AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon noted that President-elect Donald Trump will be a friend to general aviation considering he is an aircraft owner and campaigned on rebuilding America’s infrastructure, including airports.
Trump’s campaign website says the now president-elect will “implement a bold, visionary plan for a cost-effective system of roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, railroads, ports and waterways, and pipelines,” and “work with Congress to modernize our airports and air traffic control systems.”
Trump currently owns four aircraft, a Boeing 757-200, a Cessna Citation X, and two Sikorsky S-76B helicopters.
Coon said AOPA will reach out to new incoming members of Congress and Trump’s transition team to discuss the value of GA to the economy and key issues that affect the future of aviation in America.
“AOPA has a number of important issues to address for general aviation, and we look forward to working with the incoming Trump Administration and the new Congress,” said Coon.
Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2017.
Capitol Hill, along with the White House, will see some new faces, and results are still out for one major Senate race.
Two notable losses from members of the House Transportation and infrastructure Committee came with Stephanie Murphy’s (D-Fla.) defeat of Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) and state Sen. Ruben Kihuen’s (D-Nev.) victory over Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.).
At the time of writing, Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s (R-N.H.) race against Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) was too close to call according to the New Hampshire Union Leader. Ayotte chairs the Senate Aviation Subcommittee and was a cosponsor of the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2.
At least 32 members of the House GA Caucus and one member of the Senate GA Caucus will not return to office.