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#1
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Here come the user fees
"Tony" wrote:
Of even greater interest is that this plan does NOT solve the problems commercial aviation has. Allowing FAA to increase traffic density will NOT solve the problem of weather delays propogating through the system. Nor will it solve the gridlock that is part of the hub and spoke system and inadequate runway/terminal capacity. Plus their track record on developing systems is poor. They also wanted to totally reduce ground-based navaids prior to 9/11. And if you think that radars are going way, guess again. Ron Lee |
#2
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Here come the user fees
On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:07:46 GMT, "Steve Foley"
wrote in SOZAh.4920$H77.483@trndny08: http://www.faa.gov/regulations_polic...authorization/ [...] The proposed legislation, called the Next Generation Air Transportation System Financing Reform Act of 2007, would replace the decades-old system of collecting ticket taxes with a cost-based, stable and reliable funding program that relies on a combination of user-fees, taxes and a federal government contribution to support the development of a new, satellite-based, air traffic control system, called NextGen. With the removal of the airline ticket tax the traveling public gets a free ride. Airlines burn several orders of magnitude more fuel than GA. Airlines rely heavily on ATC facilities and personnel. But airline travelers will not pay for their fair share of those. The ticket tax needs to be adjusted upward to fund the NextGen scheme, and a new airline jet fuel tax imposed. This would ensure the cost of ATC is distributed equitably among those who benefit from it. "This new proposal will make flying more convenient for millions of travelers," said Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters. "Anyone who has experienced the frustration and inconvenience of a delayed flight should take a very close look at what we're proposing." The lack of a definite claim above should set off your prevarication detector. The new, more precise, air traffic control system will take full advantage of the latest satellite-based technologies, An ATC system predicated on satellite communications is completely at the mercy solar phenomena. I'd want to know how the NextGen system is designed to deal with periodic solar activity based outages, before I'd even consider implementing it. Imagine the chaos as the entire ATC system, now managing 200% to 300% more air traffic, loses GPS, data and voice communications. Because NextGen has rendered them obsolete, VORs, ILSs and ADFs won't be available to pilots at such a time of solar based system failure. allowing the FAA to handle more aircraft, maintain high levels of safety, reduce flight delays, and cut noise near airports, Administrator Blakey noted. The new system is essential if the agency is to keep pace with growing demand for passenger and cargo flights that will lead to between 2 and 3 times more air traffic by 2025, she added. The bill will eliminate the domestic passenger ticket tax It's the damn airline passengers that necessitate the ATC system in the first place. What possible motivation could there be to eliminate airline passengers from paying their fair share of ATC facility and personnel costs? and reduce the international arrival and departure tax by 50 percent, reducing the overall burden to both the airlines and the traveling public. Their burden should be increased so that it is commensurate with their use, not reduced nor eliminated! It will generate revenues based on the costs that users impose on the air traffic system, whether they are commercial, business or general aviation users. Yes. On a per-aircraft bases, not a per user bases. That's not equitable. "Our proposal will make it easier for airports, airlines and controllers to keep pace with the skyrocketing demand for air travel this nation is going to experience over the coming decades," said Administrator Blakey. "With over a billion passengers expected in the air by 2015, we have to act now or risk gridlock in our skies and on our taxiways." Personally, I see no way for NextGen to meet that promise. It's going to take a lot of concrete to change the current situation. And given the public's current contempt for airport expansion, any change is going to take decades to implement. The legislation also provides limited new borrowing authority that can be used by the FAA to support the construction of new runways, airport terminals and air traffic control facilities and equipment. Boeing is only too happy to earn the interest on the funds it loans FAA to purchase its new systems, and circumvent congressional oversight of FAA expenditures in the bargain. It also calls for the establishment of a new advisory board that will give members of the aviation community a stronger say in how federal funds are invested in aviation, while maintaining strong congressional and public oversight in recognition of the importance of aviation to the nation. Who wrote this piece, Karl Rove! The above should read: The establishment of a new advisory board will give large corporations, the manufacturers and operators of the airline industry, a stronger say in how our federal funds are invested in supporting their pet programs at the expense of losing congressional and public oversight. The legislative proposal makes several changes designed to improve the ability of airports to meet capital needs and proposes to reform the Passenger Facility Charge Program to enable large and medium sized airports to raise local funds for vital construction projects. It also will restructure the Airport Improvement Program by better targeting Federal funds. And the bill funds research into new engine and airframe technology that will reduce aircraft noise and engine emissions. Boy, Boeing and the airlines just can't wait to get their hands on all that AIP money. Administrator Blakey said she would work closely with the Congress to encourage swift action on the legislative proposal, noting that the expiration on September 30, 2007 of the funding authorization for the FAA's current programs and the existing taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund provide a unique opportunity to create a system that better serves travelers. That's it, rush it through so that the news media don't have time to expose the sham for what it is. |
#3
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Here come the user fees
Larry Dighera wrote:
The bill will eliminate the domestic passenger ticket tax It's the damn airline passengers that necessitate the ATC system in the first place. What possible motivation could there be to eliminate airline passengers from paying their fair share of ATC facility and personnel costs? Don't worry, when GA is pretty much destroyed in a few years and gas tax revenues go away they'll be back and revivie the ticket tax. |
#4
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Here come the user fees
On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:50:50 GMT, ktbr wrote in
: Larry Dighera wrote: The bill will eliminate the domestic passenger ticket tax It's the damn airline passengers that necessitate the ATC system in the first place. What possible motivation could there be to eliminate airline passengers from paying their fair share of ATC facility and personnel costs? Don't worry, when GA is pretty much destroyed in a few years and gas tax revenues go away they'll be back and revivie the ticket tax. You make it sound like the people, by and for whom the government was created, are powerless to resist this corporate boondoggle. Find your voice, and shriek the alarm to your federal representatives and the news media before it's too late. |
#5
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Here come the user fees
There are encouraging signs that legislators in both parties are very
cool to the FAA's proposal: avweb.com/avwebflash/news/User_Fees_Generate_Less_Income_194473-1.html avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ Congress_FAA_User_Fees_Disturbing_194474-1.html |
#6
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Here come the user fees
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#7
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Here come the user fees
On 15 Feb 2007 09:35:45 -0800, "quietguy" wrote
in .com: There are encouraging signs that legislators in both parties are very cool to the FAA's proposal: avweb.com/avwebflash/news/User_Fees_Generate_Less_Income_194473-1.html So it would appear: ------------------------------------------------------------------- AVwebFLASH Volume 13, Number 7b -- February 15, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...h/806-full.htm USER FEES WOULD GENERATE LESS INCOME (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#194473) The FAA's proposed reauthorization legislation, the Next Generation Air Transportation System Financing Reform Act of 2007 (), revealed Wednesday, claims a new financing structure is necessary for the FAA to build an efficient and safe air transportation system for the future. Airlines and air travelers would pay less, but operators of business and general aviation aircraft would pay more. "Our proposal will make it easier for airports, airlines and controllers to keep pace with the skyrocketing demand for air travel," said FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, in a news release (). "With over a billion passengers expected in the air by 2015, we have to act now or risk gridlock in our skies and on our taxiways." Yet the plan shows that under the proposed change to user fees, total revenue for the agency would actually decline. The FAA's data shows that the new proposal would yield $600 million less in FY2008 than the current tax structure and over $900 million less from FY2009 to FY2012, according to Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Aviation. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#194473 CONGRESSMEN FINDS FAA USER-FEE PLAN "DISTURBING" (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#194474) The FAA's long-anticipated new funding plan, revealed Wednesday morning, calls for a changeover to user fees, as expected -- but the agency ran into immediate and widespread opposition at a hearing () later in the afternoon before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., called the proposal "dead on arrival." Many on the panel questioned whether the plan would promote safer skies. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., maintained that it would, ironically, because it would "rid the skies of general aviation aircraft." Along with others on the panel, he questioned the need for drastic hikes in the fuel tax -- from 19 or 21 cents per gallon to 70 cents -- and called the plan "terribly disturbing." Questions were raised about why the change to user fees would apparently result in even less money to support the airspace system, which already is strained and in need of technological upgrades. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#194474 AOPA, NBAA RESPOND TO FAA PLAN (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#194475) AOPA () President Phil Boyer said he was "very encouraged" by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's reactions to the FAA's proposed reauthorization blueprint. The hearing featured "a lot of blunt, outspoken dialogue," he said, and he expects all 535 members of Congress will closely scrutinize the FAA plan, and consider its effect on their constituents. The general public may have only a vague idea of what GA is, Boyer said, but "the members of Congress get it -- they understand GA." And AOPA plans to talk to all of them, one by one. Ed Bolen, president of the National Business Aviation Association (http://www.nbaa.org/), said it's too early, though, to tell the "overall reaction" of Congress to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey's proposal. http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#194475 |
#8
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Here come the user fees
Larry Dighera wrote: Don't worry, when GA is pretty much destroyed in a few years and gas tax revenues go away they'll be back and revivie the ticket tax. You make it sound like the people, by and for whom the government was created, are powerless to resist this corporate boondoggle. The user fee proposal is dead. There isn't one person in Congress who supports it. |
#9
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Here come the user fees
On Feb 15, 8:50 am, ktbr wrote:
Larry Dighera wrote: The bill will eliminate the domestic passenger ticket tax It's the damn airline passengers that necessitate the ATC system in the first place. What possible motivation could there be to eliminate airline passengers from paying their fair share of ATC facility and personnel costs? Don't worry, when GA is pretty much destroyed in a few years and gas tax revenues go away they'll be back and revivie the ticket tax. Amen... traditional supply and demand curve... if you increase the tax by a factor of 3, the demand will go down. If the demand goes down by a factor of 3, you haven't increased revenues at all. If it goes down more than that, you are worse off than before, unless you believe the FAA will save money not having to service as many GA planes. I doubt that they will since most of the infrastructure costs are associated with the airlines and major airports. On the bright side, think of all the new drag strips, tract housing and shopping malls that we will gain in place of the small airports that go away. God knows we need more of those. Maybe a new Walmart or two as well! Dean |
#10
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Here come the user fees
More news about the FAA's skeptical reception in Congress:
http://www.eaa.org/communications/ea...user_fees.html No member of Congress seems willing to state it openly but any proposal to take budgetary authority out from under Congress and give it to the executive branch is not going to fly (no pun intended) on Capitol Hill. |
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