AOPA Truth Squad - May Edition

Man, the Destroyer's latest lies are more blatant and transparent than
usual. Here's what he says about the FAA funding problem:

That's where AOPA comes in — with the facts.

"There is no funding shortfall
Contrary to those who say the system is going broke, by AOPA's most
conservative view, and using White House budget office estimates, the
aviation trust fund could have a $4.2 billion surplus by 2011. And by
AOPA's most liberal estimates, it could reach $9.3 billion by that time.

As for the airlines' claim that the aviation trust fund would shrink
because ticket prices are declining...that's fiction as well."

ROTFL. This is hysterical. AOPA comes in "with the facts." LOL. The
surpluses (conservative and liberal) are AOPA estimates. LOLOLOL. Based
on what???? Hysterical. What White House estimates??? The White House
is proposing a revamping of the funding formula. The ex-TV executive
obviously cannot distinguish his own musings from reality. Probably
because of his long association with network television...

Then he says it is "fiction" that average ticket prices are declining.
More absurdity. From the Transportation Research Board:


"According to the Air Travel Price Index, an experimental measure being
developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, airline ticket prices have declined by 3.2
percent from the third quarter of 2000 to the third quarter of 2003"

And that followed a longer period of declines following deregulation.
Combined with the severe travel dropoff after 9/11, and the fact that the
aviation trust fund is overwhelmingly funded with taxes on commercial
airline tickets, the decline in Aviation Trust Fund revenues is a
DOCUMENTED FACT.

But, the Destroyer will make any mistatement, propogate any lie, etc. for
his own purposes. Of course, if anyone bothers to check the facts (as
Senator McCain has), they know this man is either an intentional liar, or
so delusional that he should lose his own license.

Again i say: this man is a disaster for your industry. Someone less
combative, with some credibility and ethics would serve your cause much
better.