21 September 2007
Private pilots in the USA are breathing a sigh of relief after the House of Representatives passed the FAA Reauthorization Bill (H.R.2881).
There had been a long and bitter debate (see <a href=’http://www.flyer.co.uk/news/newsfeed.php?artnum=444′ target=’_blank’>here</a> and <a href=’http://www.flyer.co.uk/news/newsfeed.php?artnum=494′ target=’_blank’>here</a>) about this legislation. The original proposition outraged members of the GA world by suggesting that the FAA would introduce user fees, huge increases in fuel tax and more, while cutting the amount that the airlines pay. The end result would be to alter the way that the FAA was structured and funded.
Over the summer, incessant lobbying by the light aviation sector has seen the Bill altered so that, as many commentators see it, it is fair to all.
Under this final version of the Bill there would be no user fees for GA, and although there would be a slight increase in the amount of fuel tax paid on avgas (up from 19.3 cents to 24.1 cents), this is being accepted as a near-inflation rate increase – and also acceptable as the funds raised would be earmarked exclusively for air traffic modernisation (known as NextGen). Under the Bill, money would also be available for improvements to airports, and particularly ‘small general aviation airports’.
“H.R.2881 is a great model for funding our future aviation system”, said Phil Boyer, President of US AOPA and leading advocate for GA.@And the best news for general aviation – no user fees, a modest fuel tax increase for NextGen and no tax cuts for the airlines”.
The only cloud on the horizon is that there are a couple of provisions in the Bill which may not please President Bush – and that means that the White House could potentially veto the Bill.
