Bolen Tells Chief Pilots Roundtable: ‘Business Aviation Must Remain Vigilant’

Sept. 26, 2014

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen told the Chief Pilots Roundtable gathered in Washington this week that while the economy has grown stronger, there is still a lot of work to do to support business aviation’s recovery in the policy arena.

“The expectation is, as we work our way through the remainder of 2014 that the U.S. economy will continue to strengthen,” said Bolen. He touched upon signs of the industry’s recovery, from stronger aviation fuel sales and increasing flight activity to declines in the inventory of used aircraft and increasing stability in sales prices.

“What we are seeing is probably the best year since the Great Recession,” he told the roundtable members, who met at NBAA on Sept. 24 and 25. “Things feel a little more stable, a little better. But, we can’t rest on our laurels, because in Washington, next year will be a very big year. The new Congress is going to be sworn in this coming January. The FAA authorization will be on the table, and there has already been a huge debate about the future of the FAA.”

Bolen said the debate over reauthorization of the FAA – whose authority and funding levels are set to expire in September 2015 – will touch upon several major issues that will require the industry’s vigilance, including:

• User fees. The general aviation industry must continue to reiterate that paying for its share of operating the nation’s air transportation system via the fuel tax is the most efficient, effective method of financing. Creating a new federal bureaucracy, like a “Sky-R-S,” to collect user fees from general aviation only adds more costs to taxpayers and burdens an industry still struggling to recover.
• Privatization. A fundamental change in the governance of the world’s largest and most complex air transportation system threatens to erode general aviation’s access to airspace and airports, among other concerns. NBAA will continue to ensure the industry’s full representation in discussions about changes to the structure of the FAA.
• NextGen. Continued modernization efforts are expected to increase capacity, safety and efficiency, among other benefits. NBAA, Bolen told the chief pilots, will continue to advocate for the interests of general aviation as a member of the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee.

Bolen concluded by noting that these and other policies with ramifications for NBAA Members would be considered after the November midterm elections, which would bring some new lawmakers – including those with perhaps less familiarity with general aviation – to Washington.

“The best opportunity for shaping the right policy outcomes for the business aviation community is to ensure we can continue to galvanize our industry,” said Bolen. “As we look to the coming year, our ability to communicate, mobilize and get everyone involved will be as important as ever.”