Airlines Push To Kill General Aviation

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/GA-Groups-Protest-ATC-Changes-225545-1.html

GA Groups Protest ATC Changes
By Mary Grady

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
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/20160119-Association-Letter-ATC-Reform-More-Than-Just-User-Fees.php)
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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