Schism May be Brewing in Aviation Community

Jim May, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association, a trade group representing the major airlines, tells News Desk that he expects the general aviation community--composed of everything from small planes to hobby fliers to business jets--to eventually split over how to fund the Federal Aviation Administration in the future, reports Associate Editor Angie C. Marek. (Yesterday, an Airline Quality Rating report found that delayed flights were up in 2006 over the previous year, which the ATA blamed on out-of-date air traffic control equipment.)

In February, the FAA proposed a new funding scheme that would abolish the ticket tax system and replace it with dramatically raised taxes for many kinds of aircraft fuel and fees for using domestic and oceanic airspace. The general aviation community, led by the National Business Aviation Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, has largely stood together in strong opposition to the proposal.

"They may be singing the same tune now," May says, "but it'll be every man for himself once Congress introduces bills" detailing its own funding proposals, which are expected by the end of this month.

Although he declined to name names, May says some members of Congress who are uncomfortable with the idea of raising taxes on general aviation fuel used by the smallest planes have told him they feel quite another way about new airspace fees for "Corporate Chieftain Joe" using a business jet. The proposals, May says, will very likely reflect that.

"I think there will be an adjustment made" that will result in some small plane users paying a larger percentage of money to the Aviation Trust Fund than they do now, May says. "Both sides of the aisle on the Hill absolutely get it." He adds, "The flying public shouldn't be subsidizing corporate jet owners. ... These guys write all their expenses off on their taxes anyway."