The Schneider prize for seaplanes was first announced by Jaques
Schneider, the French Under-Secretary for Air, in 1911, with a
prize of the then huge amount of 1,000 pounds. It was meant to
encourage progress in civil aviation but became a contest primarily
about speed.
"And now that the legislation's out there, the same old
arguments are surfacing. General aviation is still afraid of user
fees -- for anyone -- even though they will still be paying the
same old way, the fuel tax. The people who have never paid a user
fee still don't want to. The users that have been paying more than
their fair share feel that the legislation doesn't go far enough
... Let me be absolutely clear about this one: Achieving major
change is the only step. If the opportunity to enact this
legislation comes and goes on September 30th because we were
arguing about who picks up the tab, everyone loses."
Source: FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, in her
speech Wednesday before the Royal Aeronautical Society in
London.
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