Originally Posted by
jmcmanna
It's not really a shared sacrifice when the controllers at these towers are unemployed in 2 weeks, it sounds like the burden of the FAA's budget cut is being put directly on their backs. A budget that is more than 2/3 paid for by taxes on aviation fuel and airline tickets vs out of the general treasury. The trust fund that pays for all of the FAA's operations has a cash balance of $10 billion.
Do people really think that putting these controllers on unemployment and eliminating air traffic services is really going to help the economy? How much is it going to cost in fuel when you're holding #2 for the approach and number 1 doesn't bother to cancel his IFR till he has the airplane buttoned up in the hangar?
It's not really a shared burden when one of us gets furloughed either. At least I have yet to hear of other pilots passing the hat to help out furloughees.
The solution to waiting for the other guy to cancel is to politely remind him after he reports clearing the runway.... at least that always worked for me.