‘The biggest threat we’ve ever seen’
NBAA, AOPA, others warning against privatization
Leaders of U.S. general aviation organizations are unanimously opposed to so-called air traffic control privatization, and they have launched a media campaign to counter “gross misrepresentations” by the airline-backed groups supporting it.
“Air traffic control privatization is the biggest threat to the future of our industry that we’ve ever seen,” said Ed Bolen, president of the National Business Aviation Association. “It’s being pushed by the nation’s biggest airlines and some front groups they’ve created.”
House Bill 2997 would transfer ATC and its billions of dollars in assets from the FAA to a 13-member board controlled by airline interests. Front groups are running TV advertisements blaming private jet owners for airline delays and the slow pace and high costs of ATC modernization.
Aviation organizations are responding with their own ads in which Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell, “Miracle on the Hudson” Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, airshow ace Sean D. Tucker, and others reject the move as a corporate giveaway that would harm U.S. security and ATC efficiency.
AOPA President Mark Baker said the aviation groups’ efforts are working, and more than 85,000 members and supporters have called their members of Congress to oppose ATC privatization. House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) is the main privatization backer, and he has pushed the measure for years.
“Momentum is on our side,” Baker said. “But I worry about fatigue setting in. This is a long game, and this issue isn’t going to go away until we have a change in leadership.”
Web: www.aopa.org/stopprivatization
Court removes restraining order in Santa Monica case
Injunction denied in spite of AOPA-NBAA amicus brief
A temporary restraining order halting construction to shorten the runway at California’s Santa Monica Municipal Airport has been lifted despite the “friend of the court” (amicus) brief that AOPA and the National Business Aviation Association filed supporting the delay. The groups argued that possible state law violations relating to the runway construction warranted a delay while the city of Santa Monica’s alleged misconduct was reviewed by the court.
In what the Santa Monica Airport Association called a “shameful backroom deal,” the city council met in secret earlier this year and approved the runway shortening agreement. The $3.5 million project to take the runway from 5,000 feet to 3,500 feet was delayed by a temporary restraining order obtained in the lawsuit filed by local residents Karen Scott and James Babinski. Scott and Babinski maintain that under California’s public utility code, safety and environmental implications associated with the runway construction had to be aired in a public forum before beginning construction.
The amicus brief sought to inform the court of the importance of ensuring that airport operators comply with local laws when making any changes at the airport, especially as they may relate to the environmental and safety implications stemming from a newly configured runway and realigned and adjusted traffic and flight patterns.
“The Santa Monica City Council is now wasting millions in tax dollars on a move that will only increase traffic, congestion, and pollution for the citizens of Santa Monica. Not only is a lot of money being wasted, but money will also be lost when the restricted use of the airport deprives the citizens of the economic, employment, and emergency services advantages that had historically been provided from the airport.” said AOPA General Counsel Ken Mead.
The battle to preserve access to the Santa Monica Municipal Airport has been raging for decades. The city of Santa Monica and the FAA reached an agreement in January that would allow the city to close the airport by the end of 2028.
Web: www.aopa.org/smo17
AOPA advises on access, fair pricing
In response to requests from airport owners and operators for guidance in ensuring fair and transparent pricing and access for general aviation pilots, AOPA has developed recommendations for airports to consider when preparing requests for proposals from fixed-base operators wanting to operate there. AOPA’s recommendations are intended to help airports better understand the needs and interests of pilots during their search for an FBO.
The move is another in the association’s ongoing efforts to ensure affordable access for pilots at public-use airports.
“Gathering comments from pilots, working with local airport officials seeking advice, filing FAA Part 13 complaints, and now offering suggestions to airports when dealing with FBOs are just part of our effort to provide fairness for pilots while understanding the need for FBOs to remain profitable,” said AOPA President and CEO Mark Baker.
“We are pleased to see airport owners stepping up, recognizing the problems in their communities, and making changes for the good of all,” Baker continued. So far, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Heber City, Utah; Hernando County, Florida; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Orange County, California; Syracuse, New York; and now Santa Barbara, California, are taking steps to improve access and promote competition while working to combat egregious FBO pricing practices.
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