And Another Is On The Way

ANN Guest Editorial by NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen

It isn’t every year that we experience challenges of the sort general aviation faced in 2007 – but all indications suggest the year ahead will be just as exciting as the one in the rear view mirror.

Throughout 2007, the general aviation community effectively countered a massive campaign by the nation’s big airlines to impose user fees onto general aviation, and wrest control over the air transportation system from Congress.

One account in a Capitol Hill newspaper estimated that in the first half of 2007 alone, the airlines had spent $11 million on lobbying for a user fee scheme as part of efforts to “reauthorize” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Withstanding the attacks of a powerful political machine like the big airlines requires the active involvement of thousands of individuals all across the country. Generating that kind of grassroots mobilization by the general aviation community can be clearly seen as our community’s most significant accomplishment in 2007. Members of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), along with many thousands of other operators across general aviation spectrum visited Members of Congress, made phone calls, wrote letters and emails and made contacts back home in congressional district offices around the country. These efforts had a profound impact.

Thanks to you, members of Congress learned about the risks of user fees to the many small towns and rural areas across the country that depend on general aviation for vital transportation services, as well as the thousands of small to mid-size businesses that rely on general aviation to compete in an intensely demanding marketplace. 

Having heard general aviation’s message, the House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 2881) that rejects operational user fees and relies upon a proven and efficient fuel tax structure to pay for ATC modernization.

That’s the good news. But the battle isn’t yet won. The challenge now is to build upon our momentum as we push for a Senate bill that that is based on fuel taxes rather than user fees.

Getting a final bill that rejects user fees, upholds the fuel tax and maintains congressional oversight of the nation’s ATC system will be just as difficult to achieve in 2008, but we know from 2007 that we can make a difference.

We also know that while the user fee fight will remain a top legislative priority for the entire GA community, we also will be contending with a number of other policy concerns in 2008.

GA Security Among Other Major Issues

General aviation security will be a priority, as proposals by the Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration affecting private aircraft operations are expected to move toward full development in 2008.

NBAA has been working with federal agencies to harden our industry from terrorist attacks without hampering mobility, and we are encouraged that federal security officials have indicated a goal of achieving a higher level of general aviation security without compromising vital transportation services.

That said, in early December 2007, NBAA filed extensive written comments with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) expressing concerns over the lack of flexibility provided for submitting passenger manifests and the restrictive time frame for submissions, in its proposed changes to private air travel rules for U.S. border crossings.

The CBP is also proposing to require pilots flying across the U.S. border to file passenger manifests exclusively through a designated CBP Internet site before flights take place. In many parts of the world, Internet availability is a scarce resource and difficult to secure.

A final set of CBP procedures is expected to go forward in 2008. Such proposals are among the changes in GA security being considered at the federal level that deserve thoughtful attention and input across the entire general aviation spectrum.

Safety Remains A Top Priority

In addition, safety issues have always been a top priority for NBAA, and this emphasis will continue in 2008. By way of illustration, NBAA will remain focused on promoting best practices that truly support safety and help Members understand complex issues, such as those surrounding the FAA’s complex A008 “OpSpec” for ensuring operational control in the safe and legal operation of chartered aircraft.

While NBAA will remain vigilant on these and other issues at the federal level, the Association will also continue to support the local interests of its more than 8,000 Members nationwide. NBAA’s team of expert Regional Representatives will be active on behalf of business aviation on such issues as economic development, land use, and access to community and regional GA airports.

Clearly, our ability to advance a positive agenda in Washington and across the country is dependent upon an active and engaged Membership, and our continued strong ties to the entire general aviation community. As we all know, elected officials are most responsive to their own constituents. In the coming year, NBAA will continue to give its Members the tools to make their voices heard with their elected representatives, and continue actively working with other groups representing the diverse general aviation community to protect your vital interests at all levels of government.

I look forward to working with Aero News readers in what promises to be another significant year for our industry.

FMI: www.nbaa.org