I n early June 2017, over 200 aviation professionals and executives gathered in Washington, D.C. for NATA’s third annual Aviation Business Conference. The event is designed to address the issues impacting the many segments of aviation business, including air charter, maintenance, and FBOs—offering insights from key industry leaders and government policymakers. On the evening of June 6th , Senator Joe Donnelly opened the conference with remarks on the status of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill. The next day, NATA members met with their elected representatives to discuss avia- tion business issues; particularly, the airlines’ proposal to create a user-fee-funded air traffic control corporation. Conference sessions covered a variety of topics on aviation business best practices, including: build- ing relationships with local government and airport authorities, raising operations’ safety and visibility, leveraging data to improve safety, and understand- ing the impact of technology on the industry. NATA was pleased to feature industry experts and personnel from the FAA, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Industry Stakeholders’ Perspective on FAA Reauthorization and Air Traffic Control (ATC) Reform Joel Bacon, EVP, Government & Public Affairs American Association of Airport Executives Steve Brown, COO National Business Aviation Association Pete Bunce, President & CEO General Aviation Manufacturers Association Kevin Burke, President & CEO Airports Council International – North America Matt Zuccaro, President & CEO Helicopter Association International Moderator: Marty Hiller, President National Air Transportation Association The 2017 Conference opened with its always popu- lar panel featuring the leadership of the Washington, DC, aviation community, including ACI-NA, AAAE, GAMA, HAI and NBAA, discussing the issues confront- ing the industry on Capitol Hill. The panel served as an Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2017 important scene-setter in advance of 34 meetings the NATA Legislative Affairs team scheduled for attend- ees with key Senate offices following the session. NATA President Martin Hiller moderated and began by discussing the number one issue confront- ing general aviation: the airline industry’s proposal to privatize the nation’s air traffic control system. Characterizing it as “deeply disturbing,” Hiller asked panelists to share their perspectives on its implications. Kevin Burke, President and CEO of Airports Council International-NA, discussed the proposal in context of airport needs, noting his association’s recent analysis which determined there is at least $100 billion in investment needed to move American airports into the 21st century. Burke reminded participants the average age of a terminal is 40 years old and America’s youngest airport, at 21 years old, is Denver International. Burke expressed his surprise with the Trump Administration’s emphasis on privatizing air traf- fic control, given the concept was never mentioned during the campaign. He also noted that while the Administration has told airport leaders there will be money for airports, it is neither incorporated into the Administration’s infra- structure funding proposal nor will the Administration support an increase in the passenger facility charge (PFC). AAAE’s Executive Vice President of Government and Public Affairs, Joel Bacon, echoed Burke’s comments, stating the only viable option for securing the kind of capital needed to modernize airports is through a PFC increase. Bacon also discussed funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), highlighting the fact the Continued on page 22 21
