The General Aviation Coalition, a group of 16 GA organizations chaired by EAA President Tom Poberezny, chewed the fat with the new FAA administrator for the first time on Jan. 21, tackling certification, airport, funding and security issues in its first face-to-face with Administrator Marion Blakey. The group urged the Administrator to further delegate certification processes to other groups to ease the burden on scarce FAA resources and pressed Blakey to forcefully defend the FAA’s status as sole authority for airspace and aviation certification issues where state and municipal governments now attempt to exert control. “This introductory meeting built a strong foundation for a positive working relationship …” said Poberezny. The GAC told Blakey it supports the ongoing study on modernizing flight service stations but told her it doesn’t want a privatized or fee-based system. Blakey was also urged to maintain funding for GA airports. The GAC meets with the FAA administrator twice a year and the next meeting is planned for July.
GA Leaders Meet The Boss
Key Takeaways:
- The General Aviation Coalition (GAC) met with FAA Administrator Marion Blakey to discuss certification, airport funding, and security issues.
- The GAC urged the FAA to delegate certification processes and forcefully defend its sole authority over airspace and aviation certification against state and municipal control.
- The coalition supported the modernization study for flight service stations but opposed privatization or fee-based systems, and advocated for continued funding for General Aviation airports.
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