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.

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.GAservingAmerica.org