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Industry leaders are hoping to see progress on sweeping FAA reauthorization legislation, highlighting during NATA’s Annual Meeting and Aviation Business Conference Wednesday important provisions in the bill surrounding FAA funding, NextGen support, and delegation reforms. But the timing of such progress is still uncertain.
GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce told conference attendees that the emphasis is to “get ‘er done,” because progress will become more difficult if consideration gets pushed into a lame duck session following the elections. If not done by the end of the year, the reauthorization process would need to start over again with new bills.
Bunce and other general aviation leaders speaking during Wednesday’s NATA conference pointed to key measures in the FAA reauthorization and funding bills. These include language to ensure the FAA fully takes advantage of delegation authority. “In Flight Standards, we have a logjam,” Bunce said, noting that the bills include language to improve their processes.
NBAA COO Steve Brown emphasized a need to push Congress for the longest possible reauthorization period to ensure stable funding for the FAA. He added that NBAA is pushing for concepts to help ensure steady funding.
Mark Baker, president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, stressed the need for support for continued expansion of NextGen initiatives such as Data Comm, but also the need to ease small airports' access to funding. He noted that millions set aside for small airports go unspent because of regulatory barriers. That money then reverts to the general pot of funds for airports and will get used elsewhere. This is particularly important, he added, because a healthy airport system is necessary to encourage growth in the pilot population.
As for Airport Improvement Program funding overall, Joel Bacon, executive v-p, government and public affairs for the American Association of Airport Executives, expressed concern that current bills would either keep funding levels flat or provide for a modest increase—far short of what is needed for airport infrastructure development and maintenance. This affects both large and small airports, he said. Bacon encouraged attendees to push for increased funding and also made a pitch for increased passenger facility charges.
On the rotorcraft front, HAI president and CEO Matt Zuccaro said he would like to see more funding paid into the system by helicopter operators dedicated to helicopter operators. Helicopters do not need more runways, he said, noting they need a network of heliports.
While the industry leaders noted that the push on Capitol Hill to privatize the U.S. air traffic control system has halted for now, they agreed they fully expect the concept to resurface again.
“General aviation successfully defeated privatization of the ATC, but I think everyone in this room and everyone on this panel would agree that’s a fight that will continue to go on over time. We’re not sure that we’ll ever actually kill that dragon,” said NATA president Marty Hiller.
The fate of long-term FAA reauthorization remained up in the air last month. There were conflicting reports from Capitol Hill, ranging from the possibility that it could be held up by election-season politics to glimmers of hope that a shortened congressional break in August may provide time to move the bill.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved the bill a year ago, but it had been held up by a provision regarding a measure that would alter the 1,500-hour requirements for commercial pilots, as well as by a lack of consensus with the House over the U.S. air traffic control organization.
The House, which passed its version of the comprehensive FAA bill in April, dropped the controversial ATC measure, and Senate Commerce Committee chairman John Thune (R-South Dakota) has long indicated a willingness to drop the 1,500-hour measure.
Even so, the Senate bill has not been scheduled for a vote. Industry leaders, hoping to see some sort of action, have been pressing lawmakers to complete work on the legislation.
GA Groups Weigh In
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) recently wrote Senate leadership, urging the chamber to bring its version of the FAA reauthorization bill, S.1405, to the floor for a vote as soon as possible.
GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce told attendees of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) 2018 Annual Meeting and Aviation Business Conference last month that the focus has been to “get ‘er done.”
If the bill does not pass this year, Congress would need to sign off on another FAA extension and then go back to the drawing board with new FAA reauthorization bills next year, he noted. And the longer Congress waits, the less time it will have to complete the bill before FAA’s authorization is set to expire at the end of September.
The joint letter between GAMA and AIA stressed the need for approval, citing key reforms in the current FAA bills, including in the areas surrounding certification and regulation, that they said “will benefit businesses large and small, as well as drive industry innovation and job growth.” The bills will stimulate exports and jobs and increase global competitiveness, the associations added.
“With similar legislation already having passed the U.S. House of Representatives, we believe now is the right time for the U.S. Senate to decisively act to improve the FAA certification and regulatory process,” the associations said in the joint letter.
Bunce further highlighted benefits of the FAA reauthorization bill during the NATA conference, pointing to language written to ensure the FAA takes full advantage of delegation authority.
Other GA leaders at the NATA conference also have been watchful of its progress.
In light of the ongoing certainty that has surrounding this and past FAA reauthorization cycles, NBAA COO Steve Brown emphasized a need to push Congress for the longest possible reauthorization period, to ensure stable funding for the FAA. He added that NBAA is pushing for concepts to help ensure steady funding.
Mark Baker, president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, also underscored important measures that support continued expansion of NextGen initiatives such as Data Comm, but also the need to ease small airports' access to funding. He noted that millions set aside for small airports go unspent because of regulatory barriers. That money then reverts to the general pot of funds for airports and will get used elsewhere. This is particularly important, he added, because a healthy airport system is necessary to encourage growth in the pilot population.
ATC Privatization Worries
Alongside the benefits of the House and Senate version of FAA reauthorization legislation, GA groups worry that continued delays could provide an opening for the resurrection of ATC privatization proposals. The push on Capitol Hill to privatize the U.S. air traffic control system has halted for now, but the GA leaders agree they fully expect the concept to resurface.
“General aviation successfully defeated privatization of the ATC, but I think everyone in this room and everyone on this panel would agree that’s a fight that will continue to go on over time. We’re not sure that we’ll ever actually kill that dragon,” NATA president Marty Hiller told his conference attendees.
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao echoed similar sentiments. Speaking during a recent Washington Post forum, Chao called the proposal for an independent ATC timely and said, “this idea is going to come back.”
Chao reiterated arguments that the concept should be considered because the ATC system faces delays and inefficiencies. “The Administration’s proposal to take the air traffic control system from the FAA and liberate it from the government shackles of the procurement process…would enable the air traffic control to address some of the delays and the congestions which so many passengers face every single day.” The Transportation Secretary also expressed concern about a “bit of conflict” that is present by having the safety regulator also manage ATC operations.
Having said that, she acknowledged that “Clearly we have been unable to get enough votes in the House and the Senate,” and added, “We need to work on that.”