Says Bipartisan Legislation Would Cut Regulations On The GA Industry, Spur Innovation

Congressman Mike Pompeo (R-KS) (pictured), has introduced the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act (SARA), which would cut regulations on the general aviation industry and thereby improve safety, decrease costs, and free private-sector innovation. The bill is cosponsored by Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Sam Graves (R-MO), Todd Rokita (R-IN), and Rick Nolan (D-MN).

The bill addresses a number of challenges facing the general aviation industry caused by outdated regulation, including the steady decline in new pilots, flight activity, and the sales of new small general aviation airplanes. For example, the average general aviation airplane is 40 years old.
 
Over the last 18 months, the FAA Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), composed of aviation authorities and industry representatives from around the world, has worked to create a regulatory environment that will contribute significantly to revitalizing the health and safety of new and existing small airplanes. SARA requires the implementation of the Part 23 ARC recommendations by the end of 2015.
 
“General aviation has never asked for a bailout, but we can cut red tape and at the same time improve safety, effectively revitalizing the industry by cutting the cost of new planes,” said Congressman Pompeo. “The existing outdated certification process needlessly increases the cost of safety and technology upgrades by up to 10 times. With this bill, we can ensure that the general aviation industry has what it needs to thrive.”
 
“Congressman Mike Pompeo has long been a champion of general aviation, and we applaud his efforts to move this process forward,” said Michael Thacker, Cessna’s senior vice president of engineering. “The active and willing participation of the FAA and other international regulatory bodies has been critical to the success of this effort so far.”

“We appreciate Congressman Pompeo’s leadership on this important legislation that spurs the FAA to adopt regulatory change to double the safety and cut certification costs in half for light general aviation airplanes,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “We look forward to working with him and other members of Congress in moving this legislation forward."

FMI: http://pompeo.house.gov