Air Transport News

AirGuide Business, May 5, 2008

May 5, 2008

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will set a Tuesday procedural vote on a measure to modernize the nation's aviation infrastructure. The vote functions as a deadline of sorts for Democrats and Republicans to break an impasse over which amendments will be allowed onto the bill. Reid plans to file a cloture motion Thursday on the bill that funds Federal Aviation Administration programs, his spokesman Jim Manley said. That would set up a Tuesday vote that, if successful, would limit debate and allow the Senate to proceed to amendments on the bill. May 1, 2008

As the battle over funding the Federal Aviation Administration and upgrading the nation's air-traffic control system comes to a head, anyone with anything to do with airlines is scrambling to get aboard. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., backed by the Teamsters Union and the Business Travel Coalition, plans to introduce an amendment to strengthen standards for aircraft maintenance performed outside the U.S. Sen. Olympia Snow, R-Maine, wants slipped into the bill a "Passenger Bill of Rights" which would allow passengers stranded on runways for at least three hours to get off the plane if they wish. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., plans to introduce at least two amendments, one to improve runway safety and another to require airlines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Apr 30, 2008

The Senate is taking on what Sen. Jay Rockefeller calls "a national embarrassment," an antiquated air traffic control system that is making flying more unpleasant and possibly less safe. Legislation being debated this week in the Senate to modernize the nation's aviation system could provide immediate relief to suffering passengers. It would set a three-hour limit on how long airliners may sit on a runway without allowing passengers to get off. Rockefeller, D-W.Va., heads the Senate Commerce aviation subcommittee. He is citing predictions that none of the 1 billion people predicted to fly in 2015 will reach their destination on time if aggressive steps are not taken in the meantime to upgrade air traffic control. The House passed its version of the bill in September. It stalled in the Senate because of disputes over how to pay for the needed modernization efforts. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said an agreement reached last week would provide an additional $800 million every year for the Aviation Trust Fund. One source of new money would be raising the tax on jet fuel used by noncommercial aircraft from the current 21.9 cents a gallon to 36 cents a gallon. That would help fund NextGen, a satellite-based Global Positioning System for tracking the exact locations of aircraft. Current radar-based air traffic control "is a relic of the 1950s," Rockefeller said. GPS systems "in cars or cell phones are more sophisticated than the hardware used in passenger and cargo planes".The Senate voted Monday evening to open a weeklong debate on the bill. Apr 29, 2008

Federal Aviation Administration

Senate Democrats Wednesday said they welcome a confrontation with President Bush over a bill that aims to modernize the nation's air traffic control facilities and fix oversight problems at the Federal Aviation Administration. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said the legislation will improve air safety, ease delays and allow the system to handle large projected increases in traffic by 2025. The White House said in a Tuesday Statement of Administration Policy that a veto is possible if provisions it opposes aren't removed. Apr 30, 2008

Washington Airports

According to a US Transportation Department memo released last summer, the project would likely require USD$1.5 billion in federal funds. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation web site on the project said the US government will provide 43 percent of the money for the first phase of construction, while Virginia would pay 28 percent of funds with toll road revenue. Fairfax County, which is home to the airport, would pitch in another 28 percent, using revenues from a special commercial tax district. In the second phase, money would be provided by Fairfax and Loudoun counties, along with the airport authority. The 45-year-old airport serves 24.7 million passengers annually, with nonstop flights to 87 US destinations and 40 international cities. May 1, 2008

Washington Airports

The US government reversed course on Wednesday and said it would support a USD$5 billion plan to extend a regional commuter rail line to Dulles Airport, Washington's main international airport. The Federal Transit Administration said it would provide USD$158.7 million to complete financial and construction planning for the 23 mile rail link to the Washington Metrorail system. But the Bush administration said that commitment is no guarantee of future support. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority must ensure it has sufficient funds to cover risks and prove the project will be completed on time and within budget, he said. Trains throughout the Washington Metro system must also be in working order, he said. Federal, state and local officials have been wrangling over the Dulles rail project for years. Supporters argue it would alleviate traffic congestion in northern Virginia, where the airport is located, and provide convenient, affordable transportation to the nation's capital from the international airport. Detractors have worried about a variety of issues, including whether the total cost is too high, if the line will cut traffic enough and where stations will be located. In January, the FTA stunned the Virginia congressional delegation and local politicians by deciding the rail project did not meet its criteria for funding, due to spiraling costs and technical concerns. The federal government was concerned the metrorail and airport authorities had not found a good way to integrate their operations, Simpson told reporters on Wednesday. It was also worried that the toll road revenues were insufficient, he said. The decision triggered months of negotiations. May 1, 2008