Proposal Calls For $150,000 Loss For ALL GA Airports

An update now on the pending financial crush that general aviation airports could soon face, should a proposed cut in federal maintenance money contained in President Bush's 2007 budget become reality.

As you may recall, the budget includes a $765 million cut in the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program over 2006 figures -- including a $150,000 grant given to every GA airport without commercial airline service, under the Nonprimary Airport Entitlement program. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that alone equals about $9 million for airports in North Carolina.

How much of an impact that cut may have on airports in that state remains to be seen, said North Carolina DOT aviation director William H. Williams Jr. He added that loss of the grant funds could mean delays to work on runways and taxiways at smaller airports.

You may also recall the administration proposed a similar move to cut the entitlement program last year... but Congress killed it. This time around, the Journal reports lawmakers are monitoring the situation... and that it may be a little early in the budget process to get too excited.

"We are monitoring the situation," said Ed McDonald, the chief of staff for Rep. Howard Coble, adding there has been no action by Congress yet on the 2007 budget.

Still... at Smith-Reynolds Airport (KINT), you can read the concern on the faces of people like airport director Larry Scantlin. "You never have funds to take the place of a grant," he told the paper.

Williams maintains that with or without the grant money, North Carolina airports will remain in operation.

"I believe that airports will continue to remain open and be able to prosper and support the aviation community as they have," he said.

In any case, you can bet AOPA is keeping a close eye on this... along with the other alphabet groups.

FMI: www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/airports/aip/