US: FAA overhaul bill stirs uproar
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Republican chairman on Wednesday plans to unveil legislation to dramatically reshape the nation’s air-traffic-control network. But growing Democratic and industry opposition threatens to make the bill another victim of partisan gridlock. Part of a FAA reauthorization measure, the proposal calls for creating a standalone, nonprofit corporation funded by user fees that would take over the agency’s responsibilities for managing air-traffic operations and oversee modernization of the system. According to one industry official who has seen the language, it envisions an 11-member governing board—with seats assigned to labor, airline and private-aviation interests—and a three-year phase-in period. While most provisions are similar to previous versions of the bill circulated as early as last summer, this official said one new funding wrinkle is likely to raise questions in some airline circles. The measure, according to the official, effectively exempts two categories of aircraft from user fees: much of business aviation and all of general aviation, or small planes primarily flown by private pilots. Those groups have been most outspoken in objecting to the private corporation proposal.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2016-02-08/general/us-faa-overhaul-bill-stirs-uproar
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/logo.png
US: FAA overhaul bill stirs uproar
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Republican chairman on Wednesday plans to unveil legislation to dramatically reshape the nation’s air-traffic-control network. But growing Democratic and industry opposition threatens to make the bill another victim of partisan gridlock. Part of a FAA reauthorization measure, the proposal calls for creating a standalone, nonprofit corporation funded by user fees that would take over the agency’s responsibilities for managing air-traffic operations and oversee modernization of the system. According to one industry official who has seen the language, it envisions an 11-member governing board—with seats assigned to labor, airline and private-aviation interests—and a three-year phase-in period. While most provisions are similar to previous versions of the bill circulated as early as last summer, this official said one new funding wrinkle is likely to raise questions in some airline circles. The measure, according to the official, effectively exempts two categories of aircraft from user fees: much of business aviation and all of general aviation, or small planes primarily flown by private pilots. Those groups have been most outspoken in objecting to the private corporation proposal.<br/>
