As Congress prepares to finalize its funding allocations for fiscal year 2022, six general aviation associations came together to ask the leadership of the Appropriations Committee’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) Subcommittee in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to increase funding for the Alternative Fuels for General Aviation program.
“We believe the fuels testing program is at a critical juncture and we request the final conference agreement contain a funding level of $10 million,” the group wrote. “The funding level is consistent with the spirit of the recent White House announcement on sustainable aviation fuels, where the work on alternative fuels for general aviation was highlighted. There is still considerable work to be done to address the environmental and regulatory challenges associated with piston aviation fuels and your support is key to addressing them in a way that does not compromise aviation safety.”
The Alternative Fuels for General Aviation program enables the engineering, technical, and management support of fuel research and safety certification activities necessary to find an unleaded aviation fuel that can be safely used by the GA fleet.
The aviation associations signing the letter to Congress include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI); National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
A copy of the letter can be seen here.