House Aviation Subcommittee Hearing on FAA Reauthorization: ACI President Greg Principato Testifies

Transcription

1 MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: Government Affairs Committee ACI-NA Government Affairs DATE: February 11, 2009 SUBJECT: House Aviation Subcommittee Hearing on FAA Reauthorization: ACI President Greg Principato Testifies GA MEMO: This afternoon, the House Aviation Subcommittee held a hearing on the economic stimulus package proposed by House leadership. ACI-NA President Greg Principato testified on the second of three panels during the hearing entitled FAA Reauthorization Act of Opening Statements Full Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) Ranking Member John Mica (R-FL) Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom Petri (R-WI) Witnesses PANEL I The Honorable Nancy LoBue, Acting Assistant Administrator, Aviation Policy Planning and Environment, FAA Dr. Gerald Dillingham, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, GAO The Honorable Calvin L. Scovel, III, Inspector General, DOT

2 PANEL II Gregory Principato, President, ACI-NA (oral and written testimony attached) James P. Elwood, AAE, Airport Director, Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, Chairman, AAAE James C. May, President and CEO, Air Transport Association Ed Bolen, President and CEO, National Business Aviation Association Roger Cohen, President, Regional Airline Association Craig Fuller, President, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Clayton M. Jones, Chairman, President and CEO, Rockwell Collins on behalf of General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) PANEL III Patrick Forrey, President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association Tom Brantley, President, Professional Airways Systems Specialists (AFL-CIO) Captain John Prater, President, Air Line Pilots Association, International Patricia Friend, International President, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Robert Roach, Jr., General Vice President, International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers Robert Gless, Assistant Director, Air Transport Division, Transport Workers Union of America Kate Hanni, President, FlyersRights.org Panel I Questions Congressman Howard Coble (R-NC) asked what impact the short-term extensions have had in allowing the FAA to issue grants to airports. Ms. LoBue responded that the shortterm extensions have been very prohibitive in getting money efficiently to airports, due to constantly having to open and close books on the grants due to the multiple short-term extensions. Ms. LoBue added that the stimulus money will allow them to get a large sum of grant money to airports quickly. Dr. Dillingham responded that medium hub airports are hurt more by the multiple extensions in terms of getting their grant money, and that it was slightly easier for large and small airports. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) asked what sorts of airport projects will be chosen for stimulus money. Ms. LoBue responded that those projects that rank highest under the criteria for the Airport Improvement Program will be given priority. She assured the Members of the Subcommittee that the FAA already has a list of projects that they will consider first.

3 Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) asked what programs are available for wildlife management at airports. Ms. LoBue responded that airports use a variety of methods to control wildlife at the airports. Congressman Boozman (R-AK) stated that the essential air service is an important program, and asked the GAO whether they had any suggestions to how to best enhance the program. Dr. Dillingham responded by saying that a careful look at the program is needed, as there have not been any major changes in the program since its inception over 30 years ago. He continued by saying the GAO is carefully looking at the program and will have recommendations soon. Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-CA) asked how airports can take advantage of noise mitigation programs. Dr. Dillingham said the GAO is currently examining what airports are doing to try to mitigate noise for the areas around their airports and will be reporting back to the Committee soon. Congressman Jerry Moran (R-KS) asked about the current state of the trust fund and its impact on the FAA s budget. Ms. LoBue stated that they predict $12.2 billion in the trust fund 2009 and $13.1 billion in They are not concerned about cash balances right now, but they are concerned about the low uncommitted balance of the trust fund as traffic trends down. Congressman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) asked about the safety and efficiency about Chicago O Hare and how the privatization efforts for the airport are going. Ms. LoBue responded that they are still waiting for documents from the city before they can proceed with the application. Full Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) asked the FAA to explain what they mean by runway status lights. Ms. LoBue stated that runway status lights would allow planes to see whether runways were open or closed. Dr. Dillingham stated that the runway status lights worked similar to stop lights, with red and green lights to let pilots know whether to not proceed or to proceed on the runway. Chairman Oberstar asked what the FAA s plans were for increased runway safety training. Ms. LoBue responded that the FAA has a Runway Safety Council, currently co-chaired by ALPA that helps the FAA with training programs geared toward runway safety. Several Members of the Subcommittee asked the FAA whether the new Administration had plans to review the imposed Controller contract. Ms. LoBue responded that it was her understanding that the new DOT Secretary has said that the controller contract was the highest priority for the Department and the new FAA Administrator. Panel II Questions Chairman Jerry Costello (D-IL) asked ATA about airline equipage for NextGen. Mr. May responded that the language in the stimulus bill was positive in that it recognized

4 that not only will civil aviation aircraft need to be equipped but so would military aircraft and others. Chairman Costello asked ATA about whether 25% of general funds for the trust fund was enough. Mr. May responded that the more issues that can be addressed through the trust fund rather than the general fund the better. Congressman Moran asked the panel if there were any concerns regarding the essential air service program. Mr. Cohen responded that the Committee has shown that they have a commitment to making the EAS program work effectively for small communities. Congressman Lipinski asked ACI-NA about recycling programs at airports, and how widespread these programs are amongst airports and how many airports have recycle programs. Mr. Principato responded that a growing number of airports are doing recycling programs and that ACI-NA just completed a survey on the number of airports that currently have recycling programs and ACI-NA would share the data with his staff. Congressman Lipinski further asked how airports could be encouraged to participate in recycling programs. Mr. Principato responded that airports are recognizing the need to have recycling programs in place, and more airports are putting these programs in place than in the past. Mr. Principato also highlighted the environmental goals that were just voted on by the ACI-NA Board of Directors. He offered for ACI-NA staff to brief the Congressman on the environmental goals and other ways airports have been actively trying to become more environmentally friendly. Congressman Lipinski asked ATA whether the airlines are now trying harder to not have bags misplaced or mishandled now that most airlines are charging for checked baggage. Mr. May responded that even one bag that is mishandled or misplaced is too many, and airlines are working to get better at lowering their rates of misplaced and mishandled bags, and other customer service issues. Panel III Questions Chairman Costello asked NATCA whether the FAA invited them to the table to discuss air traffic control modernization. Mr. Forrey responded by saying that the previous Administration did not invite the air traffic controllers to be a part of the discussions on air traffic modernization. Ranking Member Petri asked NATCA about the training for air traffic controllers, and whether there are enough new trainees to try to fill the needed positions. Mr. Forrey responded that there are too many trainees that are not placed with experienced controllers to learn what they need to learn on the job. He also said last year the FAA only certified 500 controllers- which is not enough to fill the void of the 5,000 controllers have retired. Congressman Lipinski asked the flight attendants about their proposal to limit the size of carry-on baggage. Ms. Friend responded that with the airlines now charging to check

5 baggage, passengers are now bringing more baggage than ever before. She continued by saying that it poses significant problems when it comes to evacuating the plane, and requests that there be stricter regulations on the size and number of carry-on baggage that passengers can bring on the planes. Please contact ACI-NA s Government Affairs staff should you have any additional questions or concerns.