Ads On The Weather Channel Aim To Inform About User Fees
AOPA is going to a full-court
press in its fight against any suggestion the FAA should consider
user fees as a viable funding method.
AOPA asks, "What would happen to the country's economy if
general aviation (GA) were to stop flying for agricultural
purposes, medical evacuation, and other missions essential to the
safety and well-being of all U.S. citizens?" The pilot's group says
if the FAA adopts a user fee pay-for-service funding system, that's
exactly what might happen. In addition, it says the safety of
all flights could be negatively impacted.
The AOPA said this holiday season it has taken its message
concerning the months-long debate to the general public.
Beginning December 22 and continuing for several weeks, AOPA
will be running advertisements on The Weather Channel to educate
the public about how the issue impacts them.
"The aviation system has been funded efficiently for nearly 40
years," said Phil Boyer, president of AOPA. "The purpose of
the ads on The Weather Channel is to educate the public about the
current system and the ongoing debate about changing it. The
current system is not broken, so there's no need to fix it."
According to AOPA, excise taxes on GA fuel, airline passenger
tickets, and cargo have been deposited into the Airport and Airway
Trust Fund for nearly four decades to fund airport improvements,
air traffic control modernization, and other essential aviation
projects. The pilot's group questions FAA claims of a funding
crisis which the federal agency, along with the airline industry,
has used as a lever to argue for user fees to pay for ATC services
and other FAA regulatory and certification requirements rather than
the current taxes on aviation users.
AOPA says a user fee system
would effectively eliminate Congress's role in allocating the funds
for FAA programs and providing management guidance and
oversight. AOPA opposes a user fee system, and supports the
excise tax system as the best way to continue to fund the
system.
In its ads, AOPA says general aviation includes
disaster relief, agricultural flying, weather reporting, business
travel, and many other functions that are an integral part of our
nation. It claims a fee-based system will hinder general
aviation and therefore be detrimental to the services relied upon
by all of the nation's citizens.
AOPA wants the public, as well as the airlines and FAA, to
understand that the fight is just beginning. The ads urge
viewers to visit a website (see below) containing a section about
FAA funding to educate the general public.
The ads were written by Jeff Myers, AOPA executive vice
president of Communications, produced by Steve Kahn, owner of Edit
on Hudson in Charlotte, NC, and feature narration by association
president Phil Boyer.
For a schedule of dates and times the advertisements will air
visit AOPA's website. To view the ads online visit GA Serving
America.