GA Groups Protest ATC Changes

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Anticipating that Congress will consider changes to how the FAA functions and gets its funding in the upcoming session, 15 general-aviation advocacy groups signed on to a letter today asking the leaders of transportation policy in the U.S. House to hear their “real and long-standing concerns” about the expected proposals. “Some big airlines have pushed for a new governance and funding model for our nation’s aviation system, based on systems in other parts of the world,” the letter (PDF) states. The GA concerns “go well beyond the user-fee issue,” according to the letter. “These concerns are based on our operating experiences in foreign systems, as well as thoughtful analysis about what those systems might look like in the United States.”

Mark Baker, president of AOPA, told AVweb today his organization wants to be sure that “the needs of our community” are considered in any potential changes to how ATC is financed and structured. “That’s why it’s so important that we have ample time to review the actual text of any legislation, so we can make informed decisions to address our concerns with the present system and any proposed changes,” he wrote in an email. “Ultimately, we will protect the interests of general aviation, ensure user fees are not included in any final bill, and that whatever structure is in place will support the entire aviation community, including GA, for the long term.”

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