News Panorama

NBAA Reiterates Commitment to Aviation System Modernization

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today told members of Congress that the general aviation community remains committed to continued progress toward a Next Generation Air Traffic Control (“NextGen”) system.

“For years, general aviation has been at forefront of our nation’s modernization effort,” Bolen noted. “At NBAA, we believe that general aviation will be every bit as fundamental to America’s future as it has been to its past, and we are prepared to work with the Senate to continue to build that future."  Bolen’s testimony came before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security at a hearing focused on the future of the nation’s air transportation system and a “reauthorization” package for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

He noted that the business aviation community had been severely affected by the economic downturn. Yet, in spite of the challenges faced by the industry, support remained steadfast for FAA reauthorization legislation, including an adjustment to the general aviation (GA) fuel tax to help pay for aviation system modernization. “Aviation plays a critical role in driving economic growth and investment across the country,”

Bolen told members of the subcommittee. “We strongly support your work to improve our nation’s aviation system, which will also significantly contribute to economic growth and job creation. In these challenging economic times, the importance of a robust transportation system cannot be overemphasized.” Bolen reiterated the value of a modernized system for the entire nation, pointing out that accelerating the transition to NextGen will advance important national objectives like expanding system capacity and reducing congestion, reducing long-term costs to the FAA, enhancing safety, and even reducing the industry’s environmental footprint.

He also underscored how the industry has already expressed full support for legislative solutions to facilitate modernization.