Association Supports RTCA's Recommendations for Continued
'NextGen' Transformation
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen
told members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Aviation Wednesday that, despite the sharp economic
downturn that has roiled the industry, GA remains steadfast in its
support of modernization of the nation's air traffic control
system.
Bolen, who also serves as chairman of the RTCA, an organization
that provides consensus-based aviation policy guidance, testified
in support of the recommendations included in a recent report from
RTCA's NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force, and commended
House lawmakers for their vigorous efforts to improve the nation's
aviation system.
"We commend the Subcommittee for conducting a thorough
examination of all of the issues related to system modernization,"
noting that NBAA Members have likewise long been committed to
system transformation.
"Business aviation was among the early adopters of GPS
navigation systems," he said. "We helped initiate the ADS-B test
program in Alaska - a test program that is now the cornerstone
technology of the modernization effort. We also participated in the
ADS-B experiments at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In 2005, we
supported our nation's transition to Reduced Vertical Separation
Minima (RVSM) which effectively doubled our enroute airspace
capacity.
NBAA Members remain supportive of these and other efficiency
investments, Bolen noted, even at a time when "the people and
businesses in general aviation, like other industries, are
weathering one of the worst economic storms anyone has ever
seen."
In the past year, Bolen testified, business aviation flying had
decreased by as much as 35 percent, the inventory of used airplanes
available for sale had reached an all-time high, prices for
business airplanes had declined by 40 percent, and employment at
leading general aviation companies had fallen by as much as 50
percent.
"While much has changed for the industry I represent as a result
of the recession, one thing has remained constant - our continued
support for modernization of the nation's air traffic control
system." Bolen pointed out that the recommendations made by the
RTCA would help accelerate the transition to a Next Generation, or
"NextGen" aviation system by streamlining the operations approval
process and establishing effective government-industry
collaboration.
"Following the RTCA's recommendations will advance important
national objectives," Bolen said, including further reducing the
industry's environmental footprint, reducing long-term costs for
the Federal Aviation Administration, enhancing safety, expanding
system capacity, and providing other benefits."
Bolen concluded: "We are committed to working with the Congress
to expedite the transformation of our air traffic control
technology and operations that achieves our shared goal of keeping
the U.S. aviation system the safest, largest and most efficient in
the world," he said.