U.S. Aerospace Commission Issues Interim Report
Report Includes Recommendations in the Areas of Investment, Air
Infrastructure and Export Controls
WASHINGTON-The Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace
Industry today issued its second interim report to address issues of
immediate importance to the industry. The Commission’s report to the
President and Congress includes recommendations regarding the aerospace
business environment, export controls and the air transportation system that
the Commission adopted in its February 12 meeting.
The Commission believes that the following issues discussed in Interim
Report #2 could have a significant near-term impact on the aerospace
industry and, hence, require immediate action:
created in the United States that encourages the aerospace industry to grow
and prosper and to be competitive in the global economy.
introduce so much uncertainty and delay that foreign customers are often
reluctant to attempt to purchase U.S. products. We need to reengineer the
current export control system for the post-Cold War era. We must bring new
thinking into the control of aerospace technology. It is counterproductive
that the government, for example, prevents the sale of U.S. aerospace
technology that is readily available from other sources worldwide. This is
particularly true when the customer is a valued ally.
infrastructure is not scalable to meet future air transportation demand and
is vulnerable to attack. We must begin to
develop an infrastructure that meets the nation’s future air traffic
capacity and security needs. If we do not act now, we can expect the
delays of the past few years to return and worsen, with resultant increases
in cost and inconvenience for the American people and business. The
temporary slowdown in air traffic resulting from the events of September 11,
2001, provide an opportunity to start developing a new air transportation
system that can readily handle future air system capacity needs while
improving public safety and homeland security.
“This second interim report outlines near-term matters that the Commission
feels should be addressed prior to the issue of our final report,” said
Chairman Robert S. Walker. “While we feel this action is needed now to
positively impact the long-term outlook of the industry, the Commission will
be addressing these issues more comprehensively in the final report.”
The Commission’s recommendations are outlined in the attached copy of
Interim Report #2.
The Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry is a congressionally mandated commission, as established in Section 1092 of the
Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001,
Public Law 106-398. The Commission was formed to study the future of the
United States aerospace industry in the global economy, particularly in
relationship to United States national security; and to assess the future
importance of the domestic aerospace industry for the economic and national
security of the United States. The next public meeting of the Commission is
scheduled for May 14, 2002 in the Department of Commerce Auditorium and will
focus on the issues of space, workforce and industrial base.
http://www.aerospacecommission.gov
