Calls Passage A 'Win For General Aviation, Pilots And Consumers Everywhere

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and certified pilot with over 11,000 flight hours, praised the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. This bill would reauthorize the FAA for five years and contains dozens of provisions authored and supported by Sen. Inhofe.
 

“The FAA reauthorization bill is a win for general aviation, pilots and consumers everywhere,” Inhofe said. “This legislation makes needed investments in our nation’s airport infrastructure, supports the general aviation community, improves commercial airline service, streamlines the FAA’s regulatory processes, enhances aviation security and promotes the responsible and safe integration of drones in our national airspace. As an active pilot, I’m especially pleased that many provisions I have fought for that promote transparency for pilots subject to FAA enforcement proceedings and support the rights of all commercial and recreational pilots are being enacted, including reforms to the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) program."

This year’s FAA Reauthorization also enacts provisions from Inhofe’s previously introduced legislation to support general aviation, including the Fairness for Pilots Act, the FLIGHT Act, the Aviation Maintenance Workforce Development Pilot Program Bill, and the SARA Act, among others:

• The Fairness for Pilot’s Act: Improves transparency for pilots subjected to FAA enforcement proceedings by requiring the FAA articulate the specific activity under investigation and provide specific documentation to airmen and strengthens the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) program by requiring that all notices be posted in a publically available, central forum online.
• The FLIGHT Act:  Ensures federal investment in general aviation airports which supports local economic development by preventing this money from being redirected by the FAA; and improves project delivery at general aviation airports by streamlining environmental regulations so airports can invest in themselves, not needless bureaucracy.
• The Aviation Maintenance Workforce Development Pilot Program Bill: Authorizes the Aviation Maintenance Workforce Development Program, which focuses competitive grants to support career and technical development of aircraft maintainers to address a severe shortage of aviation maintenance professionals.
• The Securing and Revitalizing Aviation (SARA) Act: Authorizes the Pilot Education Program, which focuses competitive grants enabling high schools to offer ground school courses to young people—a key first step for all aviation careers; ensures the FAA updates regulations and policies related to the selection, training, and deployment of designated pilot examiners to ensure commercial and recreational pilots have access to an adequate number of examiners; and directs the FAA to provide air traffic services for aviation events without additional cost for participants.
• The Volunteer Pilot Protection Act: Provides volunteer pilots with liability protection when they are flying for the public benefit – such as flying such as flying patients for medical transport (including medical transport for veterans), disaster relief, humanitarian assistance or other similar charitable missions.
• The FAA Aircraft Registry Office Bill: Keeps the Aircraft Registry Office in Oklahoma City open during a government shutdown to protect aviation related economic activity and support anti-terrorism efforts.
• The Modernize Training at Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools Bill: Directs the FAA to modernize the mandatory curriculum for aviation maintenance technician schools for the first time since the 1960s.

Inhofe’s other priorities in the FAA reauthorization include:

• Prevents the privatization of Air Traffic Control.
• Authorizes over $16 billion for Airport Improvement Program over five years, resources that are especially used by smaller, general aviation airports to support economic growth.
• Ensures the long-term stability of the federal contract tower program by updating the FAA’s dated cost-benefit analysis, protecting the six contract towers in Oklahoma.
• Prevents the FAA from eliminating Contract Weather Observer services at 57 airports, including Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport. In communities where severe weather is common, having a dedicated on-site meteorological professional to record and interpret weather data is valuable to pilots and airlines.
• Directs the FAA to examine how making repairman certificates portable could support the mobility of the aviation workforce.
• Requires the FAA to develop plans and strategies for integrating unmanned aircraft, like drones, into airspace and provides support to local communities on addressing the use of drones.

(Source: Senator Inhofe news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.inhofe.senate.gov