WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although he is no longer chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) is still active in seeking elimination of user fees for general aviation. He is circulating a letter urging President Obama not to include general aviation user fees in the budget for Fiscal year 2112. Costello remains a […]
Capital Comments
Sell the sizzle, not the steak
Washington, D.C. — We learn from history that we learn nothing from history. But having been born just 19 years after the Wright brothers made the first controlled flight, personal experience might help in the current attempts to gain greater acceptance for aviation. (Note the word “general” is not included.) In the 1960s when William […]
The best of times, the worst of times
WASHINGTON, D.C. — When Charles Dickens wrote “A Tale of Two Cities,” he might have forecast general aviation in the year 2011 with the comment, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Next year has the potential for being a productive growth period, but the challenges to be met might […]
IG: NextGen needs more efficient RNP procedures
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) needs to implement more efficient performance-based navigation procedures, clarify third-party rules, and assure that Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures can be used at congested airports. That was the gist of findings in a study by the Inspector General’s office of the Department of Transportation. The […]
Congress approves yet another FAA reauthorization extension
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA stays in business with another three-month authorization extension after the Senate passed the bill during its weekend session. The House had passed the extension Dec. 2. This is the 17th extension for the FAA, a record number for any government agency. The agency has not had full reauthorization since 2007. […]
GAMA and NBAA welcome tax agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced support for the comprise tax agreement working its way through Congress after the aviation groups participated in a telephone conference with the White House. GAMA’s President and CEO Pete Bunce said, “We support this agreement because it contains […]
NATA chief: ‘We’re all in this together’
WASHINGTON, D.C. — “We’re all in this together.” That was the message from James Coyne, president of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), Nov. 30 when he met with news media for a look at the issues facing GA in the coming months. Coyne noted that in spite of the many problems general aviation now […]
Photos on pilot certificates not new
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FAA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making to require photos on pilot certificates. But did you know that this isn’t the first time photos were on pilot certificates? Details of the proposal are now being studied by various aviation groups, with the deadline for comments set for Feb. 17, […]
Senators push for lame-duck passage of FAA reauthorization
The FAA might get reauthorization after all this year if two powerful senators of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation have their way during this lame-duck session of Congress. Senators John (Jay) Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.), chairman of the full committee, and Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.), chairman of the aviation subcommittee, say the FAA has been without […]