This has actually been a banner year for general aviation, according to U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who hosted a Town Hall Meeting Saturday morning on the Sun ’n Fun campus. “We got a lot done in the FAA reauthorization,” he reported. Among the victories were amendments that protect Through The Fence agreements — “I think […]
user fees
Questions abound about user fees
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over the past few years, several reports have been written about suggestions, proposals, and announcements that new fees would be placed on aviation. Most recent of them refer to a fee of $100 per landing for jet aircraft introduced in the President’s budget for 2013. Following published stories of these reports and […]
Expenses, debt, and taxes
I was up late last night, inputting numbers, ticking off boxes, checking receipts, and seriously wishing I had four or five more kids who still fit into a deductible age bracket. It’s tax time, and I suspect you are deep in the same morass of math and mayhem I am. We all complain about taxes. […]
AOPA sees déjà vu with user fees
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Craig Fuller is expressing disappointment that as part of his $3.8 trillion fiscal year 2013 budget, the president has included a $100 per-flight fee to fund the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control services. “Regrettably, the Obama Administration continues to pursue user fees for private aircraft despite the fact […]
Governors call on President Obama to protect general aviation
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and New Hampshire Governor John H. Lynch both recently sent letters to President Obama calling on the administration to recognize the vital importance of general aviation for the economy and communities around the nation. The release of the letters comes following recent reports that the administration is likely pursuing a “user […]
Odd are good to beat user fees in 2012
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 — […]
White House says $100-per-flight fee is needed
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Aviation groups are gearing up for another fight against the $100-per-flight charge for use of air traffic services after the White House rejected a petition calling for dropping the proposal. Dana Hyde, associate director for General Government Programs, said in a letter rejecting the petition that “the Obama Administration believes it’s essential […]
Obama administration responds to user fee petition
A petition to take user fees off the table garnered more than 8,900 signatures — many from general aviation pilots — but the result wasn’t what we hoped for. Instead, the response from Dana Hyde, Associate Director for General Government Programs, Office of Management and Budget, is an essay titled “Why We Need Aviation User […]
‘Angel Flight Central imperiled by Obama administration’s budget’
Carolyn Lee of The Imperial (Nebraska) Republican reports that Angel Flight Central will face challenges if President Obama’s budget, including aviation user fees, is passed. From the story… “Richard Stull of McCook said the user fee proposal would hurt not only his flying, but “General aviation pilots would be negatively impacted by that. We do […]