Ten aviation associations, including AAAE’s U.S. Contract Tower Association (USCTA), have written to the leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees to urge that, in the DOT/FAA fiscal year 2017 appropriations bill, Congress provide $159 million in dedicated funding for fully funded and cost-share towers in FAA’s Contract Tower Program.
The associations noted that, “Events of the past several years have made it abundantly clear that the FAA Contract Tower Program enjoys strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.” The $159 million funding level will maintain operations of all current contact towers and applicable new facilities that FAA expects to add to the program by the end of fiscal year 2017, the associations said.
Associations signing the letters are: USCTA, Regional Airline Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, National Business Aviation Association, National Air Transportation Association, ACI-NA, Air Carrier Association of America, Cargo Airline Association, National Association of State Aviation Officials and Air Traffic Control Association.