Aircraft Parking Amendment Dropped In House FAA Reauthorization

An amendment to the House's FAA reauthorization package that would have guaranteed reasonably priced parking for transient aircraft at public use airports did not survive the markup process. The House Rules package was stripped of that and several other GA-related amendments before it heads to the House floor for a vote.

AOPA has been lobbying for transient parking areas to allow pilots who don't need fuel or other services to avoid the fees charged by some FBOs who have exclusive parking rights at some airports. The measure made it into the early versions of the House package as the Obernolte-Cartwright Amendment.

The National Air Transportation Association fought just as hard against the amendment, saying it favored "one class of aviation user at the expense of airports, aviation businesses and [Part] 135 operators." The Senate still has similar language in its rules package and NATA says it's going to fight against it there.

NATA and GA groups were on the same page when it came to stripping the House package of several other amendments that would have had significant impact on GA. They included amendments banning 100LL, privatizing ATC, restricting public charter and changing noise regulations.