The first question AOPA President Craig Fuller fielded from the audience of about 150 attending his pilot town hall Jan. 20 in Sebring, Fla., was about user fees, according to a report at AOPA.org. What are the chances of stopping the latest push? an attendee wanted to know. The odds are good, Fuller said — this year, at least. Read the full story here.
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Janice Wood is editor of General Aviation News.
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Gbin, you’ve already admitted that you want to raise fees/taxes on others but not yourself. It appears you are looking to gain revenue from the FAA for your business. The vast majority of AOPA members are against user fees,and we are not wrong. AOPA is fighting for the good of it’s members. If you are not happy with AOPA just drop your membership and join a group to advocate higher taxes and fees if you think that is best.
That’s not true, pilotman. I’ve not yet said whether I’m for or against this proposed user fee on jet aircraft, as I’m still considering the matter. (I tend to think there are a lot of knee-jerks rather than reasoning individuals on both ends of the political spectrum, if you care to know.) What I have said – repeatedly, to correct what appears to be blatant disinformation repeatedly being spread by a few folks hereabouts – is that we should concern ourselves with real issues actually facing general aviation, not politically driven doomsday hypotheticals. I have also said – including to you, specifically, which may be why you’ve chosen to misrepresent me in your post above – that one should not mix the real and imagined in an apparent effort to scare others into adopting his/her view.
I guess it’s just as I was warned as a child: If a person will be dishonest in one way, it’s a safe bet that s/he’ll be dishonest in another.
As an AOPA member, I’m embarrassed to see the organization yet again misrepresenting this situation, apparently in a continuing effort to scare people into supporting a particular view. The linked article states that “The White House is backing a $100-per-flight user fee for aviators using air traffic services…,” but never bothers to mention the fact that the Obama Administration has also clearly stated that PISTON AIRCRAFT WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE PROPOSED USER FEE.
How about we all stick to honestly portraying and dealing with the issues actually facing general aviation?