GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Together, the federal and state governments and aviation professionals in both the public and private sector have built the safest and most efficient transportation network in history. All Americans enjoy the benefits of this system which is one of the primary foundations of our economy. More than five thousand airports of all sizes, all across the nation, provide for airline and general aviation service and postal service while supporting defense, homeland security, cargo delivery, emergency medical transportation and disaster relief. NASAO believes that we must continue prudent investments in our infrastructure while preparing for an inevitable increase in demand. Today, we have an opportunity to strengthen our aviation network, modernize air traffic control through NextGen and stimulate our national economy through necessary infrastructure improvements.
NASAO fully recognizes the importance of national deficit reduction, but notes that the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and its associated Aviation Trust Fund have always been the recipients of a series of dedicated federal excise taxes, paid by aviation users. AIP and its trust fund should not be viewed as a potential source of deficit reduction funds. To do so will inevitably lead to a decrease in safety, an unacceptable reduction in the current pace of NextGen implementation, and a decrease in efficiency resulting in increased airline delays. NASAO firmly believes that our national aviation infrastructure has always been and should always be a federal responsibility. While the states are ready and willing to assist, as they always have, the leadership of financing our national aviation system rightly rests with the Administration, Congress, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
ISSUES
FAA/AIP REAUTHORIZATION
AIP LEVELS
Based upon our experience, NASAO believes that AIP should have been reauthorized at a total of $4 billion for FY 2011 and following long established patterns of increasing infrastructure investments to $4.1 billion by FY 2012, $4.2 billion for 2013 and $4.3 billion for 2014. This would stimulate the economy and provide states and individual airports a stable and predictable planning horizon.
GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION
Since all Americans benefit from the national air transportation system, NASAO believes that all Americans must have a financial stake in it and recommends a 25 percent investment in AIP/FAA funding from the General Fund. Anything less is a collective abrogation of our shared responsibilities to the national system.
NON-PRIMARY GRANTS
NASAO is currently engaged with the FAA, Transportation Research Board and other colleagues in the aviation community to devise a more appropriate and transparent categorization of General Aviation airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Until that re-classification is complete, the current non-primary airport grant program of $150,000 for general aviation airports should continue.
ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE (EAS)
NASAO believes the existing EAS program must be funded at a minimum of $200 million annually.
NEXTGEN
NASAO is a proud member of the NextGen Transportation System Institute Management Council. NASAO has established an internal NextGen committee and is engaged in the NextGen National Advisory Committee (NAC) process. NASAO and FAA are also actively engaged in joint NextGen activities as a result of a current Memorandum of Understanding. The states believe that the Joint Planning and Development Office and NextGen must be adequately funded and that these are the most appropriate vehicles to shape an efficient, safe, secure and productive national aviation system for the future.
While aviation is already very energy efficient, NextGen technology will also assist in further shrinking aviation’s carbon-footprint. Adoption and equipage of NextGen technology by airlines and business aviation could be incentivized by changing air traffic control’s traditional service from “first-come-first-served” to “best-equipped-best-served”.
PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGES (PFC)
NASAO advocates raising the cap on PFCs for large commercial airports to $7.50 and providing greater flexibility in the use of these funds.
USER FEES
NASAO is opposed to new user fees for general aviation. NASAO remains convinced that general aviation fuel taxes are the most appropriate and efficient method of paying for GA’s use of the system for the immediate future.
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THE STATE BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
In 1996, Congress made the State Block Grant program permanent and today ten states are fully responsible for efficiently and effectively administering federal AIP funds. This program can and should be extended to additional qualified states that request to participate in the program.
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PRESERVING OUR AIRPORTS
For more than a dozen years, FAA and NASAO have had an official Memorandum of Understanding which has led to a productive partnership on many issues of joint concern such as runway incursions. During the past several years, we have worked together in an effort to protect our airports from inappropriate development and land use which would lessen their utility or increase hazards. Protecting airports as essential public facilities must remain a very high priority for our nation.
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WILDLIFE HAZARDS
NASAO will work with Congress to establish a program with sufficient staff and support infrastructure to assist all state government aviation offices in managing and mitigating wildlife hazards to aviation. NASAO already maintains a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding wildlife hazard analysis and mitigation. NASAO and FAA also maintain an active MOU on wildlife issues.
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SECURITY
NASAO was one of the primary authors of TSA’s current security guidelines for General Aviation. NASAO has also worked closely with TSA on a vulnerability study of General Aviation airports. From the beginning, NASAO has supported effective and common sense security measures. NASAO will oppose efforts that do not genuinely enhance security.
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
The entire aviation system faces both fuel availability and emissions challenges. While aviation manufacturers and fuel refiners are already experimenting with syn-fuels, bio-fuels and appropriate engine modifications, greater R&D investments will be required for both commercial and General Aviation.
On the national level, NASAO appreciates the willingness of the Environmental Protection Agency to allow General Aviation to continue use of the existing low lead fuel until a safe and appropriate substitute is developed. In the international arena, NASAO encourages the Administration, Congress and the DOT to continue to promote ICAO as the best and most able organization for harmonizing aviation rules, regulations and the industry’s collective efforts to improve its global carbon-footprint. We must note that the entire aviation community contributes less that 2 percent to global pollution and that rapid adoption of NextGen equipment and policies will have a very positive net-effect on the greening of the industry.
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