The union representing FAA technicians who certify air-traffic control equipment is “extremely concerned” that FAA has turned over that responsibility to private industry, beginning with the deployment of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) ground stations.

The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), which represents 11,000 technicians, will testify today before the House Aviation Subcommittee on FAA's certification policy.

PASS said Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, have echoed its concerns in a letter sent to the Office of the Inspector General.

“In essence, the FAA is attempting to eliminate inherently governmental functions in order to justify handing over the National Airspace System to private contractors who are focused primarily on maximizing profits and meeting the absolute minimum of safety standards,” stated PASS President Tom Brantley.

FAA in August 2007 awarded an 18-year, $1.86 billion contract, including options, to ITT Corp., to provide the nationwide ground network for ADS-B. The contract gives ITT overall responsibility for design, development, testing, installation and support.