The Nightmare Continues

I told you it was a nightmare. Everybody is poking fun at Newt and I’m stuck here with the $13 Wi-Fi service that only works in the convention hall and no Wi-Fi at all in the room. I’m missing out on all the fun.

Well, not all of it. I still can’t help myself. I had to ask the industry panel today (remember, I’m at Communicating for Safety) if they thought NextGen would cure the airline’s little bankruptcy problem or if they thought it would help General Aviation with their problem of an aging pilot population along with the aging fleet problem. (Translation for non-aviation folks: We’re not making GA pilots or airplanes fast enough to replace the old guys. It’s too expensive for young people to learn to fly, much less buy an airplane.)

The short answer to my question was “No”. But this wasn’t a forum for short answers. It’s specifically designed for lengthy answers of substance. It was interesting to see a panel that -- in general -- was confused as to what NextGen would be, defend NextGen. In referring to some portions of NextGen, the quote of the day was, “I don’t even know what that means.” That’s NextGen for you. No one knows what it is...but everyone thinks its going to be great.

That everyone includes Newt Gingrich. In a bit of serendipity, Ruth Marlin decided to give a little history lesson at The Main Bang today.

”In the eleventh hour, just days before we were stripped of our union
rights, there was another budget showdown. The Congress was about to
send another continuing resolution to the President. President Clinton
made it clear to Speaker Gingrich that he would refuse to sign the CR
and shut down the government again unless the CR contained three
things, flood relief, aid to Bosnia, and collective bargaining rights
for air traffic controllers. He was successful and our rights were
restored. “

As the recently departed Paul Harvey would say, “...and now you know the rest of the story. Good day !

Don Brown
March 4, 2009