Get ready to start flying American skies with a renewed sense of confidence, at least eventually, as the Federal Aviation Administration has finally decided to start soliciting ideas for an overhaul of the US' antiquated air traffic control systems. In classic Trump administration style, the FAA wants a single private-sector integrator to run the overhaul, with the public footing the bill.

The FAA published its request for solutions (RFS) for the aptly-if-not-awkwardly named Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) last week, and it appears to want to move fast with the overhaul. In an accompanying press release, the agency said that it wants the project - which the RFS noted will involve modernizing more than 74,000 pieces of equipment as well as "multiple legacy systems" - completed "within 3-4 years," though it's not even clear if the cash is available to fully fund the overhaul.

The project will be substantial, and the FAA doesn't appear to actually want to manage much of the work itself, as the RFS seeks to find a single "qualified integrator to lead, facilitate, and execute the FAA's [BNATCS]," according to the document.

"The Integrator will be responsible for executing all necessary efforts to deliver the BNATCS to meet the NEEDS of the FAA," the document continued. "This includes upgrading facilities, acquiring and deploying advanced technologies, managing integration across diverse systems, and coordinating with stakeholders to deconflict parallel efforts across the NAS."

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