Coyne Testifies Before House Aviation Subcommittee
At a US House of
Representatives committee hearing on the financial condition of the
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Wednesday, NATA President James K.
Coyne warned of the adverse effects that altering the funding
stream for the trust fund could have on general aviation and other
aviation businesses.
Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Aviation, chaired by
Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Coyne (right) discussed the benefits of
the current funding system, which combines both excise taxes and
fuel taxes to generate revenue for the trust fund. There is wide
debate across the aviation industry as to the health of the trust
fund and what, if any, changes should be made to improve
revenues.
Coyne discussed in
detail the potential dangers a "user fee" system would have on
general aviation, including both commercial and recreational
operators. "While there are certainly a number of questions that
need to be answered before Congress contemplates any change in the
current funding structure for the aviation trust fund, it is
critical that Congress be aware that overall a system of user fees
could add greater confusion and inefficiency to the air
transportation system, cause a bureaucratic nightmare for both
government and industry, jeopardize safety, and ultimately result
in less revenue than in the current system," Coyne testified.
Coyne noted that on-demand air charter operators are classified
as commercial air carriers and pay the same passenger ticket tax
and segment fees as scheduled airlines, despite not receiving the
same treatment from air traffic control service.
"In heavily congested air traffic areas, charter and
general aviation traffic are the first to see their flight plans
curtailed, while the FAA does very little to reduce airline service
into a particular airport," he said.
Safety concerns regarding the implementation of possible general
aviation user fees were also discussed in Coyne’s testimony.
"User fees would discourage operators from using airports with
controlled airspace and control towers and cause them to decide to
use non-towered airports with limited or no air traffic control
service to avoid the hefty user fees; increasing the traffic flow
at airports least equipped to manage it. Even more worrisome is
that operators may avoid filing instrument flight plans when
marginal weather exists to avoid operating in what would be a
safer, radar-controlled environment because of the fees involved.
One of the leading causes of general aviation accidents is
unintentional flight into poor weather. A user fee system would
discourage small operators from using the very air traffic control
services that could help keep them flying safely."
Coyne concluded his
testimony stating that the current system of excise and fuel taxes
is the most fair and efficient way for all aviation entities to
contribute to the trust fund.