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Wednesday, 03 February, 2016

NATA Will Not Support “Leap of Faith” FAA Reauthorization Proposal

NATA Will Not Support “Leap of Faith” FAA Reauthorization Proposal

Washington, DC, February 3, 2016 – The following is a statement by National Air Transportation Association President and CEO Thomas L. Hendricks following today’s release by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the Aviation Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act, legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. The Committee is expected to consider the legislation on February 11.

“NATA cannot support the legislation’s proposal to create a federally chartered, not-for-profit air traffic control corporation. We have been quite clear throughout the development of this legislation that we will not support ‘leap of faith’ proposals that place the fate of any segment of general aviation — in this case the air charter community — in the hands of a yet to be determined board of directors — especially given the fact this segment of general aviation is denied a voice in the corporation’s governance. A user-fee funded ATC corporation, controlled in perpetuity by a board of industry insiders, will place general aviation in constant peril, starve rural America of access to cutting-edge technology, and saddle the travelling public with ever increasing fees.

NATA understands and respects the process that Chairman Shuster undertook to develop this legislation. We also acknowledge the legislation contains many provisions that reflect NATA’s suggestions for making the FAA a more efficient organization. While we agree with the Chairman that maintaining the status quo risks our nation’s supremacy in aviation, this draft legislation poses even greater risks — to the safe and stable nature of the world’s best air traffic control system and America’s vibrant general aviation community.”

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NATA, the voice of aviation business for 75 years, is the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.

For more information about NATA, please visit www.nata.aero, www.twitter.com/nataaero or www.facebook.com/nataaero.

 

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.