WASHINGTON, D.C.— Manufacturers of general aviation airplanes, users of those airplanes, and the FAA are taking steps to reduce the costs, complexity, and time involved in certification in an effort to reduce prices and stem the decline in general aviation flying.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Small Business Committee recently held a hearing about President Obama’s proposal to charge a $100 per flight user fee for some flying. Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) came out strongly against the proposal, as did many of the committee members.
Some people involved in general aviation believe that since the proposed fee applies only to turbine-powered aircraft, the proposal should not be a concern for most general aviation pilots. But many argue that is not the case.
Alphabet groups, including many general aviation organizations and airline groups, oppose the fee. Some of this opposition is based on knowledge of what other nations have experienced and are experiencing.
User fees on general aviation are still a threat as President Obama raised their ugly head in his comments on taxes during the debate Wednesday night (Oct. 3) with Mitt Romney. The President’s statement brought a quick condemnation from Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — General aviation is going to have an uphill struggle to get back into the growth mode, according to a 92-page report released late last month.
The report is based on the thesis of two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which delves into the current and historic trends in GA in the United States. It was prepared with support from the FAA and various general aviation publications.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After long delays and high cost overruns, development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is starting to get back on track, but because of program problems, users of the system are reluctant to invest in equipment for their aircraft.
The FAA has been spending about $1 billion a year since the program was launched almost nine years ago. Expenditure for the completed project is forecast to be $20 billion to $27 billion, making it one of the largest single projects undertaken by the federal government.
Publisher note: This story was updated (see content in parens in the opening paragraph) September 18, 2012.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama’s proposal to impose a $100 per-flight user fee (which as currently proposed on Page 31 here exempts, “All piston aircraft, military aircraft, public aircraft, air ambulances, aircraft operating outside of controlled airspace, and Canada-to-Canada flights.”) got a going over Wednesday, Sept.12, in the Small Business Committee of the House of Representatives with strong opposition to it, but with indications that some witnesses and members of the legislature would continue to press for the charge. Just one witness attempted to justify the charge by maintaining that a fee-for-use is the fairest method of raising revenue.
Primary support for the fee came from University Professor Kenneth J. Button, PhD, who insisted that the only fair means of allocating costs for any product or service is a direct fee. He said, “the current system is wrong and fees more attuned to costs would provide signals to users of the economic implications of their flights.” [Read more...]
Aircraft owners are asked to participate in the FAA’s 34th annual general aviation Part 135 survey for 2011 data. The survey is the only source of information about the general aviation fleet and data gathered helps the FAA to determine funding for infrastructure and service needs, assess the impact of regulatory changes, and measure aviation safety.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As members of Congress come back to their offices Sept. 10 after the August vacation, aviation interests will be eager to see what, if anything, is done about “sequestration,” which might cut $1 billion from the FAA budget.
Charles Spence is GAN’s Washington, D.C., correspondent.
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