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AOPA opposes move to raise unicom fees

AOPA is opposing a move by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to raise fees for unicoms and other ground station radios for the second year in a row.

In joint formal comments filed with the FCC on June 22, AOPA and others said that the agency’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) appears to target aviation ground licensees for “an unjustified and disproportionate increase in their regulatory fees,” adding that “the proposed fee increase appears to lack any rational basis or supporting data.”

The groups added that the proposal would negatively affect the economic well-being of aviation ground licensees at a pivotal moment, just as the industry is poised to transition to NextGen technologies.

The comments were filed in response to an NPRM that would increase regulatory fees by approximately 17 percent following a 100-percent increase the previous year.

In addition to AOPA, the comments were signed by Aviation Spectrum Resources Inc., Airlines for America, Delta Airlines, Harris Corp., Rockwell Collins Information Management Services, Southwest Airlines Co., The Boeing Co., and SITA OnAir.

Elizabeth Tennyson

Elizabeth A Tennyson

Senior Director of Communications
AOPA Senior Director of Communications Elizabeth Tennyson is an instrument-rated private pilot who first joined AOPA in 1998.
Topics: Advocacy, Aviation Industry

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