What’s involved in the airlines’ FAA proposal?
Funding and programs for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expire in October of this year. On February 14, the FAA submitted its "reauthorization," or funding proposal to the United States Congress. The FAA's proposal provides a huge tax break and other giveaways to the large airlines, while punishing the mostly small and mid-size businesses in general aviation, and stripping Congress of most of its role in aviation system funding decisions. Specifically, the plan includes:
- A more-than tripling of the fuel taxes paid by general aviation aircraft operators. Under the FAA's proposal, the taxes would increase more than 300 percent, from 21.8 cents-per-gallon, to 70 cents-per gallon.
- A litany of new user fees bringing an added cost and administrative burden.
- The creation of a new control board that is expected to remove congress from its traditional role of representing all aviation segments, including general aviation.
- A $600 million cut in FAA funding;
- Authorization to permit the FAA to go into debt up to $5 billion starting in 2013;
- Diversion of funds for air traffic control transformation to create a bureaucracy to assess and collect user fees. Whether the bureaucracy is built inside the government, or outside through contractors, money must be used to create and maintain the bureaucracy.
These changes will considerably increase costs and threaten access to airspace and airports for the general aviation community, and the industry is unified in its strong opposition to the proposal.
This web page provides resources to help you voice your opposition to the proposal.
How can I help stop the airlines' FAA proposal? Take action!
NBAA's efforts to support the industry can only be most effective when the people in the community support NBAA's work in Washington by making their voices heard. The following are among the ways NBAA Members can take action to enhance the work NBAA is doing in Washington on the airlines' FAA proposal.
 Use NBAA's Contact Congress resource to write to your elected officials
NBAA is fighting the toxic mix of massive tax increases, user fees and reduced Congressional control in the FAA's funding proposal, but our success depends on you. Your elected officials need to hear from you about the airlines' FAA proposal, because you can be sure that every Member of Congress is hearing from the big airlines and their army of lobbyists. Please take a minute to voice your opposition to the airlines' FAA proposal by using NBAA's online resource for communicating with Congress; to access the resource, Click Here.
Do you belong to a local aviation organization? A civic group? If so, NBAA has prepared a solicitation e-mail message you can send to friends and colleagues to encourage them to use Contact Congress to oppose the FAA's plan. The message details the FAA's user fee proposal, explains the need to take action, and outlines how to access and use Contact Congress. View the Letter
If your company has a regular newsletter or other information bulletin, consider using the solicitation letter mentioned above as text for a Call to Action article in the publication. NBAA can assist you in assembling the article; to see samples of Call to Action articles in NBAA Member publications, visit: Sample Newsletter Articles.
Feature NBAA's Contact Congress banner ad on your company's web site
If your company has a web site, posting NBAA's Contact Congress banner ad on your site will help increase visibility and use of the Contact Congress resource. To receive a jpeg, gif or other format of the banner ad for placement on your web site, contact NBAA's Amy Freed at afreed@nbaa.org.
When Congress goes is not in session, most Members return to their states and Congressional Districts, for opportunities to reconnect with the voters. Call the Washington office for your Senators and Members of Congress and ask when their next "town hall" or other constituent meetings will be held. Make it a point to attend, and let them know of your views on the issue. Get contact information for your Members of Congress.
Send a letter to your local newspaper
Members of Congress closely read the newspapers published in their states and Congressional Districts. NBAA has sample letters to help you get started, and guidelines for letters to newspaper editors to help you make your letter clear and effective.
Do you have a personal relationship with one or more of your Members of Congress? Do you have Memberships in community organizations that might be interested in this issue? Are you willing to speak out against the FAA's proposal with the news media? If so, let NBAA know by contacting NBAA's Claudia Blanton at cblanton@nbaa.org.
Download talking points about the issue The FAA funding proposal pushed by the big airlines would abandon the current, ultra-efficient funding system for one based on new user fees and massive tax hikes. NBAA has talking points outlining why Congress should not abandon a proven funding system for a new, untested funding scheme. View Talking Points.
Join the Alliance For Aviation Across America
The Alliance for Aviation Across America (AAAA) is a diverse coalition representing rural with a mission to preserve aviation access for all towns and communities nationwide. AAAA also supports modernization of the national aviation system, to enhance safety and efficiency, and expand capacity. To learn more or join visit: AviationAcrossAmerica.org.
Learn more
NBAA has made a number of resources available to help the business aviation community learn more about issues related to the FAA's reauthorization: what the FAA's plan is about, what the concerns of the industry are, and why the time for action is now. A sampling of those resources is below; for more information, contact NBAA's Washington offices at (202) 783-9000, or info@nbaa.org.
Downloadable Industry and Government Resources:
Downloadable Resources From NBAA:
NBAA News
- Airline Lobbyists' Finger-Pointing On Delays
November 19, 2007
- NBAA's New Online Advocacy Center Helps Industry Voice Opposition to Big Airlines' FAA User Fee Proposal
April 23, 2007
- Bolen Promotes Modernization of Air Traffic System
April 4, 2007
- NBAA: Small Businesses, Small Towns, Rural Areas Lose Under FAA Plan
March 21, 2007
- NBAA's Bolen Promotes Aviation System Modernization Through Proven Funding Methods
March 15, 2007
- NBAA Says Airline-Backed FAA Proposal Threatens Jobs, Access, Economic Growth
March 13, 2007
- NBAA Calls Upon Congress to Reject Ruinous User Fees, Tax Hikes in Big Airlines’ FAA Funding Plan
March 8, 2007
- NBAA Calls Proposed FAA Budget a Sweetheart Deal for the Big Airlines
February 14, 2007
- Bush Administration Budget Includes ‘Toxic Mix’ of User Fees, Huge Tax Increases for General Aviation
February 5, 2007
Return to Government Affairs Page
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NBAA's Call to Action
Oppose FAA's User Fee Plan
NBAA has developed an online resource for contacting member of Congress and we are asking everyone in business aviation to use this resource to voice your opposition to user fees with your members of Congress. |
Recent Quotes About the Airlines' FAA User Fee Proposal
“...The administration would shift from taxing commercial airline tickets and replace the lost revenue with higher user fees and other tax increases.”- The Hill, 2/15/07
“The Federal Aviation Administration... detailed its proposal to shift more of its funding burden to charter services and private aircraft operators.”- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2/15/07
“The plan also calls for collecting 'user fees' from aircraft operators, which would impose a fee each time an aircraft flies.”- The Washington Times, 2/15/07
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NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen discusses user
fees with Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WVA)
Ed Bolen and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) discuss the
importance of general aviation in local economic development.
Ed Bolen urges Congress to
reject the FAA's user fee proposal.
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