But There Will Be Some...

There will be no wide-ranging user fees imposed on general aviation -- so said Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta (right) in testimony before the House of Representatives Tuesday.

But before you start doing victory rolls over the airfield, though, listen to the rest of what he had to say.

Playing it close to the vest, Mineta told a house committee that he had probably said more than he should have in advance of the FAA's announcement later this month (or early next) on major changes to the way America funds the national airspace.

Reuters reports that Mineta then clarified his remarks, saying the FAA proposal doesn't call for a per-use charge on all aviation services -- only some of them. Sources in Washington say, instead, look for some user fees... some new taxes... and perhaps new bonds used to raise money for FAA modernization.

The new funding proposal is now under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

While the Air Transport Association backs the concept of user fees, general aviation organizations like the AOPA and NATA oppose the idea -- saying taxes on aviation fuel should continue to make up GA's contribution to national airspace funding.

The ATA is scheduled Wednesday to spell out details on the plan its members agreed on last week -- a plan under which it says everybody pays a fair share. We'll see...

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.air-transport.org