AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - 10
AOPA ACTION
V IEW FROM CAPI TOL HILL /
GA's ecosystem
The redefining of public-use airports
BY JIM COON / Senior Vice President,
Government Affairs and Advocacy
AOPA Foundation Legacy Society member
THERE IS NEVER a dull moment in the halls of Congress, as you
can imagine, but I don't believe I have seen a more " interesting "
time in politics. And with the presidential election right around
the corner, I hope you will exercise your fundamental right to vote.
The world of transportation, including general aviation, is
for the most part nonpartisan. That doesn't mean it is immune to
politics, as there are funding priorities and policy disagreements or
varying interpretations in many areas. Speaking of interpretations
and disagreements, one issue we have growing concerns about is
our nation's public-use airport ecosystem and the growing shift to
a more economic based system-and, unfortunately, it is happening
today right under our noses. Most airports continue to adhere to
the public-use access rules they agree to when they accept federal
dollars. You may not have any problems at your airport today, but
others are unfairly pricing pilots out and it could happen to you in
the future. As these economically based practices go unfettered,
they will undoubtedly continue to grow at more airports.
Pilots are seeing their access to public-use airports becoming
limited, through economic means, with the imposition of enormous
fees such as special event fees or what some refer to as surge pricing.
Multiple thousands of dollars to be dropped off or to simply park
your aircraft. We've read or heard from pilots about the outrageous
fees imposed for the Formula 1 races in Las Vegas and the FBO and
airport fees for the Super Bowl, where access has been restricted
to the hand-selected ultra-rich. Some local government airport
authorities are jumping right in, and I wouldn't be surprised if
much of the profits from these private businesses aren't staying at
the airport. My gut instinct is that pilots would be willing to pay
more through the current federal fuel tax if they knew the money
would be used for airport infrastructure improvements. But now
they are paying public-use federal fuel taxes and also being charged
outrageous prices at some airports. I don't have anything against
reasonable and fair profits, but public use means not-for-profit.
We see lease agreements between local airport authorities and
privately operated FBOs wherein the FBO not only controls fueling
and services but hangar leases as well. Some of these hangar leases
require pilots to purchase fuel at the based FBO in order for the
pilot's aircraft to stay in the hangar. Pilots are also being removed
from their T-hangars or seeing them demolished and replaced with
10
AOPA PILOT / October 2024
hangars for larger aircraft, all to increase revenue. It goes on and on
and these practices clearly go against the public-use concept. Can
you imagine these kinds of practices being allowed at our national
parks or rest areas along our public-use interstate highway system?
Representatives of local government airport authorities argue
they don't want any more regulations, and I get that, but local
governments and the FAA shouldn't let these airports and businesses
run unencumbered by ignoring or reinterpreting the intent of
current rules and law. Unlike the commercial airlines, owneroperator
Part 91 pilots who use public-use airports have zero input
into the leasing arrangements, including fees and prices, between
local government airport sponsors and FBOs. Airports are by their
very nature monopolies and no doubt many are expensive to operate
and maintain. It is important to note that public-use airports receive
nearly $4 billion dollars in federal funds each year to make needed
airside safety upgrades. Sadly, federal rules governing airports that
receive federal funds are being ignored or being worked around or
reinterpreted-and those rules are not being enforced.
Public-use airports, by law, are prohibited from catering to one
segment of the industry. That's the beauty of our system. However,
some of the economic-based practices on our public-use airports
mirror those who call for the privatization of our air traffic control
system. Through the lens of wanting control or increasing revenue,
or the lens of wanting a smaller government, privatization looks good.
But through the lens of a system intended to be fair for all users, these
economic practices will undoubtedly choke off GA as we know it.
We need current rules to be enforced to grow the pilot
population, we need rules that allow GA to be involved in setting
fees and charges at airports, like the airlines have. We need all
pilots to become AOPA members because we are stronger in
numbers, and we need to continue to let our elected leaders hear
our voices. Otherwise, GA
in our country will face the
same unfortunate path others
around the world have been
led down. GA in the United
States is the envy of the
world, let's keep it that way.
jim.coon@aopa.org
JIM COON spent 25 years on
Capitol Hill in several senior
staff positions, including staff
director for the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee
on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024
Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Contents
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2024 - Cover3
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