HAI President, Roy Resavage has contacted 65 Members of Congress including the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and Aviation Subcommittees, Senate Commerce Committee, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittees of both chambers. Resavage’s letter seeks a $10.9 million direct appropriation for fiscal year 2005 for the FAA to field weather, communications, and surveillance equipment in the Gulf of Mexico to support low-level helicopter operations.

Congress passed legislation last year to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with authorization language to support the implementation of low altitude weather and communications in the Gulf to support offshore helicopter operations. No direct appropriations for the Gulf were included in fiscal year 2004 appropriations. Over the past year, HAI and the offshore helicopter operators and oil exploration companies have worked with the FAA to develop a cost-sharing program to improve air traffic services in the offshore and international airspace controlled by the FAA in the Gulf.

Resavage has called Congressional attention to the absence of weather reporting equipment, communications infrastructure, and air traffic services for offshore operations.

HAI tells ANN that they will continue to work closely with key Members of Congress representing constituencies along the Gulf of Mexico to achieve funding for this program. Senators John Breaux (D-Louisiana) and Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) and Congressman Richard Baker (R-Louisiana) have pledged strong support for the project.

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