NBAA Welcomes DOT Sec. Duffy’s Call for Additional ATC Modernization Funding

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has welcomed Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy’s call for an additional $30 billion in funding to continue the work to modernize the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system and airport infrastructure.

In remarks to the Aero Club of Washington, Duffy said the modernization work underway since July 2025 needs more funding for ATC telecom infrastructure, airports, towers and technology, beyond what Congress provided last year.

“NBAA is united with the rest of the industry in supporting Secretary Duffy’s call for additional ATC modernization funding, a national imperative” said NBAA Interim Chief Operating Officer Dan Hubbard. “We greatly appreciate the significant downpayment from Congress last year. Additional funding will help address system outages and transform the nation’s aviation infrastructure and achieve our goal of a safer, more efficient, more resilient aviation system. 

“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 added. “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.”

NBAA and nearly 60 other groups formed the Modern Skies Coalition in March 2025 to call for a significant investment in a brand-new ATC system. Four months later, Congress approved $12.5 billion for ATC modernization.

NBAA was among the signatories to a Modern Skies Coalition statement, issued today, supporting Duffy’s call for additional ATC-modernization funds. 

“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 statement reads. “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.”

The ATC system serves approximately 45,000 flights and 2.9 million passengers every day. ATC modernization requires updates at more than 4,600 FAA sites across the country.