ATC
Lockheed Martin to provide AFSS service
The FAA last month chose Lockheed Martin from a field of five bidders to provide the services now offered by the agency’s 58 automated flight service stati

The FAA last month chose Lockheed Martin from a field of five bidders to provide the services now offered by the agency’s 58 automated flight service stations in the continental U.S., Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Under a five-year contract that includes five additional option years, the agency expects to save $2.2 billion if it exercises all of the option years.

The FAA decided to look at outsourcing the FSS function to reduce its current $500 million annual cost by at least 22 percent. The primary users of the FSS system are general aviation pilots, who pay about $60 million a year into the aviation trust fund through federal taxes on avgas. While the FAA’s schedule calls for a six- to nine-month phase-in starting in October followed by a 36-month transition period, there is also an appeal period for the losing bidders to contest the agency’s decision.

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