Aviation Business Conference Wrap-Up Continued from page 21 Trump Administration budget proposal would reduce excise taxes without discussing how AIP would be funded going forward. Bacon lamented the funding direction AIP has taken, currently at $3.35b a year, down from over $3.5b. He also discussed the implications of stagnant AIP funding and ATC privatization on small communities, particularly those that benefit from the Contract Tower Program. Hiller discussed the potential “airlinization” of ATC with Steve Brown, Chief Operating Officer at the National Business Aviation Association. Brown concurred with Hiller’s characterization, observing the air traffic control system simply cannot be funded privately without large fees and that airlines will represent most of the proposed corporation’s revenues. Culturally, Brown observed, the airlines will come to dominate the corporation’s board of directors. This, he concluded, will make the needs of business and general aviation its lowest priority. Hiller turned next to Pete Bunce, President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Bunce dis- cussed the state of the industry, observing that manufacture was up and down from quarter to quarter and would likely continue that way until more of the used aircraft market is depleted. Bunce also discussed this in terms of the upcom- ing ADS-B mandate, noting that in some instances equi- page requirements will exceed the cost of the aircraft, while in other cases early equipage will help maintain or even increase an aircraft’s value. He highlighted another impor- tant aspect of the ATC privatization debate, the delay of much needed legislative authorities for accelerating the pace of certification reform. The impasse created over ATC priva- tization, Bunce observed, has resulted in certification reform being in effect, held hostage, over support for privatization. Finally, Matt Zucarro, President and CEO of Helicopter Association International closed the panel acknowledg- ing the positive impact ADS-B has already had within the helicopter community. Zucarro told conference participants about how the early adoption of ADS-B by his members has resulted in fundamental change in operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Working in partnership with the FAA, operations in the Gulf have become both dramatically more efficient and safe—thanks to ADS-B. Zucarro was skeptical that such col- laboration would have ever occurred within a privatized ATC system, a proposal he characterized as nothing more than a power play by the airlines, a solution in search of a problem. Bill Deere, NATA’s EVP for Government and External Affairs, took to the podium to discuss the conference’s next event, the 2017 NATA Congressional Fly-In, focus- ing this year on key Senate offices. Deere discussed the importance that legislators place on hearing directly from aviation businesses in their districts and states, and the fact NATA members were going to be the last general aviation stakeholder group in D.C. before legisla- tors put “pen to paper” and drafted FAA legislation. NATA members should be gratified by the performance of their colleagues on Capitol Hill. Several weeks following the conference, the Senate Commerce Committee approved an FAA bill that declined to take up the airline industry’s call for the creation of a privatized air traffic control system. The Importance of Relationships with Your Local Government and Airport Authority Eddie Angeles, Senior Assistant City Attorney Los Angeles World Airports Clara Bennett, Executive Director Boca Raton Airport Randy Berg, Airport Division Director King County International Airport Curt Castagna, President & CEO Aeroplex/Aerolease Group 22 Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2017
