User Fees - The airline lobbyists working the media

[jtrusso]

I just saw this article from the AP on Yahoo news, "Traveler Taxes Awarded to Small Airports". The first paragraph sets the tone....GA pilots are ripping you off!

We have to get out there and do our part....the airline lobby is doing thiers!

Write letters to your representatives, get the local news out to the airport, invite your local reps to your EAA or Flying Club meetings...all great ideas which have been posted here before.

We are going to need all the help we can get!


http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070415/ticket_taxes.html?.v=12

-John
Planning to build an RV....someday

[smoore]

Ouch. Balanced media at it's finest.

Man, I hope our proponents can kill it.

[dbf4n]

Originally Posted by smoore

Ouch. Balanced media at it's finest.
Man, I hope our proponents can kill it.

The opponents are working overtime but we need your help!

Those who care about the Aviation Industry ? or their favorite hobby should join the Alliance for Aviation Across America: www.aviationacrossamerica.org.

Its charter is:
?The Alliance for Aviation Across America (AAAA) is a new diverse coalition of aviation enthusiasts and professionals, local airports, civic organizations representing rural and agriculture voices, city, county and state officials, economic development entities, non-profit organizations, small and mid-size businesses and others dedicated to protecting small and rural communities.
The Alliance for Aviation Across America is dedicated to properly modernizing America?s air traffic control system to enhance safety, promote efficiency and expand capacity in order to ensure ALL Americans have access to air transportation.?

Please join the alliance as an individual and if you are able as a company regardless of its direct association with aviation.

If you haven?t written your elected officials, please do so. If you have, do it again. The following are additional resources:
http://www.aviationacrossamerica.org
http://web.nbaa.org/public/govt/action/
http://www.eaa.org/govt/index.html
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/

Dan B.
N671DJ, F70

[tinman]

Here is the text from the letter that I sent to my Rep as an example:

To: Senator Jim DeMint
Re: Aviation User Fees


Dear Senator DeMint,

I wanted to write a short note to you to express my concerns about the upcoming vote on the Nelson/ Sununu amendment which would eliminate user fees from the Senate?s FAA funding bill. As a private pilot, any user fees would have a serious impact on my ability to continue to afford flying. Flying is already almost out of reach for people of modest means, and more user fees and fuel taxes would push us over the edge. The general aviation community does not subscribe to the commercial aviation viewpoint that fees will make flying safer. General aviation has little to do with the FAA. The commercial segment of aviation requires the FAA for their safety?general aviation could continue on if the FAA were to go away. (Not an unpleasant thought?  ) The airlines, though vital to our economy, have been the benefactor of the taxpayer?s largess over and over through repeated bailouts and are once again on the hunt for another bailout, this time on the backs of private pilots. As a private pilot, I can fly across the country and never speak to an air traffic controller. I am responsible for my own safety when flying and do not legally need FAA assistance en route. The entire FAA air traffic control system was built for commercial aviation.

I am part of the grass roots segment of aviation. I am currently building my own aircraft and am part of the community of experimental aviation folks that represent the best that the US has to offer. We all hope that we are able to remain in the air without having to carry the financial weight of the airlines on our wings. I would love to show you around my shop and arrange for you to go flying in a real aircraft if you have an interest. We are a vanishing breed and are hanging on by our nails. Please do not vote in favor of user fees.

Regards,

Don Alexander

[DanH]

The good news is that the two "ticket tax" Porterfield articles were written and published several weeks ago (24 and 31 days), and most readers won't remember them today.

[seward747]

AOPA has e-mailed it's members today asking that we phone our senators to ask for their support of the Nelson / Sununu amendment, which would strike all user fees from the FAA funding bill. This is our chance; phone TODAY, the vote is scheduled for TOMORROW, Wednesday the 16th.

Doug
-4, wings
Seattle area
(yes, I called her office)

[Mike S]

http://www.aopa.org/

Mike

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by seward747

AOPA has e-mailed it's members today asking that we phone our senators to ask for their support of the Nelson / Sununu amendment, which would strike all user fees from the FAA funding bill. This is our chance; phone TODAY, the vote is scheduled for TOMORROW, Wednesday the 16th.

Doug
-4, wings
Seattle area
(yes, I called her office)

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...70515list.html

Mike

[rv7boy]

I view this as just one part of a multi-headed demon sticking its head(s) out of a box. We must kill each part of it!
Here's today's posting on the AOPA web site about tomorrow's Senate Commerce Committee vote:

"Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) are taking action to gut user fees from the Senate FAA funding bill. But they're going to need help from AOPA members in certain states before Wednesday afternoon.

That's when the Senate Commerce Committee is scheduled to vote on the Aviation Investment and Modernization Act of 2007 (S.1300), which includes a $25 per flight user fee to go into an air traffic control modernization fund. Sens. Nelson and Sununu have prepared an amendment that would eliminate that user fee from the bill.

"Even though piston-engine aircraft would be exempt from this fee, AOPA is still adamantly opposed to it on principle," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "We know, based on our experience from around the world, that this small fee will ultimately expand and include all segments of aviation. Our members have emphatically told us we cannot allow a user fee precedent to be established."

And that's why it is critical that AOPA members in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, or Washington contact your senators. The senators are members of the Commerce Committee. Urge them to vote for the Nelson/Sununu amendment:

"Please call or fax right now," said Boyer. "Your fellow pilots are counting on you. And if you can't get through, please keep trying. Use your redial button until it wears out!"

You guys and gals in the states shown above have senators who will be voting on this amendment tomorrow! The previous post has the links to the Senators' phone numbers for each state.

I count 19 Senators on the list. We may not sway some of the Senators' votes, but at least we can let them know how we feel about it...before they vote!

[briand]

What about the 0.70/gallon Avgas increase? Is that still on the table?