In a letter to the membership of the House Rural Caucus, National Air Transportation Association (NATA) President Martin H. Hiller asked Members of Congress “to protect the nation’s vibrant general aviation community and its vital connection to economic development in rural America by opposing H.R. 2997, the 21st Century AIRR Act.”
“The legislation undermines incentives to invest in rural America and its supporters vastly overstate the effectiveness of provisions purportedly protecting general aviation’s right to access the important airports and airways connecting rural America with the rest of the nation,” stated Hiller. NATA’s President also cited the growing opposition of general aviation groups, now grown to 117, which have concluded the legislation “will produce uncertainty and unintended consequences without achieving the desired outcomes.”
Hiller called into question the wisdom of turning over the public’s airspace to a group of unelected special interests noting, “The privatized air traffic control system proposed by the legislation is funded by airlines and governed by a board of special interests whose fiduciary responsibilities are ‘solely and exclusively to the corporation.’ In that construct, it is difficult to envision continued investment in a national airspace system that benefits all Americans but rather one that shrinks investment to meet only the needs of those funding the corporation.”
The legislation will be considered by the House of Representatives next week, making it urgent that aviation businesses and their employees immediately contact their Congressmen and Senators in opposition. Visit NATA’s Legislative Action Center (www.nata.aero/actioncenter) at this critical moment and ensure your voice is heard.