's wash our hands of it. Let's wash our hands of Bobby Sturgell and his failed administration. The FAA's cozy relationship with the airlines and the agency's abject failure to regulate must end NOW. We again ask all members of the United States Congress and American citizens to Just Say No to Bobby Sturgell.
    Quiet Rockland
    http://ejectsturgell.blogspot.com
    July 17, 2008 at 12:15 AM
  1. jtormey3

    Jaunted Member

    FAA's Bobby Sturgell Quits

    Law Office of John J. Tormey III, Esq.
    John J. Tormey III, PLLC
    217 East 86th Street, PMB 221
    New York, NY  10028  USA
    (212) 410-4142 (phone)
    (212) 410-2380 (fax)
    e-mail: brightline@att.net

    NEWSFLASH! - FAA'S BOBBY STURGELL QUITS!

    A copy of this message complete with accompanying photographs, is posted at:
    http://ejectsturgell.blogspot.com
    http://removesturgell.blogspot.com
    http://indictsturgell.blogspot.com
    http://SouthwestAirlinesAlmostKilledYou.blogspot.com

    The celebratory song by "aerononymous" entitled "Top Gun, He's Done" is found in click-able mp3 format, at:
    http://www.TheHappyHarbor.com

    FAA ACTING ADMINISTRATOR "BOBBY" STURGELL EJECTS FROM HIS JOB IN DISGRACE

    It's now confirmed. According to a reliable source from a position high-up in the aviation community, one Robert Allan ("Bobby") Sturgell recently verbally shared with at least two colleagues the following:

    (1) Sturgell has ALREADY given notice that he will be leaving his FAA post as Acting Administrator, by, or in, November 2008; and

    (2) Current FAA "Assistant Administrator For Regions And Center Operations" Ruth Leverenz will be "Acting" in Sturgell's absence - (which quizzically therefore will make her the "Acting, Acting" Administrator!).

    This story was scooped by Quiet Rockland, and first broke Friday, July 18, 2008. As of the date and time of this publication, virtually no other news outlets or bloggers have picked it up - but they all eventually will. (Sure - Now!).

    The only media that are sure to NOT pick up the story at end of day, are the many aviation websites bought and paid-for by the airline industry, thereby inclined to further cover-up for the many failures of "Bobby" Sturgell's awful FAA tenure and regime.

    Sturgell's shamed flight from his job, is corroborated by the 2 recent near-misses at JFK airport; FAA payment of US$100,000 bonuses to every Beavis and Butthead who is willing to say "I Was A Teen-Age Air Traffic Controller"; and most noticeably, Sturgell's apparent recent absence at key FAA events. For example, it is reported that in a recent press conference regarding FAA-claimed safety-related changes to exploding fuel tanks, John Hickey (FAA Aircraft Certification Service, Director, AIR-1) spoke for FAA, with apparently no sign of Bobby Sturgell present. Similarly, it is reported that the July 17, 2008 NY/NJ/PHL Airspace Redesign meeting in D.C. was headed by FAA COO Hank Krakowski, and not by Bobby Sturgell.

    While we used to ask, "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego" - we can now ask "Where in the world is Bobby Sturgell?".

    The answer? - probably pounding the pavement handing out his résumé and doing that at which he is best - being an aeromercantile sycophant.

    Goodbye, Bobby.

    And oh yeah - by the way. Who's "Top Gun" now?

    Postscript:

    I love how a blog just went up this early morning, July 21, 2008, on the `charterX' website, wherein FAA spokeswoman "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia" Adams perpetuated the predictable-enough FAA lie to the media. She denied that Sturgell gave his departure notice [when in fact Sturgell DID already give notice] - and then Marcia pretended not to recognize either my name, or Quiet Rockland's name.

    That's Big and Rich! Marcia's the FAA's new comedienne - just like Ruth Buzzi Leverenz. I'm going to have fun with both of them.

    I have the written statements from multiple persons supporting the fact that Sturgell gave notice and identified Leverenz as his successor, physically in front of me as I type this document. The information I have came directly from the persons to whom Bobby The Sturg-Eel spoke.

    Bring it on, FAA. You lying scum.

    July 21, 2008 at 7:34 PM
  1. jtormey3

    Jaunted Member

    Bobby Sturgell, [R]Ejected

    QR Anguilliforme Newswire/Rockland County, New York - Tuesday October 7, 2008 Sources tell Quiet Rockland that U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Mary Peters is now making preparations to brief the "new Administrator" of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In a related story, FAA promotes Ruth Leverenz to "Acting Deputy Administrator" as Internet-listed second-in-command Key Official, in anticipation of Acting Administrator Robert Allan "Bobby" Sturgell's departure from FAA office: http://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/leverenz/ # For the full story, please see: http://www.bobbysturgell.net
    October 9, 2008 at 7:44 PM

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