Airport managers propose efforts to exclude GA

Airport managers propose efforts to exclude GA

Randall Walker of the Clark County Department of Aviation in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Virginia Buckingham of Massport in Boston, Massachusetts, today claimed before the House aviation subcommittee that general aviation is responsible for air transportation inefficiency. Both blamed GA for their inability to expand capacity at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas and Boston's Logan International. Each wanted to restrict these airports to airline traffic only. However, longtime AOPA supporter Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), the House Transportation and Infrastructure's ranking minority member, jumped to the defense of general aviation. He told Walker, "You haven't made your case" about keeping GA out of McCarran. He said GA has a right to land at all airports if properly equipped. Walker backed off, saying he does not want to push GA out of McCarran but would prefer that they use the Henderson Airport instead.

(By law, any airport receiving federal funds cannot restrict access. General aviation accounts for only five to 10 percent of the traffic at most hub airports and is not a factor in causing airline delays.)

00-4-035x

October 5, 2000