FAA Reauthorization: New Bill In Play

With the FAA’s proposal to restructure the way it’s financed facing a broad array of opposition, Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Trent Lott, R-Miss., have come up with their own solution, The Hill reported on Tuesday. Their bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate later this week. It exempts piston-driven aircraft from user fees and new taxes, but would shift a considerable share of costs off the airlines and onto smaller turbine aircraft. The Alliance for Aviation Across America, a recently formed alliance of groups opposed to user fees, has already expressed “grave concerns” about the new bill. “This proposal would include a tax cut for the commercial airlines that would be offset by additional taxes on general aviation, the small businesses, farmers, fire-fighters, air medical services and flight schools around the country that use small planes,” the Alliance said on Tuesday.