NBAA lauds passage of Bipartisan, Long-Term FAA Re-authorisation

Ed Bolen

Washington, DC, Oct. 3, 2018 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen has welcomed congressional passage of legislation to re-authorise funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through 2023. The bill now heads to the president for his signature.

“On behalf of our more than 11,000 members, NBAA thanks congressional leaders for making this important legislation a priority,” said Bolen. “This bill will provide a stable path forward for the FAA without controversial proposals to privatise our nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system. It is imperative that the agency be allowed to focus on modernisation of our national airspace system without distractions.

“In the debate over this legislation, the general aviation community made its voice heard as never before, and it made all the difference in the outcome,” Bolen added. “The so-called privatisation proposals put forward would have restricted our access to airports and airspace – threatening the future of business aviation.”

In addition to reauthorising FAA funding and programmes, the bill contains provisions that are priorities for the general aviation community, including efforts to address aviation-workforce challenges. The bill also supports critical airport investment, improves the letter of authorisation process for Part 91 operators, allows the FAA registry to continue operating during a government shutdown and preserves the Block Aircraft Registration Request programme, which protects the privacy and security of aircraft operators.

There are also significant changes to the regulation and certification of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and continued improvements to aircraft certification. Finally, the bill seeks to streamline FAA oversight of operators and provide for more consistent regulatory interpretations across the agency.