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The recent government shutdown—our longest ever—was a vivid reminder of how essential the commercial aerospace system is to American life. As staffing shortages deepened and paychecks stopped, the U.S. air traffic control (ATC) system strained under pressure. Thousands of delays and cancellations rippled across the country until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricted departures to maintain safety and improve efficiency. For millions of travelers, the lesson was unmistakable: The aviation ecosystem is indispensable—and vulnerable.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has rightly made ATC modernization an early priority. Outdated infrastructure, longstanding staffing shortages and operational risk became impossible to ignore during the shutdown. Refreshing the technology and tools controllers rely on will improve both safety and efficiency.
But even the best-equipped ATC system cannot function without the other pillar of American aviation strength: the aerospace manufacturing base. Modern aircraft depend on a vast, high‑skill supply chain that supports more than 2.2 million American jobs and generates wages 56 percent higher than the national average. Aerospace accounts for 1.5 percent of U.S. GDP and delivers an annual $74 billion trade surplus—one of the few bright spots in America’s balance of trade.
This success did not happen by accident. Since 1980, the United States and its trading partners have maintained a tariff‑free environment for commercial aircraft and aircraft parts. That framework helped anchor aircraft manufacturing firmly in the United States while enabling American companies to dominate the global market.
Recent bilateral agreements with the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and South Korea reaffirm this longstanding approach by preserving tariff exemptions for aerospace products. These agreements protect millions of U.S. jobs, strengthen American competitiveness abroad and sustain manufacturing communities from Kansas to South Carolina to Washington state.
Tariff‑free trade is not a concession to foreign competitors. It is a strategic advantage for the United States. Imposing tariffs raises costs for airlines and travelers, disrupts supply chains and undermines exports that support hundreds of thousands of skilled workers. In an industry with development cycles measured in decades, predictability is essential.
As President Donald Trump advances the next round of bilateral trade negotiations, he has a rare opportunity to secure the policy environment that made American aerospace the global gold standard. Coupled with long‑overdue ATC modernization, restoring tariff‑free trade in aircraft and aircraft parts would strengthen U.S. leadership not just for the next four years but for the next 40.
Aviation is one of America’s signature achievements. It represents innovation, technical mastery, high‑wage employment and globally competitive exports. But leadership is never permanent. It demands investment—in infrastructure, in people and in a stable trade environment that rewards American productivity rather than constraining it.
After more than four decades of success, tariff‑free aerospace trade remains a proven pillar of U.S. economic strength. Reaffirming that commitment will keep our aviation system resilient, our manufacturing base strong and American workers at the forefront of the global economy.
Daniel Elwell is the founder and president of Elwell and Associates LLC. He previously served as acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 2018-2019.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.