Fri, Sep 18, 2009
EAA Refutes 'Inaccurate Claims That Small Airports Receive
Disproportionate Amount Of Federal Money'
General aviation again came under
attack in the media today, as USA Today and NBC ran stories that
claim the nation's smaller airports are receiving a
disproportionate amount of federal funding to upgrade those
facilities.
"This is very upsetting but not unexpected - It's obvious the
airlines are still trying to fix their broken business model by
inflaming the public with one-sided media stories," said Tom
Poberezny, EAA chairman/president. "For several years, the airlines
have tried to shift the burden of supporting our nation's airport
infrastructure by tossing it on the back of general aviation. It
was wrong before and it still is."
Aviation fuel taxes paid by general aviation users of the
national airspace system have annually exceeded the grants
distributed for all airport improvements - but that fund designed
exclusively for aviation infrastructure has been perennially raided
to ease the FAA's general budget shortfall.
Major air-carrier airports also receive federal funds at an
amount three times that of funds distributed to general-aviation
airports. GA users also pay five times more fuel taxes as the
airlines to support the air traffic control system - of which the
airlines are the overwhelming primary user.
Fuel taxes serve very much as similar motor-vehicle fuel taxes.
Federal gas tax funds are distributed to build roads in all parts
of the nation that most taxpayers will individually never use
themselves, but are vital for the country's entire transportation
infrastructure.
"EAA agrees with one item from the USA Today story - the
nation's small airports are underutilized," Poberezny said. "If
major hub airports are overcrowded but smaller airports are ready
and eager to serve aviation, why would it make any sense to wage
war on small airports? They are all essential parts of the nation's
transportation system."
Poberezny urged EAA members and GA pilots to read the USA Today
article and respond as they see fit, since individual voices are as
essential as aviation organizations in reacting to inaccurate media
reports.
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