The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is supporting Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s call for an additional $30 billion in funding to modernize the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system.
Duffy’s proposal would allocate $10 billion each toward software and communications infrastructure, airports, and air traffic control towers.
“AOPA strongly supports Secretary Duffy’s proposal for $30 billion more for modernizing our national airspace,” said Jim Coon, AOPA senior vice president of government affairs and advocacy.
AOPA is not alone in calling for continued investment. NBAA and nearly 60 other aviation organizations formed the Modern Skies Coalition in March 2025 to advocate for significant investment in a new ATC system. Four months later, Congress approved the $12.5 billion modernization funding.
NBAA was also among the signatories to a Modern Skies Coalition statement supporting Duffy’s call for additional funding.
“The progress made over the past year has shown what is possible when we invest in modernizing the National Airspace System, but there is more work to do,” the coalition stated. “The coalition urges Congress to provide additional resources needed to sustain this momentum and ensure the nation’s air traffic control system has the staffing, technology and infrastructure needed to meet future demands.”
NBAA Interim Chief Operating Officer Dan Hubbard said the association will continue working with government officials on the modernization effort.
“We thank Secretary Duffy and the entire DOT and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) team for the significant progress they’ve made to modernize our ATC system over the past year,” Hubbard said. “NBAA and the Modern Skies Coalition will continue to work with the administration and Congress to ensure we have the most technologically advanced air traffic control and the U.S. aviation system continues to lead globally.”
The scale of the modernization effort is significant. The nation’s ATC system handles approximately 45,000 flights and 2.9 million passengers each day, while modernization will require updates at more than 4,600 FAA facilities nationwide.
The additional funding request comes as aviation organizations continue to focus on the reliability, capacity and technological capabilities of the National Airspace System. Industry groups say continued investment will be needed to address aging infrastructure and prepare the ATC system for future demands.