12 March 2007
The battle over FAA funding user fees is heating up in the USA, with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing next week from FAA Adminstrator Marion Blakey and from other user groups about the future funding of aviation in the States.
The background is this: the FAA is proposing to change the way that it is funded, and wants to draw extra income from two sources – GA pilots using Air Traffic Control resources and from increased fuel taxes. There would also be increases in charges for licensing, certification and such like. On the other side of the coin, airlines would have to pay less.
This debate has been coming for some time, so the two sides have their arguments drawn up. The airlines say that it’s unfair that they should shoulder the whole burden of paying for the FAA and the air traffic system; GA says that adding such huge (over 400 percent) increases would cripple the industry which in turn would be hugely damaging to the US economy.
The European sitatuion is often cited as a common example of how user fees can damage GA: US AOPA’s recent press release contained the example of a Twin Comanche flying from England to Germany which, despite some ‘questionable manoeuvres to avoid user fees (EuroNav charges), still totted up $232 in fees and taxes alone.
Capitol Hill still seems far from decided about how this debate will end up and whether the FAA will get its way or not. Obviously, we’ll be keeping a close eye.
