Foundation Promotes User Fees

In a recent issue of “ATC Reform News,” Reason Foundation director of transportation studies Robert Poole uses the anti-business jet rhetoric to further push for a user-funded ATC system. While he acknowledges that business aircraft are “vital business tools,” Poole said business aviation’s support for a $25-per-flight user fee “would be a symbolically important step for NBAA and other business aviation advocates…It would make tangible their claim that business aviation is not a luxury but a necessity.” NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said Poole’s comments are a “thinly veiled attempt to promote aviation system privatization.” He said the general aviation community supports ATC modernization and has “agreed to pay more in direct investment” through increased fuel taxes.