[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




                     THE STATE OF GENERAL AVIATION

=======================================================================

                                (117-54)

                             REMOTE HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                            SUBCOMMITTEE ON
                                AVIATION

                                 OF THE

                              COMMITTEE ON
                   TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                             JULY 13, 2022

                               __________

                       Printed for the use of the
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure



                 [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]



     Available online at: https://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-
     transportation?path=/browsecommittee/chamber/house/committee/
                             transportation






                                 ______
                                 

                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

50-471 PDF                WASHINGTON : 2023









             COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

                   PETER A. DeFAZIO, Oregon, Chair

  ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON,                          SAM GRAVES, Missouri               
    District of Columbia			  ERIC A. ``RICK'' CRAWFORD, Arkansas
  EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas			  BOB GIBBS, Ohio                    
  RICK LARSEN, Washington			  DANIEL WEBSTER, Florida            
  GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California		  THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky            
  STEVE COHEN, Tennessee			  SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania          
  ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey			  RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois             
  JOHN GARAMENDI, California			  JOHN KATKO, New York               
  HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, Jr., 		  BRIAN BABIN, Texas                 
  Georgia					  GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana           
  ANDRE CARSON, Indiana				  DAVID ROUZER, North Carolina       
  DINA TITUS, Nevada				  MIKE BOST, Illinois                
  SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York		  RANDY K. WEBER, Sr., Texas         
  JARED HUFFMAN, California			  DOUG LaMALFA, California           
  JULIA BROWNLEY, California			  BRUCE WESTERMAN, Arkansas          
  FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida			  BRIAN J. MAST, Florida             
  DONALD M. PAYNE, Jr., New Jersey		  MIKE GALLAGHER, Wisconsin          
  ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California			  BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania 
  MARK DeSAULNIER, California			  JENNIFFER GONZALEZ-COLON,          
  STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts		    Puerto Rico                      
  SALUD O. CARBAJAL, California			  TROY BALDERSON, Ohio               
  ANTHONY G. BROWN, Maryland			  PETE STAUBER, Minnesota            
  TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey			  TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee            
  GREG STANTON, Arizona				  DUSTY JOHNSON, South Dakota        
  COLIN Z. ALLRED, Texas			  JEFFERSON VAN DREW, New Jersey     
  SHARICE DAVIDS, Kansas, Vice Chair		  MICHAEL GUEST, Mississippi         
  JESUS G. ``CHUY'' GARCIA, Illinois		  TROY E. NEHLS, Texas               
  CHRIS PAPPAS, New Hampshire			  NANCY MACE, South Carolina         
  CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania			  NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS, New York       
  SETH MOULTON, Massachusetts			  BETH VAN DUYNE, Texas              
  JAKE AUCHINCLOSS, Massachusetts		  CARLOS A. GIMENEZ, Florida         
  CAROLYN BOURDEAUX, Georgia			  MICHELLE STEEL, California         
  KAIALI`I KAHELE, Hawaii			  Vacancy                            
  MARILYN STRICKLAND, Washington
  NIKEMA WILLIAMS, Georgia
  MARIE NEWMAN, Illinois
  TROY A. CARTER, Louisiana
  SHEILA CHERFILUS-McCORMICK, 
  Florida







                        Subcommittee on Aviation

                      RICK LARSEN, Washington, Chair

STEVE COHEN, Tennessee				  GARRET GRAVES, Louisiana             
ANDRE CARSON, Indiana				  THOMAS MASSIE, Kentucky              
SHARICE DAVIDS, Kansas				  SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania            
KAIALI`I KAHELE, Hawaii				  JOHN KATKO, New York                 
NIKEMA WILLIAMS, Georgia			  BRIAN J. MAST, Florida               
HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, Jr., 		  MIKE GALLAGHER, Wisconsin            
Georgia						  BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania   
DINA TITUS, Nevada				  TROY BALDERSON, Ohio                 
SEAN PATRICK MALONEY, New York			  PETE STAUBER, Minnesota              
JULIA BROWNLEY, California			  TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee              
DONALD M. PAYNE, Jr., New Jersey		  JEFFERSON VAN DREW, New Jersey       
MARK DeSAULNIER, California			  TROY E. NEHLS, Texas                 
STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts			  NANCY MACE, South Carolina           
ANTHONY G. BROWN, Maryland			  BETH VAN DUYNE, Texas                
GREG STANTON, Arizona				  CARLOS A. GIMENEZ, Florida           
COLIN Z. ALLRED, Texas				  MICHELLE STEEL, California           
CONOR LAMB, Pennsylvania, Vice 			  Vacancy                              
Chair						  SAM GRAVES, Missouri (Ex Officio)    
ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON,				                                       
  District of Columbia				                                       
EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas			                                       
JOHN GARAMENDI, California			                                       
PETER A. DeFAZIO, Oregon (Ex Officio)					                                       









                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page

Summary of Subject Matter........................................   vii

                 STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Hon. Rick Larsen, a Representative in Congress from the State of 
  Washington, and Chair, Subcommittee on Aviation, opening 
  statement......................................................     1
    Prepared statement...........................................     3
Hon. Garret Graves, a Representative in Congress from the State 
  of Louisiana, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Aviation, 
  opening statement..............................................     4
    Prepared statement...........................................     6
Hon. Peter A. DeFazio, a Representative in Congress from the 
  State of Oregon, and Chair, Committee on Transportation and 
  Infrastructure, opening statement..............................     7
    Prepared statement...........................................     8
Hon. Sam Graves, a Representative in Congress from the State of 
  Missouri, and Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and 
  Infrastructure, prepared statement.............................    63
Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Representative in Congress from the 
  State of Texas, prepared statement.............................    89

                               WITNESSES

Mark Baker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aircraft 
  Owners and Pilots Association, oral statement..................     9
    Prepared statement...........................................    11
Chris Rozansky, C.M., Executive Director, Naples Airport 
  Authority, on behalf of the American Association of Airport 
  Executives, oral statement.....................................    19
    Prepared statement...........................................    21
James Viola, President and Chief Executive Officer, Helicopter 
  Association International, oral statement......................    26
    Prepared statement...........................................    28
Peter J. Bunce, President and Chief Executive Officer, General 
  Aviation Manufacturers Association, oral statement.............    34
    Prepared statement...........................................    35
Timothy R. Obitts, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
  National Air Transportation Association, oral statement........    41
    Prepared statement...........................................    42
Gregory Pecoraro, President and Chief Executive Officer, National 
  Association of State Aviation Officials, oral statement........    47
    Prepared statement...........................................    49
Ed Bolen, President and Chief Executive Officer, National 
  Business Aviation Association, oral statement..................    53
    Prepared statement...........................................    54

                       SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RECORD

Letter of July 27, 2022, to Hon. Rick Larsen, Chairman, and Hon. 
  Garret Graves, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Aviation, from 
  Hon. Jennifer Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety 
  Board..........................................................    89




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                             July 12, 2022

    SUMMARY OF SUBJECT MATTER

    TO:    LMembers, Subcommittee on Aviation
    FROM:  LStaff, Subcommittee on Aviation
    RE:    LSubcommittee Hearing on ``The State of General Aviation''
_______________________________________________________________________


                                PURPOSE

    The Subcommittee on Aviation will meet on Wednesday, July 
13, 2022, at 10 a.m. EDT in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building 
and virtually via Zoom for a hearing titled, ``The State of 
General Aviation.'' The hearing will examine changes and 
current trends in the general aviation community, including 
airspace access and use, safety, sustainability efforts, and 
manufacturing. The subcommittee will hear testimony from 
witnesses representing the Aircraft Owners and Pilots 
Association (AOPA), the General Aviation Manufacturers 
Association (GAMA), the National Association of State Aviation 
Officials (NASAO), the National Business Aviation Association 
(NBAA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), the 
Association of American Airport Executives (AAAE), and the 
National Air Transportation Association (NATA).

                               BACKGROUND

I. DEFINITION AND OVERVIEW OF GENERAL AVIATION

    According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 
``general aviation'' describes a diverse range of aviation 
activities and includes all segments of the aviation industry 
except commercial air carriers and the military.\1\ General 
aviation activities include training of new pilots and pilots 
interested in additional ratings or certification, aerial 
firefighting, air tourism, crop dusting, movement of large 
heavy loads by helicopter, flying for personal or business/
corporate reasons, and emergency medical services.\2\ General 
aviation aircraft range from one-seat single-engine piston 
aircraft to long-range corporate jets.\3\ It also includes 
rotorcraft, gliders, and amateur-built aircraft.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ FAA, FAA Aerospace Forecasts FY 2003-2014, at Ch. 5 (2014) 
available at https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation/
aerospace_forecasts/2003-2014/.
    \2\ Id.
    \3\ Id.
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    A general aviation airport is a public-use airport that 
does not have scheduled service or has less than 2,500 annual 
passenger boardings.\4\ According to the FAA, approximately 89 
percent of airports included in the National Plan of Integrated 
Airport Systems (NPIAS) are classified as nonprimary airports 
and serve mainly general aviation activity.\5\ For context, the 
latest edition of the NPIAS identified 3,304 existing public-
use and six proposed airports, estimating approximately $43.6 
billion in costs between 2021 and 2025 are eligible and 
justified under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).\6\
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    \4\ 49 U.S.C. Sec.  47102(8).
    \5\ FAA, National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 2021-
2025, (Sep. 30, 2020), available at https://www.faa.gov/airports/
planning_capacity/npias/current/media/NPIAS-2021-2025-Narrative.pdf.
    \6\ Id.
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    The FAA analyzes general aviation activity on an annual 
basis through the ``General Aviation Survey.'' According to the 
results of the 2020 survey, the latest available, the active 
general aviation fleet was estimated to be 204,140 aircraft in 
2020 (a 3.2 percent decline from 2019), as increases in fixed 
wing turbine were more than offset by decreases in pistons, 
rotorcraft, lighter-than-air and light sport aircraft, and 
experimental aircraft.\7\ Total hours flown were estimated to 
be 22.5 million in 2020, down 12 percent from 2019.\8\ 
Decreases were across the board, with the highest decline in 
fixed wing piston hours (10.3 percent). The highest percentage 
decline occurred in lighter than air aircraft (44.6 percent) 
and glider activity (28.7 percent), followed by rotorcraft 
hours (19.6 percent).\9\
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    \7\ FAA, FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2022-2042 (June 28, 
2022), available at https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2022-06/
FY2022_42_FAA_Aerospace_Forecast.pdf [hereinafter Aerospace Forecast].
    \8\ Id.
    \9\ Id.
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A. FUTURE OF THE GENERAL AVIATION FLEET AND OPERATIONS

    According to the ``FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 
2022-2042,'' the overall general aviation sector was ``not as 
severely affected by the [COVID-19] pandemic as the airlines.'' 
\10\ For example, while business aviation experienced a steep 
decline in activity early in 2020, demand began to recover for 
this sector in the second half of the year, much faster than 
passenger airlines.\11\ Specifically, domestic and 
international business jet operations in April 2020 were nearly 
75 percent below 2019 levels, but by June 2020 had recovered to 
levels 24 percent below those in June 2019, and by December 
2020 were only about 12 percent lower than the prior year's 
level of activity.\12\ Such increases in business jet activity 
are reflected in the FAA's most recent general aviation 
aerospace forecast and are supported by statistics from GAMA 
showing that deliveries of U.S. manufactured ``business jets 
increased by 14.7 percent and turboprop deliveries were up 18.6 
percent [in 2021], amounting for a 16.6 percent increase in 
fixed wing turbine shipments.'' \13\
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    \10\ Id. at 27.
    \11\ General Accountability Office (GAO), COVID-19 Pandemic--
Observations on the Ongoing Recovery of the Aviation Industry, GAO-22-
104429 (Oct. 2021), available at https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-22-
104429.pdf.
    \12\ FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Business Jet Report, 
(May 2019, July 2019, May 2020, July 2020, Jan. 2021), available at 
https://aspm.faa.gov/apmd/sys/bj-intro.asp.
    \13\ Aerospace Forecast, supra note 7.
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    Against the findings of strong business jet and rotorcraft 
deliveries in 2021, the FAA expects the general aviation sector 
will recover ``sooner to its 2019 levels by aircraft type than 
the other sectors,'' and in turn, remain stable in the long-
term.\14\ The active general aviation fleet, which showed a 
decline of 3.2 percent between 2019 and 2020, is projected to 
increase from its 2021 level of 204,405 aircraft to 208,905 by 
2042, as the declines in the fixed-wing piston fleet were 
offset by increases in turbine, rotorcraft, experimental, and 
light sport fleets.\15\
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    \14\ Id. at 28.
    \15\ Id.
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    Of note, the FAA predicts the largest segment of the 
general aviation fleet, fixed-wing piston aircraft, will 
``shrink by 22,055 aircraft between 2021 and 2042, an average 
annual rate of -0.8 percent.'' \16\ The FAA cites pilot 
demographics, overall increasing cost of aircraft ownership, 
availability of much lower cost alternatives for recreational 
usage, coupled with new aircraft deliveries not keeping pace 
with retirements of the aging fleet, as primary drivers of the 
decline.\17\
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    \16\ Id.
    \17\ Id. at 29.
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                    Active General Aviation Aircraft


[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


         Source: FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2022-2042

    In terms of operations, the FAA forecasts that general 
aviation operations will increase an average of 0.6 percent a 
year as increases in use of turbine powered aircraft offset 
declines in piston aircraft use.\18\ Specifically, ``general 
aviation operations accounted for 57 percent of operations in 
2021 . . . and has been increasing since the pandemic, from 51 
percent in 2019 to 56 percent in 2020, and 57 percent in 
2021.'' \19\
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    \18\ Id. at 33.
    \19\ Id. at 35.
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B. GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT FUNDING

    Unlike commercial airports, general aviation airports do 
not have access to the passenger facility charge (PFC), which 
helps fund airport terminal and other capital projects.\20\ 
However, general aviation airports included in the NPIAS are 
eligible for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds.\21\ 
General aviation airports are able to receive funds through 
entitlements, or formula funds, that are apportioned by formula 
to airports and can be used for eligible airport development 
projects.\22\ Generally, general aviation, reliever, and 
nonprimary commercial service airports are allocated 20 percent 
of AIP funds subject to apportionment.\23\ From that share, 
those airports receive the lesser of either $150,000 or one-
fifth of the estimated five-year costs for airport development 
for each airport as listed in the most recent NPIAS.\24\ Any 
remaining funds are then distributed to each airport according 
to a state-based population and area formula.\25\ General 
aviation airports that receive entitlements can also apply for 
discretionary funds, which are awarded on a competitive 
basis.\26\
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    \20\ 49 U.S.C. Sec.  40117 (b).
    \21\ FAA, Overview: What is AIP (last updated: Nov. 2, 2021), 
available at https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/overview/
#eligible_airports.
    \22\ 49 U.S.C. Sec. 47114.
    \23\ Cong. Res. Serv. (CRS), Financing Airport Improvements, Rep. 
No. R43327 (2019), available at https://crsreports.congress.gov/
product/pdf/R/R43327.
    \24\ Id.
    \25\ Id.
    \26\ Id.
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    Regarding recent revenue trends, even though most U.S. 
airports saw a decline in revenue during the pandemic, the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that ``about 60 
percent of general aviation and reliever airports and about 40 
percent of non-primary commercial service airports did not see 
[any] change in their non-aeronautical revenues.'' \27\
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    \27\ GAO, COVID-19 Pandemic--Observations, supra note 11.
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C. GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURING

    The aviation manufacturing sector was eligible for various 
federal pandemic relief programs, including the United States. 
Small Business Administration Payroll Protection Program and 
the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Program, and has 
remained relatively stable over the course of the pandemic with 
a steady increase in the last year. In 2020, airplane and 
helicopter shipment billings of U.S. manufactured aircraft 
modestly decreased to $20 billion for airplanes and $3.4 
billion for helicopters, when compared to $23.5 billion and 
$3.8 billion, respectively, in 2019.\28\ In 2021, all aircraft 
segments saw increases in aircraft shipments and preliminary 
deliveries were valued at $25.2 billion, an increase of 10.3 
percent.\29\ Airplane shipments in 2021, when compared to 2020, 
saw preliminary piston airplane deliveries increase 5.5 
percent, with 1,393 units; turboprop airplane deliveries 
increased by 19 percent, with 527 units; and business jet 
deliveries increased by 10.2 percent, with 710 units.\30\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \28\ Gen. Aviation Mfr. Assoc. (GAMA), 2020 Year-End General 
Aviation Aircraft Shipment Report (May 2021) available at https://
gama.aero/facts-and-statistics/quarterly-shipments-and-billings/.
    \29\ GAMA, 2021 Year-End General Aviation Aircraft Shipment Report 
(Feb. 2022), available at https://gama.aero/news-and-events/press-
releases/gama-releases-2021-aircraft-shipment-and-billings-report/.
    \30\ Id.
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    In its first quarter 2022 Aircraft Shipment and Billing 
Report, GAMA reported that turboprop airplane deliveries saw 
the largest percentage year-over-year increase at 31 percent 
with 110 units during the first quarter.\31\ When compared to 
the first quarter of 2021, piston airplane shipments increased 
13.9 percent, business jet shipments increased 4.4 percent, 
turbine helicopter deliveries increased 6.5 percent, and piston 
engine aircraft increased 8.3 percent.\32\
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    \31\ Id.
    \32\ Id.
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II. GENERAL AVIATION SAFETY

    Over the past four decades, general aviation has become 
significantly safer over the years with the number of fatal and 
nonfatal accidents declining since 2000.\33\ Experts have 
argued that this has been a result of numerous factors, 
including advancements in aircraft equipment and technologies, 
improved pilot training, improved education programs, and 
advocacy efforts across the general aviation community.\34\ 
However, general aviation has the highest aviation accident 
rates within civil aviation--in 2012, the NSTB found in a side-
by-side comparison that general aviation accident rates were 
about six times higher than small commuter and air taxi 
operations and over 40 times higher than larger transport 
category operations.\35\
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    \33\ Bureau of Transp. Stat., U.S. General Aviation Safety Data 
(last visited: July 12, 2022), available at https://www.bts.gov/
content/us-general-aviationa-safety-data.
    \34\ See Safety and Gen. Aviation: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on 
Aviation & Operations of the Senate Comm. on Commerce, Sci. & Transp., 
114th Cong. (Apr. 28, 2015) (statement of Margaret Gilligan, Assoc. 
Admin. For Aviation Safety, FAA); see also Zimmerman, General Aviation 
Safety Trends: What Should We Worry About?, Plane&Pilot Magazine (Dec. 
13, 2021) available at https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/news/pilot-
talk/2021/12/13/general-aviation-safety-trends-what-should-we-worry-
about/; see also General Aviation Safety Continues To Improve, 
Plane&Pilot Magazine (Dec. 18, 2019) available at https://
www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/general-aviation-safety-continue-
improve/.
    \35\ NTSB, NTSB Most Wanted List: Improve General Aviation (2012), 
available at: https://www.ntsb.gov/Advocacy/mwl/Documents/
ga_safety.pdf.
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    As required by section 308 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-254), the FAA, in coordination with the 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a study 
of all general aviation accidents from 2000 through 2018.\36\ 
The study showed there were 18,481 general aviation accidents 
that involved 18,613 aircraft over that period, resulting in 
3,647 fatal accidents.\37\ When taking all factors into 
consideration, the most common type of factors for general 
aviation accidents analyzed by the FAA and NTSB involved the 
pilot's control of the aircraft and actions or decisions--
particularly those related to weather.\38\ The NTSB's 2020 
accident statistics report found that most aviation-related 
deaths in 2020 took place during general aviation operations, 
where 332 people were killed, compared to 414 people the year 
before.\39\ The 2020 fatal accident rate in general aviation 
was 1.049 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, compared to the 
2019 rate of 1.064.\40\
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    \36\ FAA Reauthorization of Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-254, Sec. 308 
(Oct. 5, 2018).
    \37\ FAA, Report to Congress, Federal Aviation Administration and 
National Transportation Safety Board Review of General Aviation Safety 
(Jan. 13, 2021), available at https://www.faa.gov/about/plansreports/
ntsb-review-general-aviation-safety.
    \38\ Id.
    \39\ NTSB, U.S. Civil Aviation Fatalities and Flight Activity 
Decreased in 2020 (last updated: Nov. 2021), available at https://
www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20211117.aspx.
    \40\ Id.
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    Subsequently, the FAA, the general aviation community, and 
Congress have made efforts to improve general aviation safety, 
including reforming the aircraft certification process. Efforts 
have included revising the third-class medical certificate 
process used by recreational and private pilots (not for hire), 
and initiatives such as the Non-Required Safety Enhancing 
Equipment (NORSEE) policy, a joint collaboration between 
industry and government designed to decrease the barriers for 
general aviation operators to voluntarily install non-required 
safety equipment on their aircraft.\41\
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    \41\ FAA, General Aviation Safety (last updated: July 30, 2018), 
available at https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/general-aviation-
safety?newsId=21274.
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    Since 2000, the NTSB has issued 294 safety recommendations 
addressing issues related to non-commercial general aviation 
operations.\42\ Of the 296 recommendations, 231 have been 
closed, while 63 recommendations remain open.\43\ Most 
recently, the NTSB issued a safety recommendation to the FAA to 
require all enclosed-cabin aircraft with reciprocating engines 
be equipped with a carbon monoxide (CO) detector.\44\ The NTSB 
also recommended that pilot groups inform their members about 
potential CO poisoning in flight and encourage their members to 
install CO detectors with active aural or visual alerting 
systems.\45\ This recommendation stemmed from previous 
investigations and reports of aircraft accidents in which 
undetected CO poisoning led to pilot impairment and subsequent 
fatal or serious injuries due to crashes.\46\
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    \42\ FAA Report to Congress, supra note 38.
    \43\ Id.
    \44\ NTSB, Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Certain General 
Aviation Aircraft (Dec. 2021), available at https://www.ntsb.gov/
investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AIR2201.pdf.
    \45\ Id.
    \46\ Id.
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III. FUELS, POWER, AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

A. LEADED AVIATION FUELS

    Overview and Subsequent Health Concerns

    The U.S. general aviation fleet largely consists of piston-
engine aircraft, and have one or more piston-powered engines 
connected to a propeller to provide thrust to move the aircraft 
on the ground and through the air.\47\ According to the 
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 
``nearly all the country's approximately 170,000 active piston-
engine aircraft burn a grade of aviation gasoline (avgas), 
designated as `100LL,' that contains lead.'' \48\
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    \47\ Nat'l Acad. of Sci., Options for Reducing Lead Emissions from 
Piston-Engine Aircraft, Transp. Res. Board Spec. Rep. 336 (2021), 
available at https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/26050/chapter/
1#vii.
    \48\ Id.
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    Avgas remains one of the only transportation fuels in the 
United States to contain lead, with more than 222,600 
registered piston-engine aircraft that can operate on leaded 
avgas.\49\ This leaded fuel contains tetra-ethyl-lead, which is 
an additive used to prevent engine damage at higher power 
settings. Because 100LL can be used by all kinds of piston-
engine aircraft, this single grade is the only type of fuel 
consistently available for general aviation operations and is 
the only FAA-certified fuel for use by these aircraft.\50\ 
Although the FAA does not have direct regulatory responsibility 
for aviation fuels, it provides the initial certification 
approval of the aircraft with the fuel it operates on, and it 
oversees aircraft operators to ensure use of the correct 
fuel.\51\
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    \49\ Id.; see also FAA, Aviation Gasoline, (last visited: July 12, 
2022) available at https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/
avgas#::text=Avgas%20remains%20the%20only
%20transportation,Lead%2C%20also%20known%20as%20100LL.
    \50\ Id.
    \51\ Aviation Gasoline, supra note 50.
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    The use of leaded aviation fuel has raised public health 
concerns in communities across the country, particularly its 
effects on children.\52\ According to the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, exposure to lead in children can lead 
to decreased cognitive performance, damaging the brain and 
nervous system, and potentially leading to long-term learning 
and behavioral problems.\53\
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    \52\ Katie Lauer, East San Jose community takes to the skies, 
rallying behind Reid-Hillview Airport, The Mercury News (Jun. 2022), 
available at https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/06/18/east-san-jose-
community-takes-to-the-skies-rallying-behind-reid-hillview-airport/.
    \53\ CDC, Health Effects of Lead Exposure (last updated: Mar. 9, 
2022), available at https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/health-
effects.htm.

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    Unleaded Aviation Fuel Alternatives

    There are numerous ongoing efforts to research and develop 
unleaded aviation fuel alternatives. However, additional 
testing to validate whether these fuels will work properly and 
are compatible with a majority of piston-engine aircraft is 
still needed.\54\ Last year, General Aviation Modifications, 
Inc. (GAMI) received two supplemental type certificates (STC) 
authorizing the use of its new G100UL high-octane unleaded 
avgas.\55\ One STC covers a limited number of models of 
Lycoming engines and the second is for a limited number of 
Cessna airframes.\56\ GAMI is working with Avfuel Corp. to 
distribute the fuel, but it will take time to scale up 
production and make the fuel available fleetwide.\57\
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    \54\ FAA briefing for Committee Staff (June 2, 2022).
    \55\ AOPA, GAMI receives unleaded AvGas STC (July 2021), available 
at https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2021/july/27/gami-
receives-unleaded-avgas-stc
    \56\ Id.
    \57\ Id.
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    In February 2022, the FAA, the Environmental Protection 
Agency, fuel suppliers and distributors, airports, and engine 
and aircraft manufacturers joined together in announcing the 
Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) Initiative--
an initiative to permit both new and existing general aviation 
aircraft to operate lead-free, without compromising aviation 
safety and the economic and broader public benefits of general 
aviation.\58\ Specifically, the initiative seeks to (1) 
establish the necessary infrastructure, efficient distribution 
channels, and widespread usage of unleaded fuels; (2) support 
research and testing of piston engine modifications and/or 
engine retrofits necessary for unleaded fuel operations; and 
(3) address fleet-wide authorization of unleaded aviation fuels 
of different octane levels.\59\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \58\ Aviation Gasoline, supra note 50 at Path to a Lead-Free 
Aviation System--the EAGLE Initiative; see also FAA, FAA, Industry 
Chart Path to Eliminate Lead Emissions from General Aviation by the end 
of 2030 (Feb. 23, 2022), available at https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-
industry-chart-path-eliminate-lead-emissions-general-aviation-end-2030.
    \59\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. SUSTAINABILITY IN GENERAL AVIATION

    To further reduce aviation's carbon footprint and help 
achieve the FAA's goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 
2050, U.S. airports are collaborating with airlines and 
renewable fuel manufacturers to facilitate the storage and 
distribution of low and zero emission aviation 
technologies.\60\ Many private jet companies and manufacturers, 
general aviation airports, and other general aviation 
stakeholders plan to utilize many of these technologies to help 
reduce their carbon footprint.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \60\ Airports Council Int'l (ACI), Sustainability Strategy for 
Airports Worldwide, (Nov. 2021), at 18, available at https://aci.aero/
2021/11/16/aci-world-launches-inaugural-sustainability-
strategy-report-for-airports-worldwide/
#::text=In%20June%202021%2C%20ACI
%20member,management%20certification%20standard%20for%20airports.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Electrification

    One of these technologies includes the development of full 
or hybrid electric aircraft, which operate using battery-
powered electricity for power, rather than standard liquid 
fuels.\61\ Several airlines and advanced air mobility companies 
are seeking to use this technology for smaller aircraft 
operating shorter flights.\62\ Existing small airports and 
airport infrastructure, such as general aviation airports or 
heliports, are being considered to be utilized by these new, 
technologically advanced aircraft once deployed.\63\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \61\ Elissa Garay, Electric Planes Are Coming Sooner Than You 
Think, Afar Magazine (Mar. 2, 2022), available at: https://
www.afar.com/magazine/electric-planes-are-coming-sooner-than-you-think.
    \62\ Id.
    \63\ Cmty. Air Mobility Initiative, Airports and Advanced Air 
Mobility: Integrating the Third Dimension into Metropolitan 
Transportation Systems, (September 3, 2020), available at: https://
www.nctcog.org/nctcg/media/Transportation/Committees/ATAC/2020/Website-
Presentations_9-3-20.pdf?ext=.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    However, because battery-powered technologies are not as 
energy dense as liquid fuels, and thus require additional bulk 
and weight to achieve a comparable amount of energy, battery-
powered aircraft face significant aerodynamic challenges.\64\ 
Such design and operational challenges are likely to affect the 
range and speed of battery-powered aircraft.\65\ Therefore, 
further technological developments are needed before 
electrification can be safely and economically adopted for 
medium and long-haul flights.\66\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \64\ Garay, supra note 60.
    \65\ Id.
    \66\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The FAA is working to develop the regulatory framework for 
the certification and operation of electric vertical takeoff 
and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.\67\ In May 2022, the agency 
determined it will transition away from using the certification 
pathway for small airplanes (under 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Part 23). Instead, the FAA will pursue the 
pathway for ``powered-lift'' aircraft with special conditions 
(under 14 CFR Part 21.17(b)).\68\ During the subcommittee's May 
17, 2022, hearing titled, ``Preparing for Take-Off: Examining 
Efforts to Address Climate Change at U.S. Airports,'' GAMA 
expressed concerns about the FAA's ability to establish this 
framework within eVTOL aircraft manufacturers' anticipated 
certification timelines.\69\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \67\ Jon Ostrower and Elan Head, FAA Changes Course on EVTOL 
Certification, The Air Current (May 9, 2022), available at: https://
theaircurrent.com/aircraft-development/faa-changes-course-on-evtol-
certification/
    \68\ Id.
    \69\ Treena Hein, How the FAA is proceeding with rules for eVTOL 
type certification and operation, evtol.com (July 6, 2022), available 
at https://evtol.com/features/how-faa-proceeding-rules-evtol-type-
certification-operation/.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)

    For turbojet aircraft, SAF, a type of jet fuel refined from 
biomass, waste streams, or gaseous carbon oxides, has emerged 
as a leading contender to reduce aviation emissions.\70\ 
Depending on the type of feedstock, SAF offers a carbon 
lifecycle reduction of up to 80 percent when compared to 
conventional jet fuel.\71\ Unlike other proposals to lower 
emissions, SAF is a drop-in fuel that works in existing 
aircraft and can utilize most of the fueling infrastructure 
already in place.\72\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \70\ Nate Brown & Anna Oldani, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), 
FAA (March 10, 2021), available at: https://www.faa.gov/about/
office_org/headquarters_offices/ang/redac/media/environment/2021/march/
envandenergy_mar2021_SAFUpdate.pdf.
    \71\ Int'l Air Transport Assoc. (IATA), Developing Sustainable 
Aviation Fuel (SAF) (last visited: July 7, 2022), available at: https:/
/www.iata.org/en/programs/environment/sustainable-aviation-fuels/.
    \72\ IATA, What is SAF (last visited: July 7, 2022) at 1, available 
at: https://www.iata.org/contentassets/
d13875e9ed784f75bac90f000760e998/saf-what-is-saf.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    While SAF holds tremendous potential to help reduce carbon 
emissions in the aviation industry, significant barriers to 
widespread adoption remain. For instance, SAF is significantly 
more expensive to produce and purchase than conventional jet 
fuel.\73\ These high costs lead to SAF being produced in 
smaller quantities, resulting in limited availability.\74\ 
Today, SAF is estimated to account for just .05 percent of jet 
fuel use.\75\ Additionally, SAF must currently be blended with 
conventional jet fuel, although the low availability of SAF 
mitigates this issue in the short term.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \73\ Christina Brooks, Sustainable Aviation Fuel Still in Short 
Supply Due to Cost, HIS Markit (July 7, 2021), available at: https://
cleanenergynews.ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/
sustainable-aviation-fuel-market-still-in-infancy-due-to-
cost-.html#::text=
SAF%20prices%20are%20currently%20about,issues%20even%20more%20prominent%
20today.
    \74\ Id.
    \75\ Elan Head, Understanding the Path to 100% SAF, The Air Current 
(April 13, 2022), available at: https://theaircurrent.com/technology/
path-to-100-saf-sustainable-aviation-fuel/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               WITNESSES

     LMark Baker, President and CEO, Aircraft Owners 
and Pilots Association
     LChris Rozansky, Executive Director, Naples 
Airport Authority, on behalf of the American Association of 
Airport Executives
     LJames ``Jim'' Viola, President and CEO, 
Helicopter Association International
     LPete Bunce, President and CEO, General Aviation 
Manufacturers Association
     LTimothy Obitts, President and CEO, National Air 
Transportation Association
     LGreg Pecoraro, President and CEO, National 
Association of State Aviation Officials
     LEd Bolen, President and CEO, National Business 
Aviation Association




 
                     THE STATE OF GENERAL AVIATION

                              ----------                              


                        WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

                  House of Representatives,
                          Subcommittee on Aviation,
            Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:01 a.m. in 
room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building and via Zoom, Hon. Rick 
Larsen (Chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
    Members present in person: Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. 
DeFazio, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Graves of 
Louisiana, Mr. Graves of Missouri, Mr. Massie, Mr. Perry, Mr. 
Burchett, Mr. Nehls, and Mr. Auchincloss.
    Members present remotely: Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. 
Titus, Mr. Payne, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Allred, Ms. 
Norton, Mr. Mast, Mr. Balderson, Dr. Van Drew, and Ms. Newman.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Good morning. And welcome to 
today's Aviation Subcommittee hearing titled, ``The State of 
General Aviation.''
    In my home State of Washington and across the U.S., general 
aviation means jobs that pay well, and is part of the key to 
long-term economic growth.
    A recent study found that GA industries supported an 
estimated $247 billion in economic output and 1.2 million jobs 
in the U.S. in 2018.
    However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the industry to face 
several challenges, including workforce reduction, supply chain 
disruptions, and other issues. To help put GA back on the right 
track, Congress took several steps to ensure pandemic relief 
protects U.S. aviation jobs and keeps supply chains moving.
    For instance, the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection 
Program, which Representative Estes of Kansas and I introduced 
in August of 2020 and was included in the American Rescue Plan, 
protected or saved 3,100 highly skilled, good-paying jobs in 
aviation in my home State and more than 30,000 jobs nationwide.
    However, Congress can and must do more to better prepare 
the GA sector for future disruptions.
    Over the weekend, I was able to attend the Tarkio airshow 
with Ranking Member Sam Graves and Ranking Member Garret 
Graves, which provided some very helpful insights into the 
priorities of GA operators and companies.
    And today's witnesses represent a cross-section of the GA 
industry, including aircraft owners and pilots, helicopters, 
manufacturers, State aviation agencies, small airports, and 
business aviation interests. I look forward to hearing more 
about how Congress can support safety and innovation in this 
growing industry.
    Now, while the U.S. economy is on the move, the GA sector, 
like many other industries, is facing workforce challenges to 
meet the growing demands of the flying public.
    Congress has an opportunity to build on progress made in 
the 2018 FAA reauthorization law and invest in future general 
aviation operators, technicians, and manufacturers. The 2018 
reauthorization law included several workforce development 
provisions to improve the recruitment of young people and women 
to careers in the aviation industry.
    For example, in March, the FAA's Women in Aviation Advisory 
Board submitted its report entitled, ``Breaking Barriers for 
Women in Aviation: Flight Plan for the Future,'' and I plan to 
use the report's recommendations and others from aviation 
stakeholders to build a framework for diversifying the aviation 
workforce.
    The 2018 law also created the section 625 Aviation 
Workforce Development Grant programs to invest in, recruit, and 
inspire the future aviation workforce. And I am working to 
develop legislation to increase funding for this initiative and 
expand eligibility to include aviation manufacturing, to help 
build the U.S. aviation workforce to meet current and future 
demands.
    One issue I heard from GA stakeholders at the Tarkio 
airshow is the mounting workforce issues as well at the FAA, 
which are creating backlogs in the rulemaking and regulatory 
processes. Stakeholders are also concerned about the agency's 
staffing shortages and the subsequent lack of institutional 
knowledge and how that might hinder U.S. leadership in global 
aviation.
    So, I look forward to hearing from today's witnesses on how 
Congress can help improve that staffing and reduce any negative 
impacts on the agency's efforts to move forward on appropriate 
regulation and rulemaking.
    And finally, I want to touch on emerging technologies. To 
support the future growth of the GA sector, Congress must 
create a regulatory framework that prioritizes safety, invests 
in the necessary infrastructure, and helps to make communities 
globally competitive well into the 2050s and beyond.
    Over the last 2 years, this subcommittee has heard from 
several stakeholders about U.S. aviation innovation and how 
emerging airspace and technologies, such as advanced air 
mobility, or AAM, can offer potential societal, safety, and 
environmental benefits. Congress is taking concrete steps to 
help make those concepts a reality.
    So, as we move into the 2023 FAA reauthorization, Congress 
must evaluate the role of AAM and what role we will play in the 
GA sector and what needs must be met to safely integrate those 
vehicles into the U.S. airspace.
    The GA sector has also committed to addressing the 
industry's contributions to climate change. In recent years, 
the development of electric and hybrid-powered aircraft are 
among efforts to reduce carbon and noise emissions.
    For example, in my hometown of Arlington, Washington, the 
Arlington Municipal Airport is located there and is home to 
Eviation, an aviation company which is developing the nine-
seat, all-electric Alice aircraft with local people doing the 
work. The GA industry is also working to adopt alternative fuel 
sources to reduce carbon emissions from air travel, such as 
development and distribution of sustainable aviation fuel. And 
there is also the looming issue for the GA sector related to 
the transition to lead-free aviation fuel.
    So, I look forward to hearing from you more about how 
Congress can assist in ensuring a safe transition to lead-free 
fuels for GA.
    So, while the economy is on the move and the future of 
aviation remains bright, GA still faces several issues that 
must be addressed, and today's witnesses will provide much 
needed insight on the GA industry's priorities and how Congress 
can be a better partner in these efforts.
    Thank you. I look forward to tackling these issues in a 
collaborative manner.
    [Mr. Larsen of Washington's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
 Prepared Statement of Hon. Rick Larsen, a Representative in Congress 
   from the State of Washington, and Chair, Subcommittee on Aviation
    Good morning and welcome to today's Aviation Subcommittee hearing 
titled ``The State of General Aviation.''
    In my home state of Washington and across the country, general 
aviation (GA) means well-paying jobs and is key to long-term economic 
growth.
    A recent study found the GA industry supported an estimated $247 
billion in economic output and 1.2 million jobs in the U.S. in 2018.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ General Aviation's Contributions to the U.S. Economy, 2018 
Price Waterhouse Coopers Study, on behalf of Aircraft Electronics 
Association (AEA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), 
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), General Aviation Manufacturers 
Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the industry to face several 
challenges, including workforce reductions, supply chain disruptions 
and other issues.
    To help put GA back on the right track, Congress took several steps 
to ensure pandemic relief protects U.S. aviation jobs and keeps supply 
chains moving.
    For instance, the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Program, 
which Rep. Estes and I introduced in August 2020 and was included in 
the American Rescue Plan, protected or saved 3,154 highly skilled, 
well-paying aviation manufacturing jobs in my state and more than 
30,000 jobs nationwide.
    However, Congress can and must do more to better prepare the GA 
sector for future disruptions.
    Over the weekend, I attended the Tarkio Air Show with Ranking 
Member Sam Graves and Ranking Member Garret Graves, which provided some 
helpful insights into the priorities of GA operators and companies.
    Today's witnesses represent a cross-section of the GA industry, 
including aircraft owners and pilots, helicopters, manufacturers, state 
aviation agencies, small airports and business aviation interests.
    I look forward to hearing more about how Congress can support 
safety and innovation in this growing industry.
    While the U.S. economy is on the move, the GA sector, like many 
other industries, is facing workforce challenges to meet the growing 
demands of the flying public.
    Congress has an opportunity to build on progress made in the 2018 
FAA reauthorization law and invest in future general aviation 
operators, technicians and manufacturers.
    The 2018 reauthorization law included several workforce development 
provisions to improve the recruitment of young people and women to 
careers in the aviation industry.
    In March, the FAA's Women in Aviation Advisory Board submitted its 
report entitled ``Breaking Barriers: Flight Plan for the Future'', and 
I plan to use the report's recommendations and others from aviation 
stakeholders to build a framework for diversifying the aviation 
workforce.
    The 2018 law also created the Sec. 625 Aviation Workforce 
Development Grant programs to invest in, recruit and inspire the future 
aviation workforce.
    I am working to develop legislation to increase funding for this 
initiative and expand eligibility to include aviation manufacturing, to 
help build the U.S. aviation workforce to meet current and future 
demands.
    One issue I heard from GA stakeholders at the Tarkio Air Show is 
the mounting workforce issues at the FAA, which are creating backlogs 
in the rulemaking and regulatory processes.
    GA stakeholders are also concerned the agency's staffing shortages, 
and the subsequent lack of institutional knowledge, may hinder U.S. 
leadership in global aviation.
    I look forward to hearing from today's witnesses on how Congress 
can help improve FAA staffing and reduce any negative impacts on the 
agency's regulatory and rulemaking processes.
    To support the growth of the GA sector, Congress must create a 
regulatory framework that prioritizes safety, invests in the necessary 
infrastructure, and helps to make communities globally competitive well 
into the 2050s and beyond.
    Over the last two years, this subcommittee heard from several 
stakeholders about U.S. aviation innovation and how emerging airspace 
entrants and technologies, such as advanced air mobility (AAM), can 
offer potential societal, safety and environmental benefits.
    Congress has taken concrete steps to help make these concepts a 
reality.
    As we move into the 2023 FAA reauthorization process, Congress must 
evaluate the role AAM will play in the GA sector and what needs must be 
met to safely integrate these vehicles into U.S. airspace.
    The GA sector has also committed to addressing the industry's 
contributions to climate change.
    In recent years, the development of electric and hybrid-powered 
aircraft are among efforts to reduce carbon and noise emissions.
    For example, Arlington Municipal Airport in my hometown of 
Arlington, Washington, is home to Eviation, an aviation company which 
is developing the nine-seat, all-electric ``Alice'' aircraft.
    The GA industry is also working to adopt alternative fuel sources 
to reduce carbon emissions from air travel, such as the development and 
distribution of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
    There is also the looming issue for the GA sector related to the 
transition to lead-free aviation fuel.
    I look forward to hearing more about how Congress can assist in 
ensuring a safe transition to lead-free fuels for GA.
    While the U.S. economy is on the move and the future of aviation 
remains bright, GA still faces several issues that must be addressed.
    Today's witnesses will provide much needed insight on the GA 
industry's priorities and how Congress can be a better partner in these 
efforts.
    Thank you, and I look forward to tackling these issues in a 
collaborative manner.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Now I will turn to Representative 
Graves of Louisiana for an opening statement.
    Mr. Graves of Louisiana. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to 
thank you for having this hearing today, and I want to thank 
the witnesses for being here.
    Before I jump in and talk about the topic of today's 
hearing, it's the Aviation Subcommittee, and I do want to make 
note the hundreds or perhaps even thousands of phone calls and 
emails and contacts we have received from folks expressing 
strong concern about their experience in aviation. And over the 
past few months, we have heard countless stories about folks 
experiencing horrific problems traveling. Trying to take a 
summer vacation, trying to help resume the economy by doing 
business travel and experiencing problems at the airport, 
experiencing problems going through security, experiencing 
problems with weather delays, air traffic control and, of 
course, the airlines.
    This is something that is having an incredible impact--let 
me say it again--not just on folks trying to take their 
families on vacation and enjoy a relaxing summer vacation 
before school starts, but also those that are trying to help 
with resumption of economic activity across the United States, 
and this is something that we must make sure that we tackle and 
get to the bottom of this issue.
    Like Chairman Larsen, I had the chance to join many of you 
at Tarkio, and I think the panel today looks a lot like the one 
we had over the weekend, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the 
conversation, I enjoyed the panel, and I'm looking forward to 
today's discussion.
    General aviation is a critical part of our Nation's 
economy, particularly in rural areas like Tarkio where I wasn't 
sure Tarkio was ever actually going to show up. I thought it 
was just going to keep being dozens of miles of farms, but it 
plays a critical role in the economy. What we are talking about 
today and many of us spoke about over the weekend is how we are 
going to incorporate new technology into the National Airspace 
System.
    And as the chairman mentioned, right now, we are already 
seeing the FAA struggle from an organizational, struggle from 
an experience perspective, struggle from a regulatory 
perspective, dealing with their legacy mission, much less the 
complexity of bringing new technologies into our airspace.
    And I am very concerned about what that does to commercial 
travel, what it does to general aviation and, of course, what 
it does to potentially thwart or impede the ability--an 
objective I know we all share--to incorporate drones and AAM--
advanced air mobility--into our National Airspace System while 
maintaining--something that I think is really important to 
emphasize--this amazing record of safety that we have in the 
aviation industry, which, of course, is that air travel is the 
safest mode of transportation in the United States. We must 
continue to maintain that gold standard.
    The United States has an incredibly robust network of 
general aviation airports and heliports that touch virtually 
every American, not just the airport in Tarkio. And I imagine 
that we would be hard-pressed to find a Member of Congress that 
doesn't have a desire to incorporate new technologies into the 
aviation system.
    In fact, my home State of Louisiana in the district we 
represent, Houma-Terrebonne Airport, which is the base for much 
of the offshore energy operations, they also have been leaning 
forward, embraced new innovative technologies, and I know that 
they are excited to continue moving forward aggressively in 
AAM. And with advanced aviation systems and advanced air 
mobility operations on the horizon, we are trying to plan 
accordingly for these new entrants. But I think that some of 
the regulatory uncertainty has challenged even them.
    We have got to continue to contemplate what this regulatory 
structure looks like for advanced air mobility, but we must 
also think about the infrastructure needs that are there. It is 
not just about the regulatory structure, particularly 
technologies like eVTOL, thinking about the infrastructure that 
is needed for those, how general aviation is going to be 
affected, and making sure that we have the proper 
infrastructure to facilitate all.
    The brainstorming and problem solving is pivotal to the 
safe and successful operation of AAM and, of course, ensuring 
that the United States maintains its global leadership role. 
Thankfully, last month the House passed two critical bills on 
this, and we are hopeful that the Senate takes a similar path 
and gets these to the President's desk as soon as possible.
    Future regulations must contemplate new entrants into the 
market, and I am looking forward to hearing you all's thoughts 
about the safe integration of those systems into our NAS.
    Thinking briefly about drones in the ultimate full-scale 
integration into the NAS. I also want to hear your thoughts on 
issues that are either of interest or more likely of concern on 
how we can start bridging the gap between the general aviation 
industry and this growing drone and AAM industry.
    So, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for holding this 
hearing today, and I look forward to hearing from our 
witnesses.
    [Mr. Graves of Louisiana's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
Prepared Statement of Hon. Garret Graves, a Representative in Congress 
   from the State of Louisiana, and Ranking Member, Subcommittee on 
                                Aviation
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for having this 
hearing today, and I want to thank the witnesses for being here.
    Like Chairman Larsen, I had the chance to join the general aviation 
community at the Tarkio, Missouri airshow over the weekend. I enjoyed 
that event and am looking forward to today's discussion.
    General aviation is a critical part of our Nation's economy, 
particularly in rural areas like Tarkio. But GA faces many challenges, 
including preserving our existing capabilities while safely 
incorporating technology into the National Airspace System.
    As the Chairman mentioned, we are already seeing the FAA struggle 
from an organizational perspective, experience perspective, and 
regulatory perspective. I am very concerned as to how these struggles 
will impact commercial travel, general aviation, and how these 
struggles may potentially thwart or impede the development and 
deployment of new aviation advancements in the United States.
    An objective we all share is to incorporate drones and advanced air 
mobility into our National Airspace System while maintaining the 
amazing record of safety that we have in the aviation industry. Air 
travel continues to be the safest mode of transportation in the United 
States, and we must continue to maintain that gold standard.
    The United States has an incredibly robust network of GA airports 
and heliports that touch virtually every American. We would be hard 
pressed to find a member in Congress that does not have a desire to 
incorporate new technologies into the aviation system. In fact, the 
Houma-Terrebonne Airport, which is in my district in Louisiana and is a 
base for much of the offshore energy development in the Gulf of Mexico, 
is aggressively moving forward to incorporate both AAM and UAS into 
their capabilities. And with Advanced Aviation Systems and Advanced Air 
Mobility operations on the horizon, we are trying to plan accordingly 
for these new entrants.
    We must continue to contemplate what the regulatory structure looks 
like for Advanced Air Mobility, but we must also think about AAM's 
infrastructure needs and how general aviation is going to be impacted. 
Brainstorming and problem solving is pivotal to the safe and successful 
operation of AAM, and of course, to ensure that the United States 
maintains its global leadership role in aviation.
    Thankfully, last month the House passed two critical bills in this 
area, the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, and 
the Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act, and we are 
hopeful that the Senate takes a similar path and gets these to the 
President's desk as soon as possible.
    Future regulations must contemplate new entrants into the market, 
and I am looking forward to hearing each of our witnesses' thoughts 
about the safe integration of those systems into the NAS.
    Regarding AAM and drones, I also want to hear your thoughts on 
issues that are either of interest or concern to see how we can start 
bridging the gap between the general aviation industry and these 
growing industries.
    Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you again for holding this hearing 
today and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Representative.
    Now, before I turn to Representative DeFazio for a 
statement, we have got just three items very quickly, 
administrative items. One is to read the speech I should have 
read at the beginning:
    I ask unanimous consent the chair be authorized to declare 
a recess at any time during today's hearing. Without objection, 
so ordered.
    I ask unanimous consent that Members not on the 
subcommittee be permitted to sit with the subcommittee at 
today's hearing and ask questions. Without objection, so 
ordered.
    And as a reminder, please keep your microphones muted 
unless speaking. Should I hear any inadvertent or advertent 
background noise, I will request that the Member please mute 
their microphone.
    And to insert a document into the record, please have your 
staff email it to [email protected]. That is first.
    Second administrative item, we are expecting votes sometime 
between 11 o'clock and 11:30 on probably a previous question 
and a rule, possibly a suspension after that, so, I would guess 
two to three votes. So, we are going to get through opening 
statements and see where we sit, but I don't expect the votes 
to take that long since right now it is just probably, again, a 
previous question and a rule vote.
    So, we will continue after votes start on the floor, we 
will continue for a little bit before I make a decision about 
whether we are going to just roll through the vote on the floor 
or we are going to recess and go to the floor. We will figure 
that out later. That is second.
    And there was a third item. Since this is a GA hearing and 
we have very few general aviation pilots in Congress, one of 
whom is the ranking member of the full committee, he is not 
here, but if he does get here and seeks to have an opening 
statement, I will suspend the current status of the hearing to 
turn to the ranking member for an opening statement, just to 
give a heads-up as a matter of courtesy as well.
    So, with that, I will turn to the chair of the full 
committee, Representative DeFazio, for his opening statement.
    Mr. DeFazio. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for holding 
this hearing.
    Most people don't know how important general aviation is to 
the economy and the people of the United States, and I am 
pleased to be able to highlight that here today, talk about the 
future of the industry, the potential growth into the future, 
the needs on the ground. Out of the IIJA, we allocated $2.5 
billion to nonprimary commercial service in GA airports. I 
don't know that that is adequate. Probably not, but it is a 
start on dealing with that.
    I had the privilege the end of last week to be up in the 
Columbia Gorge and see a very innovative instrument landing 
system at The Dalles, where the FAA had spent $9 million for an 
ILS that they can't use because it gets too much bounce--it is 
basically in a bowl. But this other system developed by a 
company called ANPC is used a lot by the military and they are 
trying to get updated certification from the FAA.
    I went up in a small plane and I got to witness it on the 
ground. It is an extraordinary system which would help 
dramatically for GA and allow us to have a lot more airports 
that could have systems like that. I am not selling that 
particular one. There may be others like that, but I was very 
impressed. And it is much less expensive than your traditional 
ILS.
    It took us over 3 years to get ILS into Roseburg, Oregon, 
because of terrain issues, having to buy some property from a 
landowner so he would take down some trees, and blah, blah, 
blah. And we still have very limited approach there.
    So, I think there are ways, and I will be interested in any 
ideas people have that will help facilitate that kind of 
safety. Safety overall is better over the last 20 years, but we 
are not there yet. There are still too many accidents, and I am 
going to be interested in hearing ideas about how we can make 
GA safer, whether it has to do with training or equipage or the 
airports themselves, what are the issues that you all see.
    I am going to be interested to hear about the EAGLE 
initiative. And coming from the ninth largest State in the 
Union, GA is very, very important to Oregon and most other 
Western States. Not to say it isn't important everywhere in 
America, but for us it is kind of a life line.
    So, thanks for being here today. I look forward to the 
testimony.
    [Mr. DeFazio's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
   Prepared Statement of Hon. Peter A. DeFazio, a Representative in 
      Congress from the State of Oregon, and Chair, Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure
    Thank you, Chair Larsen, for holding this hearing today examining 
the different segments of the general aviation industry, including 
general aviation service, safety, sustainability efforts, and 
manufacturing.
    According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, in 2019 
more than 65 percent of flights were conducted for business and public 
services and more than 90 percent of the approximately 220,000 civil 
aircraft registered were for general aviation. As such, we must 
continue to invest in much needed infrastructure that will allow for 
this sector of the aviation industry to continue operating safely, 
sustainably, and responsibly, for those on board and those who live and 
work in general aviation communities.
    To this effort, we included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill 
over $20 billion for infrastructure grants at airports across the 
country, with $2.5 billion of those funds going to non-primary 
commercial service and general aviation airports. These robust 
investments will allow for a safer and more seamless experience for 
passengers at these airports. However, more could be done. The 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill--while a historic, once in a generation 
investment--is only a dent in what needs to be an ongoing investment in 
our nation's airports.
    As for safety, according to the National Transportation Safety 
Board, general aviation has the highest aviation accident rates within 
civil aviation. Between 2000 and 2018, there were 3,647 fatal 
accidents, with a majority of those accidents occurring from pilot 
error. Over the course of my time in Congress, safety has been the 
cornerstone of my tenure. From ensuring the enforcement of pilot 
training requirements to improving and reforming certification rules, 
we have worked diligently to update and solidify safety standards. 
Thus, I am interested to hear from this panel on how the general 
aviation sector has improved its track record over the past few 
decades, and what improvements still need to be made, whether through 
the adoption of new equipment and technologies, updated training 
requirements, or policy recommendations.
    Finally, we cannot ignore the impact that aviation has on the 
environment and our surrounding communities. The general aviation 
community--largely through piston-engine aircraft--is one of the last 
remaining sectors to still use leaded fuel--a substance we know can 
cause harm to those exposed to it. So much so we phased it out of cars 
in 1996. Now while we can't compare apples to oranges, we must continue 
to commit ourselves to finding alternatives to leaded fuel, whether it 
be through new fuels themselves or new technologies. I look forward to 
hearing about the progress of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead 
Emissions--or EAGLE, Initiative--an initiative to permit both new and 
existing general aviation aircraft to operate lead-free, without 
compromising aviation safety and the economic and broader public 
benefits of general aviation.
    Moreover, as we work towards reducing carbon emissions among major 
air carriers, we must also not overlook general aviation aircraft. 
Unfortunately, as mentioned before, not all types of aircraft run on 
the same engines and thus can't use the same fuel. As such, I'd like to 
hear today's witnesses discuss their ideas on how their members plan to 
utilize sustainable aviation fuels and other technologies to reduce 
carbon emissions in the general aviation community.
    I look forward to hearing from the witnesses on these important 
issues. I yield back.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    I now want to welcome our witnesses. I will just do quick 
intros in order and then we will start. So, first will be Mark 
Baker, president and CEO of Aircraft Owners and Pilots 
Association; Chris Rozansky, executive director of the Naples 
Airport Authority, on behalf of the American Association of 
Airport Executives; James Viola, president and CEO of the 
Helicopter Association International; Pete Bunce, president and 
CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association--I hope 
your plane's working; Timothy Obitts, president and CEO of the 
National Air Transportation Association; Greg Pecoraro, 
president and CEO of the National Association of State Aviation 
Officials; and Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National 
Business Aviation Association.
    Thank you for joining us today. I look forward to your 
testimony.
    Without objection, the witnesses' full statements will be 
entered into the record. And since that is the case, the 
subcommittee requests you limit your oral testimony to 5 
minutes.
    And, with that, Mr. Baker, you may proceed. You are 
recognized for 5 minutes.

TESTIMONY OF MARK BAKER, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, 
 AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION; CHRIS ROZANSKY, C.M., 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NAPLES AIRPORT AUTHORITY, ON BEHALF OF THE 
   AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES; JAMES VIOLA, 
 PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION 
 INTERNATIONAL; PETER J. BUNCE, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
OFFICER, GENERAL AVIATION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION; TIMOTHY R. 
  OBITTS, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NATIONAL AIR 
  TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION; GREGORY PECORARO, PRESIDENT AND 
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE AVIATION 
OFFICIALS; AND ED BOLEN, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, 
             NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATION

    Mr. Baker. Good morning. Chairman Larsen, Ranking Member 
Graves, and members of the subcommittee, on behalf of the 
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and our 300,000-plus 
members, I am pleased to be here to discuss the state of 
general aviation.
    General aviation has been an important part of my life for 
four decades, and continues to be part of the fabric of this 
Nation. GA, as you said, does represent a $247 billion industry 
and supports more than 1.2 million jobs. Our communities serve 
more than 5,000 public-use airports across this country.
    General aviation is currently in a good position and 
weathered the COVID pandemic fairly well. In fact, many found 
time during the pandemic to pursue flight training. It also 
became apparent that GA was a significant resource for moving 
medical supplies and physicians to the areas most needed.
    Even with an increasing number of aircraft taking to the 
air, the skies have never been safer. According to the NTSB and 
our own AOPA Safety Institute, the past year has been our 
safest on record. And while we achieved impressive results, 
there is still much more that we can do. Safety is embedded in 
our culture at AOPA, and the Safety Institute works every day 
to educate pilots so that we can continue to ever improve this 
record.
    As the committee is fully aware, our aviation system is 
facing a workforce shortage, including pilots, mechanics, 
technicians, and air traffic controllers. We very much 
appreciate the support of the committee in moving bipartisan 
and bicameral legislation H.R. 3482 this past April to help 
address this issue.
    We also applaud the committee for including two Aviation 
Workforce Development Grant programs in the 2018 FAA 
reauthorization statute, commonly referred to as the section 
625 program.
    AOPA has made major investments in aviation's future 
through our rigorous 4-year high school STEM education 
curriculum. During the past year alone, our curriculum engaged 
more than 12,000 high school students in 44 States, sparking 
interest in aviation careers everywhere.
    Yesterday, I was in Oklahoma where 57 high schools will now 
have a high school education program, the largest in the 
country.
    We have also a nationwide shortage of aircraft hangars at 
GA airports, according to surveys we have undertaken. Some 
airports report waiting lists that stretch out several years. 
And hangar shortage is a top concern among pilots. We look 
forward to working with the committee as well on a number of 
other GA airport-related issues in next year's FAA 
reauthorization process.
    I must make mention of the overwhelming success of the 
medical process reform for GA pilots known as BasicMed. More 
than 70,000 pilots have flown under these privileges since this 
committee and Congress sent legislation to the President's desk 
in 2016.
    Finally, the most pressing matter facing GA today is moving 
lead from avgas. As cochair of the EAGLE initiative, which 
stands for Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions, I can 
tell the committee the entire GA industry, including my 
colleagues here today, are all working together to remove lead 
from avgas. We are setting a target date of no later than 2030, 
and I remain hopeful we can get there much sooner.
    What we are concerned about is this terrible precedence 
that Santa Clara County in California has pursued by preventing 
the sale of 100 Low Lead at their two airports. This is an 
enormous safety issue, and if not addressed, could lead to a 
domino effect of other airports across the country, which could 
cause a real struggle if we lost control of our ecosystem of 
these public-use airports supplying fuel while we work to get 
this transition done.
    Thank you very much.
    [Mr. Baker's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
    Prepared Statement of Mark Baker, President and Chief Executive 
            Officer, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
                              Introduction
    Chairman Larsen, Ranking Member Graves, Members of the 
Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to provide the Aircraft 
Owners and Pilots Association's (or AOPA) perspective on the State of 
General Aviation.
    AOPA is the world's largest aviation membership organization, 
representing the general aviation interests of more than 300,000 
aircraft owners and pilots across the country. Our members collectively 
operate over 85% of all general aviation (GA) aircraft in the United 
States and represent two-thirds of all pilots, making AOPA the largest 
civil aviation organization in the world.
    AOPA was founded in 1939, and for over eighty years, we have stayed 
true to our mission of protecting the freedom to fly. Safety remains 
AOPA's north star and helping to guide and protect this uniquely 
American experience so we can pass it along, better than we received 
it, to the next generation of aviators. Getting the next generations of 
Americans, especially young people from diverse backgrounds, interested 
and involved in aviation and aerospace is vital to our industry's 
future.
                      Impact of General Aviation:
    General aviation generates over $247 billion in total economic 
output, supports 1.1 million jobs, and includes a network of thousands 
of airports that help keep our communities across the nation connected, 
safe and protected.
    General aviation operates a fleet of over 211,000 aircraft into the 
more than 5,000 public-use airports and over 14,500 private airports in 
the U.S., providing vital transportation to communities that do not 
have commercial service. According to the May 2022 FAA ATO Fact Book, 
the number of pilot certificates in 2021 increased by 4.2 percent to 
720,603, mainly due to an increase in student pilot certificates from 
222,629 to 250,197.
                   Improving General Aviation Safety:
    The United States operates the safest aviation system in the world, 
and we are achieving impressive results in general aviation safety. 
Every aircraft accident makes headline news; however, what does not 
make the news is the 25 million flight hours a year flown by hundreds 
of thousands of GA pilots, accessing some 5,000 airports, safely.
    In fiscal year 2021, general aviation had the safest year ever with 
a fatal accident rate of 0.74 accidents per 100,000 flight hours. That 
followed a decades-long trend of historically low accident rates, which 
have declined by some 50% over the last 25 years.


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    The General Aviation Joint Safety Committee, co-chaired by leaders 
from AOPA's Aviation Safety Institute (ASI) and the FAA, analyzes 
mishap data to develop safety recommendations and drive implementation 
across the industry. This year, we are on track to again exceed the 
safety goal established by the GAJSC. A goal that will result in 
another ten percent reduction in fatal accidents over ten years.


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    These safety results are the product of strong industry 
collaboration to advance across all five elements of aviation safety: 
knowledge, training, proficiency, equipment, and culture. It is no 
coincidence that the FAA's compliance program--which substantially 
improved the relationship with pilots and the FAA--took root during 
this period of sharp advances in GA safety. An open, trusting culture 
where pilots can admit mistakes, ask questions, and seek correction is 
critical to safety. We are hopeful this compliance program will be 
accelerated, yet there are signs that we may be falling back to a more 
hardened ``enforcement'' culture, where the emphasis is on punishment 
over compliance.
    We must accelerate our work to bring advanced equipment into GA 
cockpits. Modern technologies improve pilot situational awareness, help 
aid aircraft control in times of duress, and improve monitoring to 
identify critical components before they fail. Though we have seen 
improvements, our lag time and the bureaucratic process to approve 
installation of modern equipment is excessive. We must streamline the 
approval process and get more modern equipment into our GA fleet 
faster.
    We have achieved impressive results and have come a long way in GA 
safety, but there is still so much more we can do. Safety is embedded 
in our culture and our highly respected Aviation Safety Institute works 
every day to educate and improve safety where we can.
        Aviation Workforce and AOPA High School Stem Curriculum
    Aviation--whether GA, commercial, or military--cannot exist without 
qualified professionals to fly, design, build, operate, and maintain 
our crewed and uncrewed aircraft. Today, we face a critical shortage of 
workers in all these fields. Boeing predicts the need for 612,000 new 
pilots, 626,000 new maintenance technicians and 886,000 new cabin crew 
members over the next 20 years.
    We applaud this Committee for including two aviation workforce 
development grant programs (aircraft pilots and aviation maintenance 
technical workers) in the 2018 FAA Reauthorization law. This is an 
outstanding provision intended to introduce high school students and 
others to science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) aviation 
education and opportunities, as well as training in aviation and 
aerospace skills.
    Most people that aspire to become aviators start in general 
aviation, so it is important that we collaborate on efforts to ensure 
that this pipeline remains open to all. The aircraft pilot grant 
program supports the creation and delivery of curriculum designed to 
provide high school students with meaningful science, technology, 
engineering, math and aviation education and encouraging our nation's 
youth to become the next generation of commercial, general aviation, 
drone or military pilots.
    The aviation technical workforce grant program includes 
scholarships, apprenticeships, establishing new training programs, 
purchasing equipment for schools, and supporting career transition for 
members of the armed forces.
    These two programs are each authorized at $5 million per year 
through fiscal year (FY) 2023, and Congress appropriated full funding 
for these programs in FY20, FY21 and FY22. The FY23 Departments of 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Bill recently, approved by the House Appropriations 
Committee, recommends funding the aircraft pilots grant program at $5 
million while increasing the aviation technical workforce grant program 
to $10 million in FY23.
    We appreciate the leadership of Chairman Peter DeFazio, Ranking 
Member Sam Graves, Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rick Larsen, and 
Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves, as well as the Members on 
the Committee, who have expressed their support for full funding of 
these aviation workforce grant programs.
    In recent years, AOPA has also made major investments designed to 
fill the workforce pipeline, and that effort is paying dividends.
    During the past school year alone, more than 12,000 high school 
students in 44 states used the rigorous four-year high school aviation 
STEM curriculum created by the AOPA Foundation to interest students in 
aviation careers and prepare them for success. These students studied 
in public, private, charter, and home-school settings in urban, 
suburban, and rural areas.
    Fifty-four percent of these students attended Title I eligible 
schools, considered mid-to-high poverty by the Department of Education, 
while 21% were female and 41% were from minority backgrounds. This 
participation represents a significant increase in diversity when 
compared to the current aviation workforce.

          High School Aviation Stem Curriculum by the Numbers
                         2021-2022 School Year


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    Among the graduating seniors who participated in the AOPA 
curriculum in the past two years, 58% reported plans to pursue careers 
as pilots (23%), maintainers (11%), aerospace engineers (15%), and in 
other aerospace fields (9%). Fully 75% reported plans to attend college 
or trade school.
    To make this program accessible to students regardless of means, 
the AOPA Foundation provides it to schools completely free of charge. 
Comprehensive lesson plans, presentations, activities, assessments, and 
year-round teacher training and support are available to participating 
schools at no cost thanks to the generosity of donors.
    While AOPA has made major investments to get high school students 
interested in aviation and Congress has provided support through the 
aviation workforce development grant programs, more needs to be done.
          National Center for the Advancement of Aviation Act:
    As the Committee is aware, in order to meet bold challenges, we 
need bold initiatives. Recognizing this, I am grateful that this 
Committee approved by voice vote the National Center for the 
Advancement of Aviation Act (NCAA). Mr. Chairman, the bipartisan and 
bicameral National Center for the Advancement of Aviation Act (H.R. 
3482/S.1752), introduced in the House by you, Congressman Andre Carson 
(D-Ind.) and the late Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska), and in the 
Senate by Senators Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Duckworth (D-Ill.), is that 
bold initiative. Your bill has over 60 bipartisan cosponsors, many who 
serve on this Committee, and I encourage all Members to cosponsor this 
important bill.
    A national aviation center would bring the industry together by 
fostering such things as programs that create a diverse and skilled 
aviation workforce, ensuring the deployment of STEM aviation 
educational opportunities for middle and high school students, and 
provide a forum to support collaboration and cooperation between 
governmental, non-governmental, and private aviation and aerospace 
sector stakeholders regarding the advancement of the U.S. aviation and 
aerospace workforce. A national aviation center would do more to grow, 
develop, and promote aviation and bring the needed and long overdue 
collaboration of our collective industry that is so vital to our 
nation's economy.
    We strongly believe standing up such a center will facilitate 
cooperation, collaboration, and coordination across all sectors of 
aviation; civil, commercial, and military--and which is so desperately 
needed to address the workforce challenges facing the aviation 
industry.
    In addition to the strong bipartisan support, more than 200 
aviation organizations from general aviation, airlines, unions, and 
airports have expressed their support for the NCAA. Mr. Chairman, air 
travel delays and cancellations facing millions of Americans this 
summer are getting national attention and there are many factors 
involved including the shortage of pilots and other aviation workforce 
professionals. I strongly urge you, and this Committee to do everything 
possible to ensure the House passes this NCAA bill before the end of 
the year.
                Airport Infrastructure and Transparency:
    Our nation's public use airports are clearly a valuable and 
critical part of Americas infrastructure. We applaud the Committee's 
support to address our nation's airport infrastructure as part of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The legislation provides 
$25 billion over five years from the Treasury general fund, with $15 
billion in grants for airport infrastructure including $500 million a 
year for non-primary and general aviation airports. This is in addition 
to annual Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding, as well as the 
supplemental discretionary AIP funding Congress has appropriated over 
the past few years.
    There are over 211,000 GA aircraft that operate from more than 
5,000 public use airports in our national airspace system, of which 
only 500 airports provide commercial passenger service. However, almost 
2,000 of the 5,000 airports listed in the National Plan of Integrated 
Airport Systems (NPIAS) are not eligible to receive federal funding. 
These 2,000 airports located in more rural areas still provide critical 
access to the communities they serve and should not be forgotten.
Need for Additional GA Hangars:
    AOPA is also actively monitoring several areas of concern for 
pilots at airports across the country. We conducted a national survey 
of 800 airports and found that 71% of airport managers report a 
shortage of GA hangars. In fact, 55% of those surveyed said they have 
the land to develop additional hangars but do not have the financial 
resources to do so. Even if an airport is in the NPIAS, hangars are 
generally not approved for AIP funding.
    Airport managers also report that hangars provide 45% of their 
gross revenue (the other 45% is from fuel sales) making hangars a 
critical source of financial self-sustainability for any GA airport. To 
address this concern, Congress should dedicate funding for GA hangar 
development that brings the cost within reach of the small cities and 
counties the desperately need hangars as a way to boost their long-term 
financial sustainability.
GA Airport Fees and Ramp Transparency:
    Another issue of concern that we hear from our members and GA 
pilots across the country is the lack of transparency of ramp fees 
charged by the major fixed based operators (FBO), as well as the lack 
of published transient parking areas at federally funded public use 
airports.
    Everywhere I travel I hear from AOPA members who believe there 
needs to be a requirement for major FBO companies to make their fees 
transparent and easily available to pilots like any other product or 
service today.
    In addition, we believe there should be a requirement for airports 
with published diagrams to identify where public parking for GA 
aircraft exists at these airports. AOPA has reached out to 700 airports 
with published airport diagrams, and while over 100 airport managers 
have adopted standard parking labels which were created by the aviation 
industry, more needs to be done.
    AOPA members and GA pilots across the country view transparent ramp 
fees and parking areas at taxpayer funded public use airports as a 
pilot's right.
    While our members appreciate the strong support from Congress to 
fund our nation's public use airports, providing dedicated funding for 
GA hangar development and requiring transparent ramp fees and GA 
parking areas will help GA thrive.
Success of BasicMed:
    BasicMed is a great example of AOPA working with the government in 
developing a program that has assisted many general aviation pilots. 
Since its inception in 2017, BasicMed has become widely popular and 
used by many in the aviation community.
    Since BasicMed became available in 2017, over 73,000 pilots have 
taken advantage of this medical reform while maintaining an excellent 
safety record, according to FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute and 
AOPA's Air Safety Institute. AOPA continues to support BasicMed and its 
potential to offer many current and aspiring pilots alternative and 
safe pathways to fly to the 5,000 public-use airports in the US. AOPA 
continues to work with Canada in accepting BasicMed for pilots entering 
Canada from the U.S. as The Bahamas and Mexico currently do.
    There are several long-term issues on which AOPA, and on behalf of 
the general aviation community, continues to engage with the FAA to 
rectify.
FAA Staffing Shortage:
    AOPA shares the concerns of our industry partners regarding the 
current low staffing levels across the FAA. From an aircraft ownership 
perspective, these low staffing levels directly affect aircraft 
registration, surpassing six months to process on many occasions, 
whereas it used to take 4-6 weeks.
    The shortage of air traffic controllers has been causing delays for 
an extended time, and AOPA appreciates the FAA's current efforts to 
increase controller staffing. However, AOPA urges the FAA to review and 
revise its delay protocols, especially in the Eastern United States, to 
help reduce extensive deviations general aviation aircraft operators 
encounter.
    Another major concern to AOPA members is the shortage of aviation 
safety inspectors (ASI), causing extended processing time for required 
acceptance and approval of documentation for operators, pilots, and 
mechanics. The ASI shortage also negatively affects the designee system 
due to not having enough managing specialists to provide oversight of 
designees, such as Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs).
Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs):
    For several years now, the pilot community has voiced consistent 
concerns about the lack of availability of examiners across the 
country. Although the FAA has implemented some programs that have 
provided limited relief, designee availability remains challenging. To 
emphasize the continued lack of DPE availability, according to a 2022 
Middle Tennessee State University survey, 92% of flight school provider 
respondents believe there are currently too few DPEs nationwide to 
service the needs of pilot applicants.
    To ensure the continued growth of the pilot population, especially 
amid increased demand for flight training and the current and projected 
increase in the pilot shortage, we believe the Aviation Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee's DPE Reform recommendations should be implemented 
as soon as possible to ensure an adequate number of designees are 
available.
    As we continue to transform the aviation system to meet the needs 
of the future, we must ensure pilots have access to the services they 
need, whether for air traffic control, aircraft certification or for 
the host of other tasks required to keep the aviation sector operating.
Drone Integration:
    AOPA fundamentally supports the safe enabling of drone operations 
into the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS), and we are working to 
ensure the future success of this segment of the aerospace community. 
However, the general aviation community has significant concerns that 
some of the proposed concepts to integrate Beyond Visual Line of Sight 
(BVLOS) drones will negatively impact the safety and efficiency of all 
NAS users.
    For example, the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee recently 
recommended, over the objections of several members including AOPA, 
that BVLOS drones should have no responsibility to detect and avoid 
other aircraft that are not actively transmitting their location 
through Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). Even after 
the 2020 ADS-B mandate, thousands of general aviation aircraft are 
either not required or are restricted from using ADS-B, such as 
ultralights and experimental aircraft. Allowing BVLOS drones to lessen 
their responsibility to detect and avoid manned aircraft operating 
routinely and safely at lower altitudes would introduce a serious 
safety hazard into the NAS.
    AOPA urges the FAA to ensure BVLOS drone operations meet their 
responsibilities to see/detect and avoid all aircraft, just as current 
airspace users are obligated to do. Doing so will provide a more direct 
path to safely integrating uncrewed BVLOS aircraft into the entire NAS 
without further equipment requirements/mandates, unnecessary changes to 
the right-of-way rules, or airspace segregation.
Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC):
    MOSAIC is long overdue and necessary to create changes to aircraft 
certification processes that will promote the installation of advanced 
and lower-cost technologies thereby enhancing safety and situational 
awareness. It will also increase personal flying opportunities and 
enjoyment.
    AOPA urges the Committee to help ensure the FAA moves forward with 
MOSAIC in a timely manner and without further delay.
Real-time Special Use Airspace (SUA):
    Dissemination of real-time special use airspace (SUA) information 
to pilots and flight planners is a critical priority for the aviation 
industry, including both the commercial and private sectors.
    A MITRE Corporation study has suggested that implementing a system 
to provide this information could save $100 million annually in fuel 
burn, resulting not only in significant financial savings for airline, 
military, and general aviation operations, but also in reduced travel 
times for passengers and a considerable reduction of carbon emissions.
    While the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 (P.L. 116-283) 
requires the implementation of a real-time system, AOPA is concerned as 
there appears to have been little measurable progress beyond some fact-
finding activities.
    This is unfortunate given the enormous benefits associated with 
implementing such a system. We believe FAA and DOD must redouble their 
efforts to implement a solution as quickly as possible and we 
appreciate the Committees support on this particular matter.
              Unleaded Aviation Fuel and Eagle Initiative:
    There is no more pressing issue that general aviation faces today 
than the need to transition to 100 percent unleaded fuel--in a safe and 
smart way that works for the entire fleet of 200,000 aircraft.
    This is a matter of safety.
    I and my colleagues want lead out of our fuel, and have been 
diligently working on this important goal for several years. To bring 
this vision to reality, AOPA and the entire general aviation industry 
are collaborating with the federal government--and many other public 
and private stakeholders--in the EAGLE initiative (which stands for 
Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions).
    While the EAGLE effort calls for the elimination of leaded fuel by 
2030, I want--and expect--this to be done sooner. We have several 
candidate fuels currently in the program that are undergoing rigorous 
testing.
    But let's be clear--this transition to unleaded needs to be safe 
and smart, as many of the 200,000 aircraft in the current GA fleet 
require higher octane fuel to fly safely. These include aircraft 
performing important missions of disaster relief, emergency operations, 
search and rescue, and law enforcement.
    We are troubled by the actions taken by Santa Clara County in 
California in unilaterally preventing the sale of 100LL while the 
industry and the Biden Administration work together toward finding and 
deploying a fleetwide unleaded solution no later than 2030. With 100LL 
unavailable, there is also a higher risk of misfuelling, which can 
cause catastrophic engine failure, endangering those in the air and on 
the ground. Moreover, Santa Clara County has clearly violated AIP grant 
assurances with its actions and if left unchecked by the FAA, we are 
concerned about the terrible precedent and domino effect at other 
airports across the country, which would have a devastating impact on 
the general aviation community and local communities. We implore the 
Committee to ensure that this situation in Santa Clara County is 
addressed appropriately so that we can move forward with a safe and 
smart transition to an unleaded fuel solution.
                              Conclusion:
    I would like to again thank the Subcommittee for this important 
hearing today and look forward to continuing to work with you on issues 
important to pilots and the general aviation community.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Mr. Baker.
    I will now recognize--just a moment--Mr. Rozansky from 
Naples Airport Authority. You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Rozansky. Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chair and 
members of the subcommittee. I appreciate the invitation and 
the chance to speak to you about the state of general aviation.
    I am the executive director for the Naples Airport 
Authority, which is one of the top 10 busiest airports for 
private jet activity in the Nation, testifying today on behalf 
of the American Association of Airport Executives, where I 
serve as the association's General Aviation Airports Committee 
vice chair.
    I want to begin by thanking you for your staunch support of 
GA airports which, as you know, play a key role in our aviation 
system and our local economies. In Florida alone, more than 100 
GA airports generate an economic impact of nearly $18 billion 
annually and support more than 108,000 jobs.
    GA airports deliver an array of vital services, including 
business aviation, flight training, law enforcement, 
firefighting, and medical transportation. We also help to 
reduce congestion in nearby commercial service airports.
    While many commercial service airports are returning to 90 
percent pre-pandemic enplanements, many GA airports have 
exceeded those 2019 activity levels. These positive trends are 
a result of various factors, from increased flight training, 
charter, and the proliferation of remote work.
    We are very grateful for the support Congress provided 
airports throughout the pandemic and investing in airports' 
capital needs. But as you have already alluded to, there is 
more we can do.
    At Naples, we intend to use funds from the bipartisan 
infrastructure bill to complete critical safety improvements 
such as navigational improvements that may not otherwise 
compete for discretionary funds.
    The infrastructure bill represents a step in the right 
direction, but there is still an enormous gap. According to the 
FAA, airports have $8.7 billion in annual AIP eligible 
projects, with almost $3 billion of that going to nonprimary 
airports. The latter is almost as much as what commercial 
service and GA airports receive in total from AIP each year. 
And these estimates do not factor in noneligible projects, 
dramatically increasing labor and construction costs, and 
continued supply chain constraints.
    As we prepare for the next reauthorization bill, we urge 
Congress to increase traditional funding, consider proposals to 
both reform and bolster nonprimary entitlement funding, and 
provide funding for supplemental discretionary grants that help 
airports meet those infrastructure needs.
    I would also like to thank subcommittee members for being 
strong supporters of the FAA Contract Tower Program, a 
successful public-private partnership enhancing aviation safety 
throughout the Nation. Naples is 1 of 260 airports in 46 States 
participating in that program.
    While the pilot shortage has received a great deal of 
attention, we are facing a shortage of air traffic controllers 
as well. One way Congress can help is by passing the CONTRACT 
Act, which would provide an incentive for retired Federal 
controllers to continue working at Federal contract tower 
airports.
    Federal contract towers also need greater access to 
technology, such as radar displays, next-gen type equipment to 
ensure the continued safe and efficient operation of the 
national airspace.
    Naples is a noise-sensitive community with residential 
developments surrounding the airport. Federal noise policy 
established decades ago has helped tremendously, but we need a 
more collaborative, modernized approach between the FAA, 
airports, and their communities, whose concerns extend beyond 
traditional noise contours.
    Airports are also doing their part to reduce pollution and 
promote sustainability. Through AAAE, GA airports are 
participating in the EAGLE initiative aimed at eliminating 
leaded aviation fuels by 2030; however, we must thoughtfully 
consider and prepare to execute a transition without putting 
the vital services GA provides at risk.
    We are eager to better understand what types of 
infrastructure improvements are needed to support the adoption 
of these new fuels. Like members of the subcommittee, we too 
are excited about advanced air mobility and eVTOLs. It is 
imperative that airports are part of the discussion of the 
integration of these new entrants into the national airspace.
    We also need to find ways to pay for the new infrastructure 
needed for these new entrants without compromising the funds 
available for traditional airport projects.
    In closing, with greater demand, new technology, and 
continued support from Congress, the future of the Nation's GA 
airports has never been brighter. On behalf of AAAE and my 
colleagues serving general aviation around the country, we do 
look forward to working with this subcommittee on the upcoming 
FAA reauthorization bill.
    Thank you.
    [Mr. Rozansky's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
Prepared Statement of Chris Rozansky, C.M., Executive Director, Naples 
  Airport Authority, on behalf of the American Association of Airport 
                               Executives
    Chair DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, Chair Larsen, Ranking Member 
Graves, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity 
to appear before you today to highlight the perspective of a general 
aviation airport operator on the state of the general aviation 
industry. My name is Chris Rozansky, and I am the Executive Director of 
the Naples Airport Authority.
    I am testifying today on behalf of the American Association of 
Airport Executives (AAAE), where I serve as a Vice Chair of the 
association's General Aviation Committee. AAAE is the world's largest 
professional organization representing individuals who manage and 
operate more than 850 public-use commercial and general aviation 
airports across the country.
    The Naples Airport is a general aviation airport located in 
Southwest Florida, an increasingly popular destination known for its 
pristine beaches and quality of life. Originally built in 1943 in 
support of World War II, the airport is now one of the top ten busiest 
in the nation for private jet activity that drives an immense economic 
impact locally. As I will describe later in my testimony, the airport 
also serves a critical role in flight training; public safety and 
health with law enforcement; firefighting; and medical transportation.
                     The Impact of General Aviation
    Let me begin by thanking all of you for your steadfast support for 
general aviation airports and the broader GA industry. As you will hear 
from my colleagues today, GA is an integral part of our National 
Airspace System (NAS). In fact, the U.S. has the largest and most 
diverse system of GA airports in the world, supporting more than 1 
million jobs and helping generate nearly $250 billion in economic 
impact annually. To illustrate the reach of GA airports, there are over 
4,400 public-use GA airports in the United States.
    General aviation airports function like Swiss Army knives, 
delivering an array of vital services that you won't find elsewhere in 
town. GA airports typically provide convenient and timely 
transportation with facilities close to passengers' final destinations. 
When traveling for business, GA airports can accommodate passengers' 
travel needs in multiple cities on the same day and potentially help 
them return home in time for dinner. When hurricanes strike, GA 
airports oftentimes act as staging areas to deliver critical relief and 
help get their communities back on their feet. For Naples, its airport 
was a lifeline following Hurricane Irma in 2017.
    I can personally attest to the value of having life-saving medevac 
operators nearby when my own son needed urgent pediatric care a few 
years ago. He recovered and is just fine now, but admittedly, it's the 
best helicopter ride you never want to take. More recently, select GA 
airports began serving as testbeds for revolutionary technologies like 
electric vertical takeoff and landing or eVTOL's that are sure to 
change society as we know it. And this is just the tip of the iceberg--
law enforcement; firefighting; aerospace engineering and manufacturing; 
air cargo; agriculture; and recreation are just a few of the other 
functions at GA airports.
    The state of Florida plays a leading role in the NAS, with 108 
public GA airports that support more than 108,000 jobs and generate an 
economic impact of more than $18 billion annually according to the 
Florida Department of Transportation's Statewide Aviation Economic 
Impact Study in 2019. Furthermore, Florida is home to more student 
pilots, federal contract towers, and business jet operations than any 
other state in the nation.
    Demand at most general aviation airports has never been greater. 
One analyst recently estimated there are nearly two million new 
passengers using general aviation since the onset of the COVID-19 
pandemic. In a recent survey conducted by the Naples Airport Authority, 
98 percent of passengers traveling through the airport indicated that 
they intend to continue flying privately rather than go back to the 
airlines. This shift in travel preferences coupled with overall growth 
trends has also led to a number of challenges such as community 
concerns over increased aircraft noise exposure and pollution. We are 
currently working closely with the FAA, airport stakeholders, and our 
neighbors to address those issues through a Part 150 Noise Study.
                     COVID-19 and Ongoing Recovery
    The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recovery have provided a 
clear illustration of the importance and flexibility that GA airports 
provide the NAS. We are grateful to this subcommittee and to the 
Congress for recognizing that the economic and operational struggles 
caused by the pandemic were not limited to commercial service airports 
and for ensuring that portions of the various pandemic relief packages 
included designated funding for GA facilities. Those resources were 
important for GA airports and the communities they serve.
    While air traffic at commercial service airports is returning to 
over 90 percent of pre-pandemic enplanement levels, we have seen many 
GA airports, particularly in leisure markets, exceed their pre-pandemic 
levels. These positive trends are a result of various factors, from 
increased flight training and charter activity to the proliferation of 
remote work, which has allowed many Americans to relocate to more 
desirable areas. Private jet travel in the U.S. is above 2019 levels 
despite record fuel prices. I would note, though, that while the 
industry overall is thriving, not every airport has recovered fully. 
The old adage that if you've seen one airport, you've seen one airport, 
still applies.
    Frequent flight disruptions and cancellations that have plagued the 
airlines this summer have exposed the crippling effect that workforce 
challenges continue to have on the aviation system. Flight schools at 
GA airports are playing a pivotal role in addressing the ongoing pilot 
shortage. Already, flight schools have seen upticks in their 
enrollments, particularly as airlines are ramping up recruiting and 
training programs and increasing financial incentives for new pilots. 
GA airports uniquely support the needs of these future airline and 
military pilots by allowing them to train in less congested airspace.
    Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that remote work for 
some is here to stay. With countless businesses continuing to promote 
work from home policies, many Americans are choosing to move outside 
major urban areas to smaller communities. As the airlines continue to 
reduce or eliminate commercial service, reaching smaller cities or more 
remote locations has become more difficult. Business aviation is 
providing another travel option in those places.
    These trends are occurring nationwide, but particularly in leisure 
markets like Naples, which has seen unprecedented demand for private 
air travel. Initially, this was due to health concerns arising from the 
COVID-19 pandemic, but it has continued as a result of changing 
consumer patterns and the challenges airlines are facing to meet 
demand. In 2021, private jet activity in Naples increased by more than 
40 percent despite setting new records in 2020; however, the rate of 
growth in 2022 finally began flattening earlier this summer. We are 
projecting a slight pullback in 2023 as customers settle into their 
post-pandemic norms and as we face continued inflation and fuel price 
volatility.
                      Rising Infrastructure Needs
    As demand for travel continues to rise at GA and commercial service 
airports, there is a growing need for infrastructure investment. The 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provided airports with 
$20 billion over five years for infrastructure and terminal grants, 
with $2.5 billion of that total specifically allotted for nonprimary 
commercial service and GA airports. We are grateful for that 
investment, which will help airports of all sizes build critical 
infrastructure and prepare for the ongoing recovery and rising demand.
    We particularly appreciate how the IIJA will help improve the 
Naples Airport and enhance aviation safety. We plan to use 
infrastructure funds for navigational aid improvements, LED airfield 
lighting conversion, and electrical vault improvements. These funds 
will help us to complete much-needed safety improvements that don't 
compete as well for AIP discretionary funds like those projects 
involving runway and taxiway improvements.
    While IIJA funding will serve as an important down payment to help 
bridge the enormous funding gap for airport infrastructure nationwide, 
the need for additional federal investment remains. According to the 
FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) for 2021-
2025, airports have $43.6 billion in Airport Improvement Program-
eligible projects--or $8.7 billion annually. And that figure does not 
include other necessary infrastructure projects, which increases total 
airport capital needs to more than $20 billion annually, according to 
ACI-NA.
    The AIP-eligible infrastructure needs for GA airports identified in 
the NPIAS total over $14.5 billion. But that estimate does not factor 
in rising inflation; increasing labor and construction costs; and 
supply chain constraints. We are seeing the impacts of inflation 
firsthand in Naples. We recently updated our capital improvement 
program budget after seeing several bids come in well above our 2022 
budget. We now project costs to increase nearly 50 percent from 2019 
projections. These price increases bring our 5-year capital needs to 
$105 million.
    As members of this subcommittee know, GA and smaller commercial 
service airports disproportionately rely on AIP funding to meet their 
infrastructure needs; however, the authorization for traditional AIP 
funding hasn't increased since 2012. As Congress prepares for the next 
FAA reauthorization bill, AAAE is urging Congress to increase 
traditional AIP funding and continue to authorize funds for 
supplemental discretionary grants to help GA and commercial service 
airports meet their ongoing infrastructure needs.
    In conjunction with increasing AIP funding, we ask Congress to 
reexamine the AIP entitlement for all nonprimary airports, including GA 
airports, since it has remained the same amount for every airport for 
more than 20 years despite inflation and the dramatic differences in 
aircraft activity, operations, and economic impact at the wide array of 
GA airports. The NPIAS categorizes nonprimary airports based on their 
activity level as either national, regional, local, or basic. National 
airports, like Naples, have ``very high levels of activity'' and are in 
metropolitan areas. The Naples Airport has nearly 400 based aircraft, 
105,000 annual operations and a $440 million annual economic impact.
    Regional airports have ``high levels of activity'' and are also in 
metropolitan areas. A regional airport near Naples has 33 based 
aircraft, 58,000 annual operations and a $32 million annual economic 
impact. Local airports have ``moderate levels of activity'' and often 
accommodate flight training and emergency services. Basic airports have 
``moderate to low levels of activity'' and provide facilities for 
private GA pilots.
    Considering rising inflation over the past 20 years and the wide 
diversity of GA airports, I believe that Congress should work with the 
airport community to consider proposals that would refine the AIP 
nonprimary entitlement to address increased costs and to align with 
each of the nonprimary categories versus the current one-size-fits-all 
policy.
                       FAA Contract Tower Program
    I would like to thank the leadership and members of this 
subcommittee for being strong supporters of the FAA Contract Tower 
(FCT) Program--a successful public private partnership that enhances 
aviation safety at GA and commercial service airports around the 
country. Naples is one of 260 airports from 46 states, including 26 in 
Florida, that currently participate in the FCT program, which manages 
28 percent of the nation's air traffic control operations at towered 
airports. The program has been audited numerous times by the Department 
of Transportation Office of Inspector General, which has consistently 
validated that contract towers are cost effective and maintain safety 
records comparable to FAA-staffed towers.
    The IIJA included at least $300 million over five years to repair 
or replace aging air traffic control towers at FCT airports--$100 
million for sponsor-owned facilities and $200 million for FAA-owned 
facilities. Considering that many air traffic control towers are 50 
years of age or older, this funding is a welcome step in the right 
direction. But we urge Congress to provide additional resources to 
replace outdated towers, and to make NextGen equipment and radar 
displays available for installation at contract towers. These actions 
would ensure contract towers can continue to operate safely and 
efficiently.
    The pilot shortage has understandably received a great deal of 
attention in recent weeks. But we're facing an increasing shortage of 
air traffic controllers, too. The companies that operate contract 
towers are experiencing intensifying staffing pressures brought upon by 
COVID-19, prior vaccine mandates, the rising cost of living, and 
frequent vacancies created when younger controllers leave their 
positions at FCT airports to serve at FAA-staffed towers.
    The Naples Tower has only a manager and seven controllers to fill a 
16-hour daily schedule with up to four controllers working 
simultaneously during peak periods of activity. Additionally, I only 
recall two brief periods in my six-year tenure where the Naples Tower 
was fully staffed. With a small staff, even one vacancy can have a big 
impact.
    We urge Congress to ask the FAA to refine its staffing methodology 
and to work with contractors to minimize the adverse impact when the 
FAA hires controllers from contract towers to work at FAA-staffed 
facilities, especially with short or no notice. We encourage the FAA to 
work with the companies that operate contract towers to allow 
innovative hiring and training processes to increase the stream of 
applicants to be qualified controllers. We also recommend that the FAA 
collaborate with their colleagues at the Department of Labor to address 
the rising cost of living for controllers by updating the Service 
Contract Wage Act. Further, we urge the FAA to carefully consider how 
any proposed realignment of service areas could impact the successful 
FCT program.
    Finally, I would like to thank Representatives Julia Brownley (D-
CA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) for introducing H.R. 1283, the Continuity 
for Operators with Necessary Training Required for ATC Towers 
(CONTRACT) Act and everyone on this subcommittee who cosponsored it. 
This bipartisan legislation, which currently has 75 cosponsors, would 
provide an incentive for retired federal air traffic controllers to 
continue working as controllers at contract tower airports and help 
reduce staffing challenges those airports are facing. The CONTRACT Act 
would help reduce some of those intense staffing strains, and I urge 
Congress to pass the legislation as soon as possible.
                             Aircraft Noise
    Like many other communities, Naples is extremely noise sensitive 
with residential development surrounding the airport. Downtown Naples 
is less than a mile from the end of our primary runway. Naples has long 
been known as an industry leader in noise abatement as the only airport 
to successfully complete a Part 161 Study known as a Notice and 
Approval of Airport Noise and Access Restriction that resulted in the 
ban of Stage II noise emission jets 15 years ahead of their nationwide 
phase out in 2015. The airport is once again working to develop noise 
abatement strategies in response to the rapid growth in jet activity 
over the past few years through its fourth Part 150 Noise Study.
    During a hearing before this subcommittee in May, the FAA indicated 
that, ``Since the mid-1970s, the number of people living in areas 
exposed to significant levels of aircraft noise in the United States 
has declined from roughly 7 million to about 440,000 in 2019.'' 
However, the FAA's recent Neighborhood Environmental Survey, released 
in January 2021, indicates that community annoyance associated with 
aircraft noise is considerably greater than in the past. Despite 
significant advancements in aircraft engine technology coupled with the 
Naples Airport Authority's long history of noise abatement and public 
engagement efforts, we have found that members of the community are 
still substantially affected by aircraft noise. It's clear that federal 
noise policy established decades ago has proven to be extremely 
beneficial, but it's time we reevaluate how to best respond to the 
current environment.
    The viability of many GA airports may be at risk by maintaining the 
status quo. On behalf of the Naples Airport Authority and our 
community, I believe a fundamental update of federal noise policy is 
needed along with a more collaborative approach between the FAA, 
airports, and local communities. One example may be to permit common 
sense measures like seasonal contours for communities like Naples 
(where two thirds of jet activity occur in a five-month period) that 
would better help to address unique dynamics rather than the one-size-
fits-all policy we have today. Changes to philosophy in airspace design 
that give greater consideration to community noise exposure would help 
to build greater trust between the FAA, airports, and the communities 
they serve. Additional research towards further reductions in aircraft 
engine and airframe noise should also be considered.
                              Leaded Avgas
    Like our counterparts at commercial service airports, GA airports 
are doing our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to promote 
sustainability. For decades, the GA industry has also been focused on a 
smart and safe transition toward an unleaded high-octane fuel that 
meets the needs of the entire GA fleet. So far, only low-compression 
engines can burn the unleaded fuels that are currently available. 
However, 75 percent of the total GA aviation gas (avgas) consumption is 
by aircraft requiring 100-octane fuel, which presently can only be 
achieved with a lead-based additive.
    Through AAAE, GA airports are participating in the Eliminate 
Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, a public-private 
partnership between the federal government and industry stakeholders to 
transition to lead-free avgas for piston-engine aircraft by the end of 
2030. Like the proposed blender's tax credit for sustainable aviation 
fuels, we believe similar incentives to scale up production and 
distribution of these new GA fuels will be critical to a successful 
transition.
    GA airports are eager to be part of the solution to transition away 
from leaded avgas and better understand what types of infrastructure 
improvements are needed to support widespread use of the new fuel. 
Updated AIP eligibility criteria for new storage and distribution 
systems at GA airports is likely needed. Nevertheless, I believe the 
premature ban of leaded avgas before a viable replacement is approved 
would threaten the economic viability of most GA airports and should be 
rejected.
                                  PFAS
    Since the 1970s, FAA has required Part 139 commercial service 
airports to provide aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) services 
using aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) that meet specific standards 
for firefighting. These approved foams contain PFAS. Many GA airports 
have relied upon and followed FAA guidance in using AFFF to ensure 
aviation safety. Like Part 139 airports, GA airports are anxiously 
awaiting the FAA to approve a fluorine-free foam.
    On May 31, the U.S. Navy provided industry with an opportunity to 
comment on a draft MIL-SPEC for a fluorine-free foam, signaling that 
the Department of Defense (DOD) and FAA are making significant progress 
in finding a suitable replacement foam to AFFF and are on track to meet 
the January 2023 deadline set in the FY20 National Defense 
Authorization Act. However, without a proactive transition plan from 
FAA in collaboration with other relevant federal stakeholders, the 
transition from AFFF to fluorine-free foam for airports of all sizes 
that have either used AFFF by regulation or in accordance with FAA 
guidance will likely face numerous hurdles.
    I encourage this committee to press the FAA, in coordination with 
the Environmental Protection Agency and DOD, to provide timely guidance 
for all airports to prepare for such a transition. That guidance should 
include: acceptable standards and practices for the decontamination of 
existing ARFF vehicles and other equipment; timelines to procure 
fluorine-free foam; cost-effective options for the disposal of existing 
foam; and how airports can properly train firefighters to use new 
fluorine-free foam.
                          Resiliency Planning
    Much of the U.S. population and air transportation infrastructure 
is located at relatively low coastal elevations. Rising sea levels 
combined with more frequent, greater intensity storms are increasingly 
placing many airports at risk. The Federal Emergency Management 
Agency's updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps reflect the growing 
vulnerability of coastal areas, and the changes in Base Flood Elevation 
are increasingly inhibiting airport growth and redevelopment.
    In Southwest Florida, both the Army Corps of Engineers and National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have recently undertaken 
separate efforts to study and plan for the adaptation of coastal urban 
and natural ecosystems. However, in my experience, the FAA has not been 
aligned with those initiatives. For example, it was critical for us to 
include a resilience planning component to Naples' recent Master Plan 
update given the low elevation of our airfield facilities at only five 
to seven feet above sea level. Disappointingly, though, the FAA deemed 
that element ineligible for AIP funding.
    In the past, the FAA has successfully partnered with other federal 
agencies on important environmental issues such as wildlife hazards at 
airports. We urge Congress to explore opportunities for the FAA to 
better collaborate with airports, their communities, and other federal 
agencies to help plan for and fund resiliency efforts.
                         Advanced Air Mobility
    The future of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is quickly becoming the 
present for the aviation industry, with several companies currently 
developing eVTOL aircraft. These aircraft, which will range in size 
from single-passenger aircraft to large shuttles, will bring 
accessibility to cities, underserved communities, and geographically 
distant regions, while also offering immense environmental advantages. 
Existing infrastructure, and in particular, GA airports, will likely 
play a major role in this new, AAM ecosystem.
    As federal stakeholders develop various regulations and standards 
to help advance the maturation of AAM aircraft operations and vertiport 
design, it is imperative that GA airports play an integral part in that 
process. The House-passed Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and 
Leadership Act, which was introduced by Representative Sharice Davids 
(D-KS) and Ranking Member Graves, would do just that by ensuring that 
airport operators have a seat at the table as federal and industry 
stakeholders coordinate efforts to safely integrate these new 
technologies into the NAS.
    Concurrently, Congress should provide additional funding for AAM 
vertiport infrastructure at GA airports without jeopardizing funding 
for traditional airport infrastructure projects. The House-passed AAIM 
Act, introduced by Chairman Larsen and Ranking Member Graves, would 
accomplish this by making airport sponsors eligible for planning grants 
to develop and deploy vertiport infrastructure required for AAM 
operations. I would like to thank the members of this subcommittee for 
your continued leadership on this important issue and for supporting 
these two pieces of legislation, which will help bring us one step 
closer into making AAM a reality.
                               Conclusion
    In closing, GA airports like Naples are complex aviation centers, 
acting as national assets that play an indispensable role in meeting 
the specific needs of the communities they serve. The COVID-19 pandemic 
has showcased just how critical GA airports are to the NAS, and with 
continued support from Congress, the future for GA airports is brighter 
than ever.
    I am grateful for the opportunity to provide these views of the 
general aviation airport community on how we can maintain and grow GA 
operations across the country. On behalf of AAAE and all my colleagues 
at GA and commercial services airports around the country, we look 
forward to working with this subcommittee as you gear up for the next 
FAA reauthorization bill. Thank you for your consideration and the 
opportunity to testify.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much. I appreciate 
it very much.
    I now turn to Jim Viola from the Helicopter Association 
International. You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Is that microphone turned on, please?
    Mr. Viola. Thank you. Chairman Larsen----
    Mr. Larsen of Washington [interrupting]. And then if you 
could pull the microphone right--there you go.
    Mr. Viola. Closer?
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. There you go.
    Mr. Viola. Chairman Larsen, Chairman DeFazio, Senior Member 
Graves, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for your 
leadership and for holding this hearing today. I appreciate the 
opportunity to provide testimony today.
    Every day, vertical flight serves the public good. The 
unique capabilities of vertical flight mean we can accomplish 
missions that no other aircraft can. Our members perform 
various services, including air medical, law enforcement, 
firefighting, heavy construction, urban air mobility, and more.
    For example, helicopter air ambulance operators transport 
roughly 1,000 injured or critically ill patients every day. 
Ensuring the safety of those who fly is always HAI's top 
priority. Air safety management system, or SMS, is vital to 
reducing accidents and ensuring that every person understands 
they are responsible for safety.
    HAI's SMS program allows all operators and maintenance 
providers to elevate their safety. HAI supports requiring SMS 
programs for all operations carrying passengers for hire and 
strongly recommends that all aviation operations implement an 
SMS program.
    One of the most significant safety projects we have 
undertaken is co-leading the Vertical Aviation Safety Team, or 
VAST. It is an expansion of the International Helicopter Safety 
Team, and I am honored to serve as a co-adviser with Miguel 
Marin, who represents the International Civil Aviation 
Organization. And VAST is a public-private initiative designed 
to enhance safety in the vertical flight industry worldwide.
    Our programs for safety are designed also for future 
aircraft. HAI has been an early supporter of AAM and UAS 
technology. Our members have been operating in vertical mode 
for 75 years. It makes complete sense for our members to 
embrace and use this new technology. We strongly support the 
development, certification, and safe integration of AAM and UAS 
aircraft into the National Airspace System.
    The FAA must have an effective yet flexible certification 
system that enhances flight safety and enables the swift 
recognition and adoption of new technologies, while 
facilitating a user-friendly process that is economically 
viable. Investment in AAM infrastructure, along with the 
improvements in the certification process, will ensure that the 
United States remains as a world leader in aviation.
    Today, helicopters are performing many urban air mobility 
missions that future AAM aircraft will do. To remedy future 
roadblocks for AAM, we must solve current pinch points for the 
vertical flight.
    Airspace congestion resulting in reduced access to low-
level IFR routes is of serious concern for current helicopter 
operations. So too is the access to the ground infrastructure. 
We must increase vertical flights' ground and air access points 
or face a detrimental impact on the future success of AAM.
    We must always consider community compatibility. HAI's Fly 
Neighborly program is a voluntary initiative for employing 
noise mitigation technology and increasing effective community 
communication.
    On June 24, HAI partnered with the Eastern Region 
Helicopter Council, introducing a helicopter noise complaint 
system for the Washington, DC, metro area. Using available 
flight tracking data, the systems will accurately identify 
likely aircraft generating the concerns.
    Just flying safely and in compliance with the regulations 
is not enough. We must also fly neighborly. It is in the best 
interest of everyone.
    HAI is dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from 
aircraft and developing and using sustainable aviation fuel. 
Incentivizing SAF and investing in sustainable aviation 
initiatives are essential steps Congress should take.
    Another important environmental issue is the transition to 
lead-free aviation fuel. The Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead 
Emissions, the EAGLE initiative, as mentioned earlier, lays out 
a plan to transition to lead-free aviation fuels by the end of 
2030. HAI is committed to this partnership.
    Due to the pandemic-related economic disruptions, many 
seasoned pilots and technicians retired early. Congress, the 
FAA, and industry stayed focused and recognized that developing 
the next generation of pilots and mechanics requires a long-
term commitment. We appreciate Congress' creation and funding 
of the Aviation Workforce Development Grant program in the 2018 
FAA Reauthorization Act, and HAI strongly encourages continued 
support of the grants program.
    HAI also encourages congressional support for the 
innovative State programs that enable outreach and education to 
students to get started in the aviation industry.
    Management of the Federal spectrum policy remains an issue 
also of high concern for general aviation.
    In coordination, we look for a long-term solution and 
replacements of the safety-critical equipment.
    I thank the committee again for the opportunity to provide 
the perspective of the vertical flight industry, and I look 
forward to our work together on these important issues. My full 
comments are offered for the record, and I welcome any 
questions.
    [Mr. Viola's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
   Prepared Statement of James Viola, President and Chief Executive 
             Officer, Helicopter Association International
    Chairman Larsen, Ranking Member Graves, and Members of the 
Subcommittee, I want to thank you for holding this hearing on the state 
of general aviation. I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony 
today on the vertical flight industry.
    I have been involved in aviation for more than 35 years and have 
flown more than 70 types of aircraft, both helicopter and fixed-wing, 
military and civilian. I began my aviation career in the US Army, with 
the majority of my flying done as a special operations helicopter 
pilot. I later joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), where 
I most recently served as director of general aviation safety 
assurance.
    I now serve as president and CEO of Helicopter Association 
International (HAI). As the professional trade association for the 
international vertical flight industry, HAI represents more than 1,100 
companies and over 16,000 industry professionals in more than 65 
countries. Each year, HAI members safely operate more than 3,700 
helicopters and remotely piloted aircraft approximately 2.9 million 
hours. HAI is dedicated to the promotion of vertical flight as a safe, 
effective method of commerce and to the advancement of the 
international vertical flight community.
    Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to safety and the 
continued development and refinement of safe aviation operations.
                        Serving the Public Good
    The unique capabilities of vertical flight--the ability to land and 
take off from practically anywhere, the maneuverability, and the 
ability to hover or fly at very low speeds--mean we can accomplish 
missions that no other aircraft can. Another way we differ from fixed-
wing aircraft is that our operations are conducted at lower altitudes 
and at slower speeds.
    Every day, vertical flight serves the public good. Our members 
perform services including air medical, law enforcement, firefighting, 
heavy construction, utility patrol and maintenance, urban air mobility, 
and more. And our industry is expanding, bringing onto the flight deck 
exciting technology such as advanced air mobility (AAM) and electric 
vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
    All over the country, from densely populated cities to oil rigs 200 
miles offshore, helicopters are used to save lives, serve and protect 
American citizens, and support critical industries in demanding 
environments--and many of those missions are conducted from start to 
finish without the use of airports.
    As just one example of how vertical flight serves the public good, 
consider air medicine. Helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operators 
transport roughly 1,000 injured or critically ill patients every day. 
Up to 50,000 of the more than 300,000 people transported by HAA 
operators during 2021 were transported from off-airport or unimproved 
areas.
                          Commitment to Safety
    Ensuring the safety of those who fly--whether pilots, crews, or 
passengers--is always HAI's top priority. HAI has worked with safety 
advocates worldwide to address continued safety improvements for the 
vertical flight industry. We worked with the US Helicopter Safety Team 
to produce the award-winning ``56 Seconds to Live'' education program, 
and we have a long history with our own Land & LIVE program, which 
encourages pilots to make precautionary landings when flight conditions 
deteriorate. HAI's Safety Management System (SMS) Program allows 
operators and maintenance providers to elevate their safety--
effectively and affordably.
    A safety management system (SMS) is a formal approach to managing 
safety and risk, including organizational structures, accountabilities, 
policies, and procedures to identify and control risk. The four 
components of an SMS--safety policy, safety risk management, safety 
assurance, and safety promotion--work together in providing a safety 
culture. An SMS is vital to reducing the number of accidents in our 
industry, ensuring that every person in an organization, agency, or 
business understands that they are responsible for safety.
    HAI's SMS Program services allow users to verify their compliance 
with current and future international and domestic regulations. While 
not all civil aviation authorities currently require SMS programs for 
all operators and maintenance providers, HAI and the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have recommended the development and 
adoption of safety reporting systems that allow for data to be 
collected and analyzed and corrective action taken where necessary.
    HAI has partnered with providers to offer scalable SMS solutions to 
member businesses. Additionally, the association supports requiring SMS 
programs for all operations carrying passengers for hire. HAI strongly 
recommends that all aviation operations, not just those carrying paying 
passengers, implement an SMS program. HAI is pleased to have just 
recently expanded the scope of its SMS Program by partnering with the 
Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) to provide the latter's SMS for 
aircraft maintenance at no additional cost to HAI members.
    Last fall, HAI announced a partnership with the Air Charter Safety 
Foundation to make the foundation's aviation safety action program 
(ASAP) available to HAI members. An ASAP helps flight operators 
identify and reduce possible flight safety concerns and mitigate risks. 
It's an easy, open, self-reporting initiative offering third-party 
facilitation, tracking, and recommendations for corrective action so 
operators can enhance their overall safety culture.
    In March, HAI announced a partnership with Swiss company NGFT 
Solutions to offer an all-new flight risk assessment tool (FRAT) module 
to HAI members. This safety tool's simple question-and-answer format is 
designed to help operators objectively and truthfully evaluate the 
potential risks of an upcoming flight and any aerial work sites. Once 
the possible risks are identified, mitigation prompts help operators 
think through strategies to reduce the risk and make flying safer.
    Since introducing its scalable SMS Program for helicopter operators 
to members last year, HAI has expanded its tool chest of safety 
products to include the ASAP, FRAT, and now, the Maintenance SMS 
Program for aviation.
    One of the most significant safety projects we've undertaken is co-
leading the Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST). I'm honored to serve 
as a co-advisor for this group with Miguel Marin, representing the 
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). VAST is a public-
private initiative to enhance worldwide flight-operations safety in all 
segments of the vertical flight industry. Team members comprise 
international regional safety teams; safety authorities, including 
civil aviation authorities (CAAs); and other industry stakeholders that 
work to improve global vertical flight safety. VAST's vision is a 
global vertical flight community with zero fatal accidents achieved 
through cooperation and collaboration.
    In the past, international aviation safety information has tended 
to stay within separate organizational and national silos. VAST intends 
to break down these silos so that aviation safety information can flow 
freely globally. To achieve this end, VAST is engaging its regional 
safety teams to receive, integrate, harmonize, and distribute aviation 
safety data, programs, and recommendations worldwide. Additionally, 
VAST serves as an arbiter between the regional safety teams to ensure 
collaboration on and coordination of these initiatives, as well as the 
sharing of final output.
    International regional safety teams, which consist of national and 
industry stakeholders, are formed to improve the safety of civil 
vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) operations in their respective 
national airspace systems.
    In addition to national civil aviation authorities such as the US 
FAA and the CAAs of the United Kingdom, Sudan, and Colombia, aviation 
safety authorities include jurisdictional agencies, such as ICAO and 
the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and nationally 
recognized safety organizations such as the NTSB in the United States, 
the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and the Transport Accident 
Investigation Commission in New Zealand.
    Other industry stakeholders include original equipment 
manufacturers (OEMs), training providers, aircraft operators, service 
providers, and vertical flight industry associations such as HAI, the 
European Helicopter Association, and the Association for Uncrewed 
Vehicle Systems International.
    VAST has five chief goals:
    1.  Establish the organization as the world's most trusted source 
for vertical flight safety information and resources
    2.  Establish working groups to represent key segments and issues 
relevant to the global VTOL industry
    3.  Formalize leadership positions, working groups, and advisory 
roles for participating organizations and individuals
    4.  Identify, collect, harmonize, and deliver centralized access to 
safety information and resources from participating stakeholder 
entities
    5.  Provide and coordinate a forum where regional safety teams, 
safety authorities, and other industry stakeholders can work together 
on vertical flight safety issues.

    Safety is at the heart of everything we do at HAI. Not only are our 
safety programs meant for our members operating helicopters today; our 
programs are designed for future aircraft, as well.
                               Technology
    The vertical flight industry offers an invaluable societal benefit 
that AAM aircraft will only amplify once the necessary regulatory 
framework is implemented. HAI is excited to see the work our 
manufacturers are doing to develop the aircraft of tomorrow while 
they're building the helicopters that are conducting those futuristic 
missions today. Engine OEMs are working to develop powerplants for 
these aircraft, and there are a variety of companies looking at 
alternative fuel sources, from batteries to hydrogen.
    HAI has been an early supporter of AAM and UAS (uncrewed aircraft 
system) technology and sees them as a new business opportunity for the 
helicopter industry. Our members have been and will remain heavily 
engaged in these operations in the coming years. Many have already 
established UAS business lines within their organizations.
    Our members have been operating vertical flight missions for nearly 
75 years. AAM is a new vertical lift mode of transportation, and it 
makes complete sense for our members to embrace and use this new 
technology. We strongly support the development, certification, and 
safe integration of AAM aircraft into the National Airspace System 
(NAS).
    AAM can expand the unique capabilities of vertical flight and 
benefit many people. The FAA must have an effective yet flexible 
certification system that not only ensures flight safety but also 
enables the swift recognition and adoption of new technologies while 
facilitating a user-friendly process that is economically viable. 
Investment in AAM infrastructure today along with improvements in the 
certification process will ensure that the United States is prepared to 
meet the transportation needs of tomorrow as well as remain a world 
leader in aviation.
                                Airspace
    Today, helicopters are performing many urban air mobility (UAM) 
missions that future AAM aircraft will do. To evaluate future 
roadblocks for AAM, we must investigate current pinch points for 
vertical flight in terms of access to airspace and ground 
infrastructure. Airspace congestion resulting in reduced access to low-
level instrument flight rules (IFR) routes is of serious concern for 
current helicopter operators. So, too, is access to heliports.
    Multimodal transportation access points are vital for the future 
success of AAM. Using various forms of transportation, passengers must 
be able to easily access heliports or vertiports to, in turn, ferry 
them to the larger hubs of the airlines. Reducing access points either 
on the ground or in the air will have a detrimental effect on the 
success of AAM.
    Additionally, not only AAM technology but all new aviation devices 
must be safely integrated into the NAS. Helicopter pilots use 
instruments, radios, and their eyes to avoid other aircraft, and 
remotely piloted aircraft or completely autonomous aircraft must have 
the capacity to detect aircraft operating around them. Our members' 
flight profiles and the missions they fly place them all over the 
nation in varied environments at various altitudes. From corporate 
helicopters flying out of high-density urban metroplexes to remote 
heli-logging operations, utility repair work, or firefighting missions, 
helicopters perform operations in a variety of situations and 
locations.
    UASs must be able to avoid other aircraft, both crewed and 
uncrewed, while facilitating the ability of those aircraft to see, 
sense, and avoid the UASs. Additionally, all aircraft in the NAS need 
to conform with the fundamental principles of ``right of way'' and not 
deflect all responsibility and liability to crewed operators. Altering 
the right-of-way hierarchy is not, and never should be, a mitigation 
for an uncrewed system's inability to detect other aircraft in the 
airspace.
                        Community Compatibility
    Whether it is the helicopter of today or tomorrow's AAM, vertical 
flight operations should always consider our responsibility for 
community compatibility. HAI's Fly Neighborly initiative is a voluntary 
noise reduction program that seeks to create better relationships 
between communities and helicopter operators by establishing noise 
mitigation techniques and increasing effective communication. Just 
flying safely and in compliance with regulations is not enough. We must 
also Fly Neighborly; it is in the best interest of everyone.
    As part of HAI's work on Fly Neighborly, we also work with other 
stakeholders to help mitigate helicopter noise. On Jun. 24, HAI, 
partnering with the Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC), 
introduced a new helicopter noise initiative for the Washington, D.C., 
metro area. We established a helicopter noise complaint system for 
individuals in and around the region to share their concerns. HAI and 
ERHC aim to work with the D.C. community to review and process noise 
complaints and use this data to help mitigate helicopter noise. We 
understand that affected residents desire immediate answers to their 
noise questions and complaints. Using available flight tracking data, 
the system will accurately identify likely aircraft generating concerns 
and all associated data. The new initiative focuses on airport and 
aircraft noise complaint-management solutions, noise abatement-
procedure compliance monitoring, and related government and community 
affairs.
                     Sustainability and Environment
    HAI is dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 
aircraft, and the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel 
(SAF) offers a promising opportunity to reduce the aviation sector's 
environmental footprint. SAF remains a more expensive option than 
conventional jet fuel and is not yet commercially viable at scale in 
the current market. Government incentives are needed to boost the 
commercial viability of SAF and establish the United States as a global 
leader in aviation sustainability. Imposing a long-term performance 
based SAF tax credit will accelerate production and use of SAF across 
the general aviation industry. Incentivizing greener alternatives to 
conventional jet fuel and investing in sustainable aviation initiatives 
are essential steps in building the aviation industry of tomorrow.
    Another important environmental issue is the transition to lead-
free aviation fuel. In February, HAI joined leaders of aviation and 
petroleum groups in committing to an initiative laying out a clear plan 
to transition piston-engine aircraft to lead-free aviation fuels by the 
end of 2030. The Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) 
initiative calls for an industry and government partnership to expand 
and accelerate the actions and policies necessary for a viable high-
octane unleaded replacement for the current 100 octane low-lead 
aviation gasoline (100LL), without compromising the existing US 
transportation infrastructure system, aviation safety, and the economic 
and broader public benefits of general aviation.
    This initiative is the right thing to do for the environment and 
the economic health of our industry. HAI is committed to this 
partnership and applauds the broad public-private partnership that has 
come together enabling industry and government to accelerate a 
solution. The vertical flight industry is eager to work with all 
stakeholders to advance the EAGLE initiative.
           National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG)
    HAI has grave concern with how the FAA and the National Park 
Service (NPS) is handling the implementation of the air tour management 
plans (ATMPs) for the 23 eligible national parks. Our concerns relate 
specifically to the transparency of the completion process, operational 
safety, and economic considerations of the plan.
    On May 1, 2020, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ordered 
the FAA and the NPS to file a proposed plan within 120 days for 
bringing all 23 eligible parks into compliance with the National Parks 
Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (NPATMA) within two years and submit 
quarterly updates on the two agencies' progress.
    On Aug. 31, 2020, the FAA and the NPS submitted the proposed plan 
to the Court. The plan outlines the approach and steps the agencies 
will take to meet the Court order and comply with the NPATMA. 
Throughout the plan, the actions reflect coordination of government-to-
government Tribal consultation and other interagency coordination but 
excludes the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG).
    The plan makes no mention of the NPOAG's role. The NPOAG was 
established in the NPATMA to provide advice and counsel with respect to 
commercial air tour operations over and near national parks. The FAA's 
proposed schedule to accomplish the plan, with its heavy focus on 
interagency coordination while omitting the NPOAG, creates a concern 
regarding the transparency of the overall process.
    Excluding critical stakeholders like the NPOAG in this process 
resulted in plans for the initial parks that contain clear safety 
concerns. The plans for the first parks lack consideration of very 
basic aeronautical safety factors. If this flawed process produces such 
results for parks with less traffic, we have significant concerns 
regarding the plans yet to be released for the other parks with more 
complex airspace activity.
    While it is the Court that imposed the two-year deadline on the 
FAA, the agency cannot sacrifice its first priority of maintaining 
safety in the NAS. Rushing to complete the project, without the NPOAG's 
input on safety considerations, has already produce shortcomings that 
will compromise the NAS. While the proposed plan allows for notice and 
comment, not involving the NPOAG to help develop the best framework 
possible for the plan is extraordinarily problematic.
    The draft plan severely curtails the economic viability of the air 
tour industry by limiting flight allocations. To our knowledge, there 
have been no economic studies undertaken to determine the impact on the 
industry and broader aviation community. Air tours offer a low-impact 
approach to experiencing the beauty of our nation's national parks. 
Additionally, air tours provide those with disabilities an opportunity 
to interact with the parks in ways they could not otherwise. Cutting 
air tours without regard to economic considerations will cripple a 
fragile industry trying to recover from the pandemic.
    Congress established its vision and intent for air tours over the 
nation's parks by enacting the NPATMA. This legislation was a product 
of the consensus work performed and recommendations made by the 
National Parks Overflights Working Group. Congress and stakeholders, 
working together, created the road map for the development of the 
ATMPs, which is now being ignored in the rush to complete all the plans 
within two years.
    It is clear from the plans already introduced that the overall 
strategy is to cut back flights to such a degree that it is no longer 
economically feasible for air tour companies to stay in business. This 
shortsighted process ignores the opportunities that exciting new 
technologies that promise quieter flights, such as electrical aircraft, 
can deliver. By removing airspace access for today's aircraft, the FAA 
and NPS are removing airspace access for future generations using 
quieter technologies.
    This process has shut out the voice of safety experts and excluded 
important economic considerations. I strongly urge the FAA and the NPS 
to immediately engage with the NPOAG on the development of these plans. 
The industry is willing to work with other stakeholders, the FAA, and 
the NPS to develop a plan that benefits all involved.
                         Workforce Development
    Due to pandemic-related economic disruptions, many seasoned pilots 
and technicians retired early over the past year. This has only 
exacerbated the shortage of the skilled personnel the industry needs to 
operate safely and efficiently. Congress, the FAA, and industry must 
stay focused and recognize that developing the next generation of 
pilots and maintenance technicians requires a long-term commitment.
    We appreciate Congress setting up the Aviation Workforce 
Development Grants programs in the 2018 Reauthorization Act and 
likewise express gratitude for the funds made available for the 
programs. The grants have encouraged collaboration between schools, 
aviation companies, unions, and government to find new solutions to 
overcome the existing skills gap and help more Americans pursue 
aviation careers. That, in turn, will contribute to the long-term 
efficiency of the nation's aviation system, the industry's global 
competitiveness, and the nation's overall economic health. HAI strongly 
encourages continued support of the grants programs.
    HAI also encourages congressional support for innovative state 
programs that enable outreach and education to students to get started 
in the aviation industry. The Utah Rotor Pathway Program (URPP) serves 
as a first-in-the-nation model for education and training programs 
preparing high school students for STEM careers in rotary-wing 
aviation. We provide students with an avenue to earn college credits 
and learn skills specific to rotary-wing aviation while participating 
in technical classes and hands-on learning experiences at the 
secondary-school level.
    The URPP connects rotorcraft industry professionals with high 
schools, flight schools, and universities to offer benefits such as 
mentoring, internships, and job interviews upon students' completion of 
their rotary-wing aviation programs. The URPP also connects the next 
generation of helicopter pilots and mechanics with the exciting world 
of vertical flight. HAI is working to expand this program into other 
states.
                                   5G
    On June 17, the FAA identified a path forward for part 121 aircraft 
operating in the current 5G environment. Airlines, manufacturers, and 
suppliers have been urged to retrofit radio altimeters on the current 
US fleet by July of 2023. As part of the arrangement, Verizon and AT&T 
have agreed to extend some of the voluntary mitigations that have been 
in place since 5G was deployed in January of this year. These 
mitigations will expire in July of 2023, as new wireless providers 
enter the 5G market. Part 121 aircraft without the necessary filter 
retrofits or radio altimeters replacements will lose access at airports 
around the country.
    As mentioned in the House Transportation and Infrastructure 
Subcommittee's hearing on ``5G Deployment and Aviation Safety'' earlier 
this year, FAA has placed primary focus on developing near-term 
solutions for the airlines because of the generally higher level of 
criticality on certain part 121 operations. Shortly after 5G was 
deployed, FAA partially granted HAI's petition for exemption which 
allow air ambulance operators to use safety-enhancing night vision 
goggles in areas where the aircraft's radio altimeter could be 
unreliable due to 5G C-band interference as identified by NOTAMs. 
Operators must comply with specific conditions and limitations. Similar 
to aircraft operating under part 121, helicopters can perform day and 
night operations that do not require the use of a radio altimeter. The 
FAA has also made progress on alternative means of compliance (AMOCs) 
for rotorcraft, but much work remains to be done to ensure all 
rotorcraft operations can safely continue unimpeded by 5G-related 
restrictions.
    HAI is pleased to participate in the FAA's regularly occurring 5G 
Roundtable discussions, which bring together aviation and 
telecommunications stakeholders with the intended purpose of 
identifying and implementing solutions that lead to a safe coexistence. 
HAI also appreciates the ability to participate in weekly, FAA-hosted 
meetings that are focused exclusively on solutions for rotorcraft.
    It is HAI's understanding that the FAA has received a low number of 
verified 5G incident reports from helicopter operators. Nevertheless, 
we understand that new towers will go live each month and that new 
entrants will also add to the complexity of an already difficult 
situation. We remain committed to working with this committee, FAA, 
FCC, as well as other aviation and telecommunications stakeholders to 
identify workable solutions that maintain safety and minimize 
disruptions to the national airspace system. Respectfully, we request 
the members of this esteemed committee consider reforms to spectrum 
management policy that provide enhanced transparency, efficiency, and 
interagency coordination on long-term solutions that do not require 
multiple costly retrofits or replacements.
    While the US rotorcraft fleet has not been tasked with meeting the 
FAA's ambitious retrofit schedule for part 121 aircraft, new minimum 
operational performance standards (MOPS) for radio altimeters are being 
considered that could have significant implications for helicopters. 
HAI firmly believes it is imperative for FAA to consider performance-
based solutions that account for the broad range of rotorcraft mission 
and safety profiles. As FAA continues to develop near- and long-term 
solutions and requirements to mitigate the safety concerns related to 
5G interference with radio altimeters, there must be complete 
transparency, ample timing for industry adoption, and sufficient 
resources for implementation.
                               Conclusion
    I thank the committee, again, for the opportunity to provide the 
perspective of the vertical flight industry and look forward to 
continuing our work together on these important issues. I welcome any 
questions.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
    I now turn to Pete Bunce, president and CEO of General 
Aviation Manufacturers Association.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Bunce. Thank you, Chair Larsen.
    And to Ranking Member Garret Graves and to Chair DeFazio 
and Ranking Member Sam Graves, thanks for holding this hearing.
    And, Chair DeFazio, thank you for your lifelong commitment 
and career-long commitment to aviation. We are all going to be 
proud to have you looking down on us with your portrait and 
making sure we continue on and working across the aisle, 
because this committee has truly been one that has been 
bipartisan in nature, and that has been so important to our 
industry and allowing us to be able to thrive as we have.
    But I am here to tell you that, today, I have never seen a 
time where the manufacturers and maintenance organizations are 
under such tough times. And you mentioned a few of those in 
opening remarks.
    If we look at our workforce, had you and this committee not 
passed the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Act during 
the pandemic, we would have lost a lot of our skilled 
workforce. And even with that, we are down 20 percent in 
virtually every one of our factories in both maintenance 
technicians, manufacturing technicians, and also engineers.
    In addition to that, we need some help in the next 
reauthorization. The section 625 grants that you passed in the 
last reauthorization were focused toward pilots and maintenance 
professionals. We need that expanded to manufacturing 
professionals. Workforce is absolutely critical to us.
    We have also talked about supply chain. And the impact of 
supply chain on our industry is a little different than other 
industries, because the FAA is so immersed in that process. So, 
it is very difficult to switch out things.
    Mr. DeFazio, a company in your State, all they did is 
switch out an LED landing light from one to a new manufacturer. 
It took them 8 months to get a response from the FAA to be able 
just to switch out one light bulb for another, and then the FAA 
told them they were going to have to recertify the system.
    Fortunately, they changed their mind on that one, but that 
is what industry is facing right now when we try to go and deal 
with the supply chain shortage. And also, a lot of our 
companies are having to spend a lot of their engineering time 
just trying to source things, like chips and that, from 
throughout the industry.
    But probably the most debilitating thing that I have seen 
right now, and it is a perfect storm, is really what I am 
seeing with the FAA. In my 17\1/2\ years of doing this, I have 
never seen us have the bureaucracy grind the industry to almost 
a halt. And what has happened now is, it is that perfect storm.
    You have a lot of the engineers and technical experts at 
the FAA are brandnew to their jobs. Forty percent have less 
than 3 years of regulating. Then they are working at home. Now, 
when they are working at home, they can't collaborate together, 
they can't talk to one another, so, they are sending written 
notices to each other that just slows down the process.
    But worse than anything else is the funnel all goes now to 
FAA legal, and that funnel is clogged. And a lot of it is self-
inflicted wounds. So, policy and guidance has virtually stopped 
coming out of the agency, and we have to have policy and 
guidance to be able to provide the innovative, technical 
solutions that start to reduce pilot error, and that equates 
directly to safety.
    If you want to improve general aviation safety, you have 
got to let technology advance, and we can't be having these 
self-inflicted wounds of everything having to go through the 
funnel, including very technical standards that legal review 
doesn't do anything but change ``glad'' to ``happy,'' add a few 
commas in there, and put it in legalese language the technical 
experts don't have a chance to really understand. So, it is a 
true problem that we have out there.
    Issue resolution is also something very important. You 
called for that in the last reauthorization. It started to 
happen before the pandemic. It has virtually died right now. We 
have to have a process. As I mentioned to this committee 
before, if you get five engineers in the room, you get seven 
different opinions because they will argue with themselves, and 
we have to have a process where we have a review that moves up 
the chain, somebody can make a decision.
    Now, we have very good people that have been put in very 
responsible positions within the FAA, but we have got to allow 
them to make those decisions, and feel confidence that they can 
do that.
    Finally, in the last reauthorization, you talked about the 
SOCAC and the importance of having industry specialists to 
advise the FAA on policy that they are doing. The SOCAC 
virtually has not been active, it hasn't produced anything, it 
hasn't been tasked with anything. We have got to reenergize 
that process.
    We are talking about advanced air mobility. We will have a 
chance to talk about that a little more. That technology is 
dependent upon us being able to get through the system 
expeditiously, and one of the problems is, right now, with 
traditional aviation manufacturing being halted by a lot of the 
process in the FAA, how are we ever going to have global 
leadership as we move into this new world?
    So, I look forward to your questions. Thank you.
    [Mr. Bunce's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
  Prepared Statement of Peter J. Bunce, President and Chief Executive 
          Officer, General Aviation Manufacturers Association
    Chair Rick Larsen and Ranking Member Garret Graves, on behalf of 
the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and its member 
companies, thank you for convening today's hearing which focuses on the 
opportunities and challenges facing general aviation. For general 
aviation manufacturers and the industry overall, this is a 
transformative time, and it is very exciting to be with you as we work 
together to plot and navigate the industry's future path.
    We want to state the deep appreciation we have for this Committee 
and the United States Congress for their support of the general 
aviation industry. We look forward to working with you, House 
Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio and Ranking 
Member Sam Graves, members of the House Aviation Subcommittee, and the 
membership of the full committee on issues of critical importance to 
the future strength of the United States (U.S.) general aviation 
segment and the broader aviation ecosystem. I also want to take this 
opportunity to thank Chair DeFazio for his leadership and dedication on 
aviation issues during his service on this committee and in Congress.
    GAMA represents more than 140 of the world's leading manufacturers 
of general aviation airplanes, rotorcraft, engines, avionics, 
components, and related services and technologies. GAMA members are 
also providers of maintenance and repair services, fixed-based 
operations, pilot and maintenance training, and aircraft management. 
Additionally, GAMA represents companies in the emerging sector of 
advanced air mobility, which includes the development of vertical take-
off and landing aircraft as well as electric propulsion, hydrogen-
powered aircraft and autonomous systems for civil purposes. GAMA 
companies have facilities in 47 U.S. states and 15 countries. A recent 
economic impact study determined that the general aviation industry 
supports $247 billion in economic output and 1.2 million jobs in the 
U.S.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ General Aviation's Contributions to the U.S. Economy, 2018 
Price Waterhouse Coopers Study on behalf of Aircraft Electronics 
Association (AEA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), 
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), General Aviation Manufacturers 
Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                State of General Aviation Manufacturing
    The general and business aviation industry has endured a great deal 
since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have faced numerous 
challenges and our resiliency was tested, but our manufacturers 
actively managed their way through with a focus on the safety of our 
employees, the growth of our businesses, and relations with customers. 
As we begin to come out of the pandemic, we are seeing that our 
industry is alive with new aircraft, avionics, engine, and electric 
motor developments with a keen eye on the future.
    On behalf of the general aviation manufacturing industry, I want to 
thank you for the U.S. Small Business Administration Payroll Protection 
Program (PPP) and the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) 
Program which assisted manufacturers and maintenance providers, 
especially small and mid-size businesses, impacted by the pandemic. In 
particular, the AMJP payroll assistance program, a fifty-fifty cost 
share program between employers and the federal government, focused on 
protecting workers and strengthening a fragile supply chain and we 
deeply appreciate the leadership role of Chair Larsen and Rep. Ron 
Estes (R-KS) in these efforts. Funding from this program assisted 
employees in 43 states and Puerto Rico, illustrating the breadth and 
scope of U.S. aviation manufacturing.
    GAMA's latest General Aviation Aircraft Shipments and Billings 
Report, which was released in late February, showed that our industry 
began to recover in 2021. While not back to pre-pandemic numbers, 
overall, when compared to 2020, all aircraft segments--airplanes and 
helicopters--saw increases in aircraft deliveries for a total value at 
$26.7 billion, an increase of 9.8 percent. Currently, total aircraft 
shipments are converging on figures that were seen before the outset of 
the pandemic with one exception: piston airplane training airplanes 
which are seeing delivery rates exceeding numbers we have not seen 
since the first half of the last decade.
    During the pandemic, GAMA conducted a member company survey and 70 
percent of the survey respondents reported supply chain issues and our 
members continue to face challenges in this area. Our industry's supply 
chain constraints mirror those of the broader economy, including 
logistics of sourced parts such as computer chips, higher than usual 
churn in employee turnover, and de-risking each supplier through active 
engagement by our member companies. We also see operators flying at 
higher levels, for some segments exceeding operations seen in 2019, 
which places further demand on supporting operators with parts to 
support the overhaul and regular maintenance of the fleet as hours are 
being added.
    We applaud the leadership of this committee for the recent 
introduction and Committee passage of the ``Aerospace Supply Chain 
Resiliency Task Force'', which would identify and assess risks as well 
as detail best practices and mitigations to help protect the U.S. 
aerospace supply chain against future disruptions.
       Addressing Certification, Validation and Regulatory Issues
    GAMA also recognizes the congressional engagement and work that 
culminated in the passage of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and 
Accountability Act (ACSAA). An effective, reliable certification 
process is critical for safety and the industry's ability to deliver 
new aircraft and technologies to the U.S. and global market. We want to 
work with the Committee as you evaluate the implementation of ACSAA 
especially given FAA delays, as an example, in promulgating a safety 
management system rule for manufacturers. We suggest the following 
areas of focus:
      Forty percent of the employees in the FAA Certification 
Office have less than three years of direct certification experience, 
which underscores the workforce challenges being faced. Given this, 
GAMA believes emphasis must be placed at the project level to ensure 
FAA has an adequate level of staff resources, including appropriate 
training. This emphasis will be particularly needed to improve safety 
oversight and ensure timely consideration of projects.
      FAA should more effectively utilize the Safety Oversight 
and Certification Advisory Committee (SOCAC) to help facilitate 
implementation as well as to look at other improvements for the 
certification process.
      Getting product to the international marketplace has also 
faced impediments. FAA recently stood up an International Validation 
Branch, but it lacks resources and staffing to engage with other 
foreign authorities and fully develop tools, such as metrics and 
validation workplans, to facilitate both incoming and outgoing 
validation projects. These investments and improvement activities are 
critical to ensuring the effectiveness of bilateral agreements and 
validation of product into the global marketplace.
      A contributing factor to the slow certification of 
product has been significant delays in the promulgation of rulemaking, 
policies, and guidance. There is currently a large backlog of technical 
standards, policy memos, orders, and advisory circulars. These delays 
are impacting all facets of aviation and frustrate industry and 
policymakers alike. There is a lack of transparency and accountability 
in this process, and it is hindering safety, security, and U.S. 
advancements and competitiveness. A congressionally directed study may 
be warranted to look at process improvements including consideration of 
best practices from other regulatory authorities.
      Additionally, FAA must develop a more effective issue 
resolution process so that projects are not held up unnecessarily and 
the right group of technical experts are brought together to resolve 
any differences or technical questions.

           Advancing Workforce Development--FAA and Industry
    Tied closely to certification improvements, collectively both the 
FAA and industry need a strong workforce to meet the safety 
expectations of the flying public and industry growth. The FAA has 
recognized the ongoing challenge to identify and attract talent into 
key safety positions and has maintained an Aviation Workforce Plan in 
their attempt to address these needs. However, the agency needs to 
continue to explore training opportunities and financial incentives as 
well as partnering with industry to better develop a strong workforce 
for both industry and FAA. Finding highly qualified individuals in 
evolving technology is difficult, but especially those in technical 
fields that are rapidly advancing in discovery and application, such as 
modeling, flight crew interface (human factors), system safety, 
software, artificial intelligence, and computer science. Industry would 
be interested in working with FAA and Congress on initiatives to help 
attract these integral, technical skills or other knowledge-sharing 
opportunities that could be of benefit to both FAA and industry 
personnel and advance safety oversight and technical understanding.
    The FAA also addresses their workforce needs by utilizing 
designees. These individuals and organizations in the aviation industry 
are authorized to conduct examinations, perform tests, and issue 
approvals and certificates on behalf of the FAA. Regardless of whether 
these tasks are performed by FAA employees or designees, we suggest the 
FAA be directed to establish minimum standards or credentials 
applicable to all individuals that are making these examinations, 
performing tests, and/or issuing approvals on behalf of the FAA.
    An important complement to workforce efforts at FAA is attracting 
and retaining a competent and capable workforce for the aviation 
industry and at our member companies. This is particularly troublesome 
as our industry is currently struggling to fill technically skilled 
jobs to operate, maintain, and manufacture aircraft. This workforce 
challenge will become even more acute as aviation evolves through 
innovation, which will require a workforce that is more diverse and 
with broader competencies or new skill sets.
    The 2018 FAA Reauthorization provided the Department of 
Transportation with the authority to provide up to $10 million in 
grants to facilitate workforce development of pilots and maintenance 
providers (Section 625).\2\ Our membership believes the scope and 
funding for these programs needs to be significantly expanded, 
particularly given our understanding that demand for this funding has 
been significant. We also believe the program should specifically 
include manufacturing workers as an area of focus. In addition, Section 
625 should be modified to measure results and provide feedback from 
participants, engage school counselors more directly in aviation 
workforce efforts, and facilitate training to teachers on how to start 
and conduct a successful aviation education program. Attention should 
also be paid to track how a program applicant will connect students 
with either jobs or the next step in the education process (for 
example, from high school to college or a technical school) to sustain 
a pipeline of talent to the industry long-term and emphasize activities 
that engage, educate, and equip participants to directly feed into the 
aviation sector.
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    \2\ FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254)
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    Finally, we would like to highlight that this is the ten-year 
anniversary of GAMA's Aviation Design Challenge. The challenge has had 
over 600 teams participate, representing over 400 high schools from 48 
states and has inspired many students to get involved in general 
aviation and/or pursue a college degree or career path related to the 
sector. In August, the winning team from upstate New York will travel 
to CubCrafters based in Washington State to participate in a week-long 
aviation manufacturing experience, which includes hands-on exposure to 
the production of aircraft. Our second-place team from Washington State 
will participate in a two-day STEM lab camp which creates a fun, 
engaging learning environment through the hands-on training of a flight 
simulator and fosters interests in STEM outside the classroom.
                      Addressing Piston Fleet Fuel
    The FAA has joined with aviation and petroleum industry 
stakeholders to work toward transitioning to lead-free aviation fuels 
for piston-engine aircraft by the end of 2030. The Eliminate Aviation 
Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative will expand and accelerate 
government and industry actions and investments as well as establish 
the necessary policies and activities to permit both new and existing 
general aviation aircraft to operate lead-free, without compromising 
aviation safety and the economic and broader public benefits of general 
aviation.
    We recognize that this is very ambitious, and each of the 
organizations involved are fully committed to EAGLE's success with work 
well underway. A key component of the EAGLE initiative will include an 
assessment of airport infrastructure needed to foster distribution of 
any certified and commercially viable replacement unleaded fuel or 
fuels.
    The importance of this initiative to general aviation and U.S. 
general aviation infrastructure cannot be overstated. There are more 
than 13,000 different airports which service the roughly 170,000 piston 
engine general aviation fleet. While we have been working to find a 
safe high-octane unleaded avgas for some time, we expect the 
Environmental Protection Agency to move forward with an endangerment 
finding this year which will trigger regulatory activity to ban leaded 
avgas. The clock is ticking, and we need to move quickly so that 
manufacturers have time to design, develop, certify, and build products 
that can operate safely on whichever unleaded fuel or fuels reach the 
market. In the interim, the safety and viability of general aviation 
will be dependent on continuing the provision of 100 low lead avgas at 
airports until an unleaded solution is identified and widely available.
    The EAGLE initiative launched in February of this year. In March, 
all interested stakeholders participated in a kick-off meeting to 
discuss and guide EAGLE's efforts. We had a second stakeholder meeting 
last month to review progress and solicit engagement from all 
interested parties, and a third stakeholder meeting is being planned 
for mid-November. Working groups will meet throughout the year, and we 
expect to have at least three large stakeholder meetings each year to 
review progress and solicit additional input. In addition, at this 
year's EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, governmental and 
industry leaders will participate in a panel discussion to give an 
overview of the initiative to all interested attendees and media. This 
type of outreach is critical given the breadth and scope of this 
initiative and its importance.
                  Progressing Aviation Sustainability
    GAMA's membership is also committed to sustainability efforts. In 
2009, GAMA and the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) 
jointly announced the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change 
(BACCC) \3\, a program to address the industry's carbon emissions, 
through three main objectives:
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      Reducing CO2 emissions 50 percent by 2050 relative to 
2005;
      Improving fuel efficiency 2 percent per year on average 
from 2010 until 2020; and
      Achieving carbon-neutral growth from 2020.

    The industry achieved a 1.9 percent annual improvement in fuel 
efficiency on average since 2010, in line with our goal of a 2 percent 
improvement. At the time the BACCC was released, business aviation had 
already seen a 40 percent improvement in the fuel efficiency of our 
aircraft over the past 40 years.\4\ The industry recently evaluated 
progress on meeting these goals and found that mainly through 
technology improvements and alternative fuels we are on track to meet 
the long-term goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent in 2050 
relative to 2005 levels.
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    After reviewing our progress toward meeting these objectives, the 
business aviation community committed itself to more aggressive goals. 
In October 2021, a renewed effort to address climate change was 
announced with an updated goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.\5\ 
The three primary objectives were also refreshed and include:
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      Achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
      Continue to improve fuel efficiency 2 percent per year on 
average from 2020 to 2030.
      Commit to carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020.

    We are also strong proponents of current FAA programs such as the 
Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) Program as well 
as the Aviation Sustainability Center (ASCENT). By way of background, 
CLEEN is a cost-sharing effort with industry which aims to accelerate 
technology maturation that will reduce noise, emissions, and fuel burn 
and enable the aviation industry to expedite integration of these 
technologies into current and future aircraft. ASCENT is a coalition of 
16 leading U.S. research universities and more than 60 private sector 
stakeholders conducting research to reduce aviation's environmental 
impact. These two partnerships have made significant contributions to 
address climate change within aviation and we look forward to 
leveraging their work further.
    GAMA is also supportive of efforts to accelerate the uptake, 
distribution, and use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through a 
blenders tax credit as well as a grant program to facilitate the 
production, transportation, or storage of SAF. We are also encouraged 
by work on legislation that proposes a grant program, with 30 percent 
of grants going to entities focused on developing, demonstrating, or 
applying low-emission aviation technology, and 70 percent of the 
funding dedicated to producing, transporting, or storing SAF.
    In addition, we believe policymakers should build and expand upon 
existing airport programs to address future aircraft development and 
allow more communities to benefit from low emission technologies. 
Specifically, a focus on issues like airport infrastructure needs, 
operations, maintenance, ground support, and emergency preparedness to 
facilitate these technologies will be critical and merit consideration. 
Clarifying existing Airport Improvement Program (AIP) eligibility and/
or expanding the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) program's 
eligibility as well as possible funding needs should be evaluated as we 
move to the airport of the future that will help facilitate further 
economic and environmental benefit of new propulsion and other 
technologies.
                   Facilitating Advanced Air Mobility
    It is very encouraging to see Congress placing a priority on the 
growth of advanced air mobility (AAM). We are on the cusp of 
transforming the future of human flight with the introduction of 
electric and hybrid powered aircraft into the national airspace system. 
The support of Congress will be instrumental in the emergence of AAM 
and its facilitation of additional transportation options, job 
creation, economic growth, further environmental sustainability, and 
advancement in aerospace technology. Through proper planning and 
infrastructure preparation, and close cooperation with the FAA on 
enabling rulemaking, we can lead the way in this promising new sector.
    GAMA continues to support enactment of the ``Advanced Air Mobility 
Coordination and Leadership Act'' and value the leadership of Vice-
Chair Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA) in 
moving this forward. Passage this year of the legislation will allow 
for valuable work and input to be undertaken in the coming months that 
could help inform the FAA reauthorization legislation next year and 
develop critical policies to uplift the future of AAM.
    We also support ``The Advanced Aviation Infrastructure 
Modernization (AAIM) Act'' sponsored by Chair Rick Larsen (D-WA) and 
Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA). As these vehicles move through the 
certification process, concurrent planning for their infrastructure 
needs should be contemplated to facilitate the needed local planning 
and infrastructure to prepare for future operations, and the AAIM Act 
is intended to encourage this collaboration. This is also increasingly 
relevant as regulators and industry work to define consensus standards 
on vertiports which would serve as an additional infrastructure 
capability that is envisioned for use by AAM aircraft.
    Recently, the FAA shared with AAM applicants a shift in the 
certification process pathway for AAM aircraft. GAMA and its member 
companies have expressed concerns about what this decision might mean 
for type certification and operational approvals, and we continue to 
engage with the FAA to understand and mitigate the implications of this 
decision. One significant area, given the new FAA pathway, is the 
development and publication of a Special Federal Airworthiness 
Regulation (SFAR), which is critical to enabling civil AAM operations 
and pilot licensing. The FAA has committed to completing the SFAR by 
the end of 2024 and it is important that they deliver on this timeline. 
To accomplish this, FAA must work in close collaboration with industry 
stakeholders as well as other government agencies involved in the 
rulemaking process. It is our hope that Congress will conduct oversight 
and hold the FAA accountable for meeting its stated timelines.
    Finally, GAMA is concerned about delays in naming advanced air 
mobility representatives to the FAA's Advanced Aviation Advisory 
Committee (AAAC). This past year, the FAA made the decision to evolve 
the charter and activities of the former Drone Advisory Committee into 
the AAAC and incorporate AAM into their deliberations. Critical to this 
change was the FAA commitment to approaching equal representation from 
the advanced air mobility sector to the AAAC since AAAC overall is 
currently lacking in such representation. We would appreciate any 
oversight the Subcommittee can provide in this area.
                 Managing and Coordinating Spectrum Use
    Our membership utilizes spectrum and supports efforts to ensure its 
availability to meet aviation demands and satisfy operational and 
safety needs. The clear lack of coordination amongst industry and 
government stakeholders to consider all impacts of spectrum use and 
facilitate desired outcomes negatively impacts aviation and broader 
stakeholders, including those in the telecommunications sector seeking 
to deploy and utilize spectrum. Our belief is there is merit in 
stronger intergovernmental coordination and consultation to ensure that 
the full views of the Department of Transportation and FAA, are 
considered and addressed moving forward. This, coupled with increased 
dialogue with the aviation sector is essential to ensure safety and 
operations during the deployment of new spectrum.
                               Conclusion
    In closing, on behalf of GAMA and our membership, I want to thank 
Chair Larsen and Ranking Member Graves for convening this hearing. It 
is an exciting and transformative time for general aviation which holds 
the promise of safety, jobs, innovation, sustainability, and 
competitiveness benefits. GAMA looks forward to working with you to 
help ensure this progress especially as we look towards FAA 
reauthorization in 2023.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    I will now turn to Tim Obitts of the National Air 
Transportation Association. You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Obitts. Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
    And, Chair DeFazio, thanks for being a friend to general 
aviation businesses. You will be missed, but I am sure you are 
going to be around.
    And thank you, Chair Larsen and Ranking Member Graves and 
the other Ranking Graves, for having this opportunity to speak.
    National Air Transportation Association members are 
aviation businesses that serve the general aviation communities 
as FBOs, part 135 91K air carriers, MROs, fuel suppliers, 
flight schools, and fixed-wing aeromedical. The vast majority 
of these members are small businesses, middle-class Americans 
who have a passion for aviation and want to serve their 
communities by providing essential services.
    These businesses serve as a gateway to their communities, 
providing vital, once again, essential services to the public. 
NATA members have, by and large, weathered the storm of COVID, 
and business has increased over pre-COVID levels due to their 
passion and can-do attitude.
    I would like to thank you, this committee, for your 
tireless efforts in helping many aviation businesses along this 
uncertain journey through the CARES Act. However, there are 
warning indicators now that we need to address proactively if 
we want general aviation to continue to thrive. I will address 
these.
    To be certain, NATA is committed to working with you and 
your staff as we look forward to the upcoming FAA 
reauthorization. So, the state of general aviation business is 
simply this: In short, business is up. During COVID, interest 
in general aviation grew, with an increase of new entrants 
taking flying lessons and more passengers recognizing GA as a 
means of safe, reliable, secure, and without delay travel.
    Communities started to recognize the many services GA 
provides through medical, fire, rescue, emergency, mercy 
missions, cargo, and passenger travel, as many were cut off 
from the outside world. General aviation airports and aviation 
businesses serving them became an important life line to the 
community.
    Even with the uptick, we have not seen a full return of 
corporate travel. And over the last couple of months, we have 
seen a flat line to a slight dip in some parts of the country 
in fuel sales.
    What are these indicators that are problematic? The cost of 
insurance for aviation business and pilots has significantly 
increased, if not doubled. We have a workforce shortage and 
increase in wages. The selection pool has grown smaller, maybe 
in part due to the fear of applicants failing drug tests. Costs 
for training as a pilot or A&P mechanic has increased and the 
feeder system by our Armed Forces has slowed.
    You have heard about the logistics supply chain problems. 
Difficulty in getting through the redtape to build hangars and 
making improvement in airports is a real problem. In fact, the 
cost for improvements to airport and building hangars and other 
improvements has increased nearly 50 percent. Delay in 
receiving parts for maintenance. Antiquated rules and 
regulations and delays in certification with over 500 
applications currently pending at the FAA as part of their 
backlog.
    Workforce shortage and lack of allocated resources at the 
FAA of the 4,825 members and employees that serve there, with 
many of the talented and knowledgeable leaving, with more at 
risk. So, we have a risk of brain drain at the FAA.
    We have an attack on airports related to environmental 
issues: PFAS, 100 Low Lead, carbon emission, and noise. Efforts 
by special interest groups to privatize the ATC and make it not 
readily accessible for all loom on the horizon.
    Illegal charter competes with legitimate part 135 and part 
91 air carriers, creating a real safety issue. New technologies 
like AAM will put demand on a limited space at urban GA 
airports. We have to figure out how to integrate.
    And finally, an aging population of small aviation business 
owners with limited entrants with the same experience and 
passion.
    The upcoming authorization offers an opportunity for us to 
modernize FAA and innovate, and create efficient programs and 
wise investments so that general aviation will continue to 
thrive. I know my friends here on the panel will address ways 
to modernize as well, and we have already heard some, and we 
are willing to work with your staff to think with you.
    We need to foster private enterprise investment to airport 
infrastructure through hangars and other improvements. We need 
to invest in the FAA and recruit a capable workforce. We need 
to enforce the laws you have authorized FAA to implement and 
get rid of the antiquated rules and regulations that no longer 
makes sense and cause a quagmire. We need Congress to invest in 
sustainability, provide greater support for programs like the 
FAA ASCENT, and speed up the ASCM process as technology and new 
pathways are discovered.
    Finally, we need to fund apprenticeship programs for 
mechanics and line service workers as we try to grow our 
workforce.
    I look forward to answering any of your questions. Thank 
you.
    [Mr. Obitts' prepared statement follows:]

                                 
Prepared Statement of Timothy R. Obitts, President and Chief Executive 
            Officer, National Air Transportation Association
    Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, Chairman Larsen, Ranking 
Member Graves, and distinguished Subcommittee Members:
    The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the 
voice of aviation businesses for 82 years. In 1940, general aviation in 
the U.S. was at risk. With the looming threat of war, the U.S. Army 
sought to ban all flights by privately owned aircraft in the national 
airspace. That year, 83 charter members representing all types of 
general aviation businesses unified as a singular voice to successfully 
tell Congress and the Administration to keep the airspace open to this 
important industry.
    Today, NATA represents nearly 3,700 aviation businesses across a 
broad cross section of the industry, including fixed base operators, 
Part 135 air carriers and fractional ownership companies, air medical 
operators, flight schools, maintenance repair stations, aviation fuel 
suppliers, and airport sponsors at general aviation airports.
                          Fixed Base Operators
    Fixed base operators (FBOs) are the primary service and fuel 
providers to general aviation aircraft operators, as well as to many 
public essential services such as law enforcement, EMS, and fire 
management. Some FBOs also provide maintenance, flight instruction, and 
aircraft management, rental, charter, and sales. FBOs at many Part 139 
commercial airports perform line maintenance, cabin cleaning, and 
baggage handling for Part 121 commercial, passenger, and cargo airline 
customers.
                    General Aviation Fuel Suppliers
    NATA represent all of the nation's major general aviation fuel 
suppliers who provide aviation businesses with Jet A and Avgas, 
refueler trucks, financing for fuel infrastructure, contract fuel, 
sustainability programs, and other logistical services.
                                Airports
    One of NATA's fastest-growing membership categories is general 
aviation airports. Our nation's 4500 general aviation airports are 
vital economic engines, serving as arrival and departure points for 
economic developers and components for local manufacturing; supporting 
agricultural, law enforcement, and fire-fighting missions; and 
providing access to critical medical care, especially in remote 
communities. By contrast, scheduled air carriers fly only to those 
places where the economics of operation justify service, approximately 
500 airports nationally.
                      Maintenance/Repair Stations
    The term ``repair station'' refers to a maintenance facility that 
has a certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
under 14 CFR Part 145 and is engaged in the maintenance, preventive 
maintenance, inspection, and alteration of aircraft and aircraft 
products. Another more general term used throughout the industry is 
MRO, referring to repair stations as maintenance, repair, and overhaul 
facilities.
                            Flight Training
    Across the country, accredited universities and colleges integrate 
flight training curriculums under 14 CFR 141 into the academic 
requirements for a degree in aviation science, educating the next 
generation of aircraft captains. In addition, many FBOs and independent 
flight instructors provide flight training under 14 CFR Part 61.
                     Part 135 On-Demand Air Charter
    One of the most important contributions of general aviation is 
providing on-demand transportation for freight and passengers, 
especially to airports that have no scheduled commercial air carrier 
service. Most operators using general aviation aircraft in a for-hire 
passenger and/or cargo capacity are certificated to operate under 14 
CFR Part 135 and conduct numerous types of missions, including medical 
flights.
                     Fractional Ownership Companies
    For those who do not need the use of an airplane full time, 
fractional ownership plans offer the benefits of private aviation, 
including on-demand transportation, high service levels, and an 
excellent safety record.
    As the term fractional implies, participants are brought together 
to buy into a specific airplane, with each holding a fractional share 
entitling them to usage of that airplane on a predetermined hourly 
basis, normally over a 12-month period. The day-to-day operational 
management of the aircraft involved in a fractional plan is carried out 
by the plan's operator who is responsible for the acquisition and 
management of the aircraft on behalf of the shareholders. This operator 
also provides flight crews and takes charge of maintenance and 
scheduling.
                          Aeromedical Services
    Approximately 250 organizations in the U.S. are currently engaged 
in the transport of seriously ill or injured people to hospitals for 
emergency care. Air medical transport saves lives by bringing more 
medical capabilities to the patient than are normally provided by 
ground emergency medical services, along with faster transit times to 
the appropriate specialty care location--services not typically 
provided by commercial air carriers.
    Since its founding, NATA has represented the interests of these 
general aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies by 
advocating for sound legislative policies and a consistent regulatory 
framework that collectively maximizes safety and success. The 
Association's advocacy is driven by its policy committees, which 
convene thought-provoking industry leaders to examine contemporary 
issues and pursue solutions to prioritize safety and economic 
viability. To that end, the Association's ongoing major policy 
initiatives include a campaign to end illegal air charter activities; 
efforts to reform outdated fire protection standards and remove PFAS 
chemicals from aircraft hangars; the approval of a safe, drop-in 
unleaded fuel for piston aircraft; and the advancement of innovations 
to reduce the industry's environmental impact, such as sustainable 
aviation fuel and advanced air mobility.
    The Association is not only focused on advocacy, but also on 
elevating the safety and professionalism of the industry. NATA's Safety 
1st program is the industry standard for training general aviation 
support personnel with over 10,000 users at 761 locations. Safety 1st 
empowers organizations and training administrators with flexible tools 
to customize learning pathways that meet the requirements of their 
unique operating environments and the specific learning needs of their 
team members. The Safety 1st Training Center's unique approach to 
learning blends online content and assessment with locally provided on-
the-job training and practical skills assessment. Since 2008, Safety 
1st has trained over 40,000 individuals on topics such as misfuelling 
avoidance, aircraft movement and ramp safety, regulated hazmat 
handling, and flight coordinator training.
    NATA also is represented on numerous working groups with U.S. 
Customs and Border Patrol and the Transportation Security 
Administration on issues pertaining to general aviation security.
    My testimony today will focus on the current state of general 
aviation as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing 
challenges facing our industry as well as opportunities to ensure we 
maintain a healthy, thriving aviation ecosystem--one that meets today's 
needs and is prepared to embrace tomorrow's innovation.
    Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, general aviation proved its 
national value by continuing to deliver vital essential services when 
commercial aviation shut down. Part 135 air carriers and general 
aviation airports provided critical medical transport, supported 
essential law enforcement and firefighting services, transported 
testing and vaccine supplies, facilitated business travel to maintain 
economic growth, and kept remote communities safely connected.
    After a devastating dip in private air travel during the first 
months of the pandemic, Part 135 business jet operators matched 2019 
activity by early summer of 2020 and eventually surpassed the previous 
year's pace--a trend that continued throughout 2021 as the pandemic 
persisted. Private flying activity continues to exceed expectations in 
the post-pandemic economy, with a 20 percent increase in North American 
business jet travel in the first quarter of this year. There are signs 
of a slight slowdown in growth, however: recently released numbers for 
June show just 7 percent growth.\1\
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    \1\ ``Weekly Bulletin on Global Business Aviation Activity,'' WINGX 
ADVANCE, July 7, 2022, https://wingx-advance.com/wingx-bizav-weekly-
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                        Illegal Charter Activity
    This increased flight activity presents great opportunity for 
general aviation and aviation businesses. But its combination with a 
significant number of new entrants into the 135 market, an economic 
downturn, and substantial workforce challenges across the industry has 
led to a dangerous uptick in illegal charter activity. Since 2018, NATA 
has led the charge against illegal charter operations, which pose a 
safety risk to the flying public and distort the market for legitimate 
Part 135 air carriers. NATA's Illegal Charter Task Force has an active 
partnership with FAA to raise public awareness, educate operators on 
regulatory compliance, and develop reporting tools for suspected 
illegal activity. NATA is also proud of its work to facilitate industry 
and agency discussions, assist in developing stakeholder resources, and 
empower enforcement by advocating for increased actionable data.
    In 2021, illegal charter activity reported to the ``Avoid Illegal 
Charter'' hotline and website increased by 54 percent compared to the 
previous year, confirmation of the pervasive nature of this threat 
despite our efforts to raise awareness. NATA also has concerns about 
inconsistent investigation and enforcement by Flight Standards District 
Offices, as well as the backlog of appeals to the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The lack of data on outcomes of 
reported suspicion of illegal charter activity make it difficult to 
gauge the scope of these issues; therefore, we believe the release of 
annual data breaking down reports by source and aggregating outcomes 
would assist both the FAA and industry in combatting this problem. In 
addition, FAA needs increased resources to consistently investigate and 
expand enforcement, while NTSB needs resources to adjudicate the 
backlog of appeals once charges have been made.
                         Certification Backlog
    Just as FAA lacks sufficient workforce to consistently investigate 
reports of illegal charter activity, the Agency's workforce also 
struggles to process air carrier, aircraft, and airmen certifications 
in a timely manner. Currently, FAA's certification queue numbers over 
500 applications--in recent years, that number has risen above 1000. As 
a result, it can take up to two years for a prospective operator to 
obtain a 135 certificate, deterring legitimate new entrants to the 
industry and increasing the risk of regulatory noncompliance.
    Today, you'll hear of challenges created by deficiencies in the 
aviation industry workforce--concerns that NATA shares wholeheartedly 
as our member businesses struggle to hire and retain pilots, 
maintenance technicians, fuelers, ground handlers, and other skilled 
workers. While the tempo of business aviation activity continues to 
trend upward, the lack of skilled labor and meager supplies of aircraft 
parts, coupled with the FAA's struggles to process a backlog of 
certification applications, is causing severe operational challenges.
    As a safety sensitive workforce, FAA's aviation safety inspector 
numbers are controlled by Congress and the Agency must report year end 
workforce numbers to Congress annually. At first blush, the current 
report of 1,825 aviation safety inspectors appears to be insufficient 
for the Agency to adequately perform its safety duties. NATA believes 
it is important that FAA emphasizes prioritizing its certification, 
accident investigation, and safety oversight resources. NATA strongly 
recommends the FAA also partner with industry to conduct a thorough 
assessment of the current certification process and average length of 
time from application to certification. Analysis of such data will 
allow the Agency to more effectively allocate resources and streamline 
the certification process without compromising safety.
    The increase in general aviation traffic across the nation has also 
attracted increased attention from industry critics. As news articles 
amplifying concerns about PFAS contamination, lead emissions, and noise 
appear with increasing regularity, both industry and government must be 
proactive about identifying and implementing common sense policies that 
reduce general aviation's environmental impact without sacrificing 
safety, essential services, or economic viability.
                             PFAS Chemicals
    With the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the process of 
designating PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances, there is much 
discussion about how to end the use of such ``forever chemicals'' at 
airports and how to protect Part 139 airports from litigation--but the 
conversation needs to include general aviation airports and their 
tenants, as well. Until recently, the National Fire Protection 
Association (NFPA) 409: Standard on Aircraft Hangars--which is the 
primary standard for hangar fire protection and is referenced by the 
international building code (IBC), the international fire code (IFC), 
and state and local statutes, ordinances, and regulations--required 
most modern general aviation hangars to have automatic foam fire 
suppression systems installed.
    Yet a 2019 study performed by NATA and the University of Maryland's 
Department of Fire Protection Engineering Studies found costly risks to 
the environment, human health, and operational budgets associated with 
accidental foam discharges. Combining the frequency of incidents and 
the damage per incident over the 16-year study period, the cost of 
accidental foam discharges annually is on average $6.4 million, while 
the cost for foam discharges in response to fire is $1.7 million.\2\ 
NATA successfully advocated for revisions to the 2022 edition to exempt 
Group II hangars from the foam requirement and has created resources to 
help aviation businesses avoid foam, but the process and cost of PFAS 
remediation in existing hangars is prohibitive for many small 
businesses, with estimates frequently topping a million dollars.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\ Mike Milke, ``Review of Foam Fire Suppression System Discharges 
in Aircraft Hangars,'' (National Air Transportation Association), 
accessed July 9, 2022, https://www.nata.aero/assets/Site_18/files/
NFPA%20409/UMD%20Report%2011-12.pdf.
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    There is no easy solution to the problem of PFAS on airport 
properties, but it is in the interest of all parties--airports, 
associated businesses, and the public--to streamline the process of 
removing unnecessary foam fire suppression systems in aircraft storage 
hangars and to work toward FAA approval of a fluorine free alternative 
in cases where foam is necessary. AIP funds or a separate grant program 
should be administered by FAA to help remediate PFAS-containing foam 
from the property of federally obligated airports, allowing airport 
sponsors to partner with private tenants to accomplish this. In 
addition, any federal exemption for litigation should be expanded to 
include not only Part 139 certified airports, but also airport 
sponsors, hangar owners, landlords and lessees at public use airports 
who were required to install and maintain foam fire suppression systems 
by local authorities.
                               Emissions
    Equally threatening to the future of general aviation is the 
environmental impact of 100 Low Lead (100LL) fuel. NATA and other 
leading general aviation organizations are partnering with FAA on the 
EAGLE initiative to find an unleaded fuel solution for the entire 
piston aircraft fleet by 2030. Adequate resources must be directed 
toward this effort. We must also ensure the availability of leaded 
Avgas until an alternative is widely available, for both safety reasons 
and to maintain the piston aircraft used to train the next generation 
of pilots.
    NATA is committed first and foremost to safety, so we are in the 
process of developing training to avoid misfuelling, as well as 
publishing a white paper on safe fueling with alternative fuels. As the 
primary advocate for the FBOs that sell aviation fuel and provide 
fueling services, NATA also seeks funding to help businesses procure 
the temporary infrastructure necessary to offer both 100LL and an 
alternative unleaded fuel (which serves only a portion of the piston 
aircraft fleet and represent approximately a quarter of Avgas fuel 
sales) until a single, fleet-wide, drop-in unleaded replacement fuel is 
identified. Most businesses will not see a return on the $500,000 
investment required to secure an alternative fuel tank and refueler 
truck; therefore, we believe public/private partnership is warranted. 
Our combined efforts on these fronts will help minimize general 
aviation's environmental impact, prove to the public our commitment to 
sustainability, and enable us to maintain the existing general aviation 
fleet.
                       Sustainable Aviation Fuel
    Equally vital to our industry's sustainability goals is the 
proliferation and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which 
offers a lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of up to 80 
percent compared to conventional, petroleum-based jet fuel. NATA is a 
founding member of the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable 
Aviation Fuel, where I serve as chairman of the steering committee. 
Together, NATA and our fellow Coalition members have successfully 
educated stakeholders and created a demand within our industry for SAF; 
now we are pursuing legislative and regulatory policies to help scale 
up SAF production to meet that demand. All sectors of aviation have 
coalesced behind legislation to create a blender's tax credit for SAF, 
which would help level the playing field with more established 
biofuels. Equally important is the removal of regulatory roadblocks 
that prevent the inclusion of proven SAF technologies and feedstocks in 
the EPA's renewable fuel standard (RFS). We must ensure that outdated 
government policies and guidelines do not hinder technologically 
viable, commercially scalable SAF pathways and prevent the use of 
readily available raw feedstock that utilizes existing infrastructure, 
or we risk losing those technologies to other countries and forfeiting 
our nation's leadership in this emerging industry.
    For example, under EPA's current interpretation of the statute 
underlying the RFS, producers effectively cannot utilize feedstock 
derived from wildfire prevention management activity on federal lands. 
The aviation community and SAF producers have been urging EPA to work 
in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to correct the current 
regulatory disconnects, expanding a readily available SAF feedstock for 
inclusion in the RFS while contributing to wildfire risk reduction and 
sustainable forest management. This is just one example of the need to 
align federal policy to support SAF--a clean, domestic energy source 
with proven efficacy to reduce our industry's emissions while utilizing 
existing infrastructure.
                         Advanced Air Mobility
    Not all aviation innovations will be implemented with existing 
infrastructure, however. Rapidly evolving technological advances in the 
development of electric aircraft promises that the next generation of 
flight will be viable more rapidly than expected. AAM has the potential 
to reduce noise and emissions, to speed up cargo and medical transport 
in rural areas, to facilitate urban mobility without added congestion. 
But is our aviation infrastructure prepared to support advanced air 
mobility? NATA believes both urban and rural general aviation airports 
offer logical space for newly designed vertiports to host eVTOL 
aircraft, and that our FBO members are poised to provide services to 
this emerging market with the proper preparation.
    With the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act and 
the Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act, this 
Subcommittee has taken small but critical steps toward preparing our 
national air space for eVTOL innovation. We believe more aggressive 
steps are necessary to help aviation businesses plan for AAM 
implementation, as well. NATA's members will be supporting, 
maintaining, fueling, and operating this next generation of aircraft, 
but many are seeking guidance on the infrastructure necessary to do so 
safely and successfully. We look forward to partnering with industry, 
Congress, and the FAA to move this technology forward and help 
stakeholders prepare for its adoption.
                       General Aviation Airports
    At the center of almost every issue raised today is our nation's 
system of general aviation airports, which supply an essential lifeline 
to rural America. NATA's member businesses operate at nearly 4,500 
airports located in thousands of communities, many of which are not 
served by commercial aviation. The aviation activity in these cities 
and towns creates good paying jobs, economic activity, and 
connectedness. General aviation airports and associated businesses also 
support EMS, agriculture flights, police work, Border Patrol, executive 
transport, cargo transport, flight schools, vocational schools, 
research, powerline patrol, pipeline patrol, conservation efforts, 
firefighting, construction, seismic work, sightseeing, organ transport, 
non-emergency medical transport, and the list goes on. It is critical 
that the next FAA Reauthorization recognize the value of maintaining 
and modernizing the infrastructure that supports these essential 
services. Therefore, NATA asks Congress to expand the Contract Tower 
Program and adjust AIP entitlements to equip general aviation airports 
to grow in line with industry demand.
                       Air Traffic Control System
    The United States maintains the safest and most successful air 
system in the world, and NATA looks forward to working with this 
Subcommittee to ensure that excellence continues with the next FAA 
Reauthorization. To the end, we oppose any efforts by special interest 
groups to gain control of the air traffic control system so that it 
remains available to all users.
    NATA is optimistic that general aviation will continue to grow and 
flourish across the country as industry and government partner 
together. Thank you for convening today's hearing and for your 
thoughtful consideration of the issues raised.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    I will now turn to Greg Pecoraro, president and CEO of the 
National Association of State Aviation Officials. You are 
recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Pecoraro. Chairman Larsen, Chairman DeFazio, Ranking 
Member----
    Mr. Larsen of Washington [interrupting]. Try to get that 
microphone closer to you, if you can.
    Is the microphone on? The light is on. Grab the table, pull 
the table toward you.
    Mr. Pecoraro. Chairman Larsen, Chairman DeFazio, Ranking 
Member Graves, and members of the subcommittee, my name is Greg 
Pecoraro, and I represent the National Association of State 
Aviation Officials, the men and women in State government 
aviation agencies in all 50 States, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
    I am glad to offer a few thoughts on the issues that 
concern these State aviation professionals as you look towards 
reauthorization. We appreciate your recognition of the 
importance of general aviation and its network of 3,000 
federally funded airports.
    Through the Airport Improvement Program, Americans in every 
part of the Nation have an access point to aviation. GA 
airports are vital to business and personal transportation, 
public safety and emergency response, agriculture, and just-in-
time delivery of important materials, critical parts, and 
medical supplies.
    NASAO is grateful for all Congress has done recently to 
keep the Nation's aviation industry alive and to begin 
rebuilding and improve our aviation infrastructure, but we are 
here to show you the need for more.
    Additional funding for AIP is needed to clear the $14 
billion backlog of priority AIP-eligible projects needed 
through 2025 for GA and other nonprimary airports. GA airports 
need these funds for the critical construction and repair of 
runways, taxiways, and other AIP-eligible projects.
    Looking forward, GA airports must transform into greener, 
more sustainable, and more resilient facilities, and improve 
their multimodal connections. Better connections to an improved 
national electric grid are also vital as airports facilitate 
electric vehicle charging, ground support equipment, and on-
airport clean power generation in LEED certified facilities.
    To sustain the existing system and meet future needs, NASAO 
urges Congress to increase AIP investment by $250 million each 
year over the next 5 years to a new authorization of $4 
billion.
    GA airports depend on the nonprimary entitlement program 
for minimal level of capital funding, because many often don't 
receive discretionary funding. Unfortunately, the NPE program 
hasn't changed since its inception in 2001, so, it only 
provides $150,000 a year. This by itself doesn't cover the cost 
of nearly any capital projects and has to be accumulated over a 
period of years to cover the costs of a real pavement project, 
which today starts around at $1 million.
    In fact, many airports are unable to access these funds 
because they can't come up with the matching funds, and the 
unused money goes back to the FAA, where it is often 
reallocated to commercial airports, contrary to the purpose of 
the program. If the NPE program is to provide airports real 
help in making improvements, the program must be updated.
    NASAO encourages Congress to increase the minimum NPE grant 
to $250,000 per year and correspondingly increase State 
apportionment to ensure that an increase in NPE does not 
further reduce State apportionment funds. Unspent funds should 
also remain in the State for reallocation to other GA airports.
    As we prepare for a new era of aviation, GA airports will 
be the first staging grounds for these emerging technologies. 
Connecting urban, suburban, and rural areas in a new way that 
is cleaner, quieter, and more efficient is exciting, and can 
revolutionize how many people will access and use the aviation 
system, but only if these opportunities are made broadly 
available across the Nation.
    Before this new era can launch, many questions need to be 
answered. It is vital that Congress support integration of 
these new technologies by tasking the FAA with establishing a 
national standard to address AAM airspace coordination and 
control. Established standards will enable the system to expand 
more rapidly as AAM aircraft become certified, while 
maintaining the appropriate level of safety. Federal 
expectations and rules for this new technology must be 
developed and shared with all stakeholders soon. And it's 
critical for State and local governments to be part of the 
conversation in integrating these technologies into the larger 
transportation system.
    Now that you have begun in a serious way to rebuild 
America's airports, we encourage you to finish the job. Fix the 
airports we have and begin developing the airports of the 
future. Increase AIP funding and reform the NPE program. Invest 
in the future by facilitating the development of aviation 
infrastructure ready to capitalize on emerging technologies.
    NASAO appreciates the opportunity to share our views, and 
we look forward to working with you. I am happy to answer any 
questions you may have.
    Thank you.
    [Mr. Pecoraro's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
 Prepared Statement of Gregory Pecoraro, President and Chief Executive 
       Officer, National Association of State Aviation Officials
    Chair Larsen, Ranking Member Graves, and members of the 
Subcommittee on Aviation, thank you for holding today's hearing on the 
``State of General Aviation''. My name is Greg Pecoraro, and I have the 
privilege of representing the National Association of State Aviation 
Officials, or NASAO. For more than 90 years, NASAO has represented the 
men and women in the state government aviation agencies serving the 
public interest in all 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. Like you, in 
your roles on this committee, we serve the public interest. The views I 
share with you today are those of state aviation professionals who are 
public servants across the nation.
                  The Role of State Aviation Agencies
    State aviation agencies continue to play an important role in 
managing the National Aviation System (NAS). Within that network, the 
role of states in managing and promoting aviation as a vital access 
point to the entire transportation network is not as widely known as 
that of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). State aviation 
agencies, through NASAO, participate in several memorandums of 
understanding with the FAA and other federal agencies to create 
cooperative efforts to manage the NAS. Ten states administer block 
grants for FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants to general 
aviation airports, many others act as channeling states \1\ for the 
FAA, and most states provide funds to help meet the matching 
requirements for FAA AIP grants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ State channeling of federal airport grants occurs in various 
forms within numerous states. Normally, when an airport is in a 
channeling act state, the sponsor submits payment request information 
to the state, who then submits the request to the FAA. In this case, 
the FAA makes payments to the state, and the state then distributes the 
payment to the sponsor. In some cases the state may also provide 
technical oversight and review, which may include state submittal of 
grant applications and/or closeout requests. This is based on state 
enabling legislation, rather than federal law. In many cases, the state 
also signs the grant agreements. Channeling agreements based on state 
enabling legislation do not need approval from the FAA Airport District 
Office (ADO). AIP Handbook, Chapter 2, https://www.faa.gov/airports/
aip/aip_handbook/?Chapter=2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Many state aviation agencies assume inspection authority for 
general aviation airports. Many states operate runway inspection and 
other aviation safety programs. A few states own and operate airports, 
both in and outside the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems 
(NPIAS). Unlike the FAA, which is solely focused on safety, state 
aviation agencies are also engaged in supporting an aviation system 
that is both the safest in the world and a vital contributor to strong 
and vibrant local economies. Looking to the future of aviation, many 
states are already actively engaged in managing uncrewed aircraft 
systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) initiatives.
    State aviation agencies work closely with the general aviation 
airports in their states. General aviation airports often lack the 
staffing and expertise available to larger airports and rely on their 
state aviation agencies for a wide range of technical support and 
guidance, as well as for assistance in interacting with the FAA. State 
aviation agencies are also important resources for state pilot 
communities and many aeronautical businesses.
              Federal Support for Robust Aviation Funding
    NASAO deeply appreciates the funding Congress provided during the 
pandemic to support all airports, in particular general aviation 
airports, to keep vital goods and services flowing throughout the 
country. NASAO is also grateful for the Infrastructure Investment and 
Jobs Act (IIJA), which provided much needed funding for airports and 
associated infrastructure, however additional investment at the federal 
level is needed to clear the over $40 billion backlog of priority AIP-
eligible projects needed between 2021 and 2025 \2\, invest in planning 
and infrastructure for emerging aeronautical technologies, and support 
a greener more environmentally sustainable aviation system. Of the $40 
billion, the FAA indicates that $14 billion are for planned AIP-
eligible projects at general aviation, reliever, and nonprimary 
commercial service airports.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\ Federal Aviation Administration, National Plan for Integrated 
Airport Systems (2021-2025), p. 28, https://www.faa.gov/airports/
planning_capacity/npias/current/media/NPIAS-2021-2025-Narrative.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    While overall AIP levels have not changed in nearly ten years, 
costs certainly have. Recent inflationary pressure has aggravated the 
situation even more.
    Currently, the nation's general aviation airports have unmet needs 
for construction, repair, and maintenance of runway, taxiways, and 
other AIP eligible projects. Hangars and maintenance facilities are all 
in need of renovation and repair. Looking to the future, general 
aviation airports must transform into greener, more sustainable 
facilities, as well as increase their connection to a multi-modal 
transportation system. Better connections to an improved national 
electric grid are vital as airports need to facilitate electric vehicle 
(EV) charging, electrification of ground support equipment, on airport 
clean power generation, and LEED certified facilities. Maintaining the 
existing system and transformation to meet these future needs will 
require significant federal support.
    To sustain the existing aviation system and meet future system 
needs, NASAO urges Congress to provide robust aviation funding by:
      Increasing AIP investment by $250 million each year over 
the next five years to a new authorization of $4 billion.
      Raising and indexing the $4.50 Passenger Facility Charge 
(PFC) Cap. If the PFC cap were raised, commercial airports would be 
able to collect and use PFC revenue for airport infrastructure and 
forgo their AIP entitlements. This would result in a greater share of 
AIP entitlement funds to general aviation airports, who have fewer 
options to raise airport revenue.
Nonprimary Entitlement Program Reform
    We also suggest that Congress look at how to reform the Nonprimary 
Entitlement (NPE) program to better meet the needs and realities of 
nonprimary airports. The NPE program provides up to $150,000 annually 
from AIP to general aviation, reliever, and nonprimary commercial 
service airports for critical projects that would otherwise go 
unfunded. However, in today's environment, these annual NPE grants are 
so small that they must be carried over for a period of years to 
accumulate up to $600,000 to go toward an airport project. More 
meaningful paving projects start at $1 million today. If the NPE 
program is to provide most airports with a meaningful opportunity to 
make improvements, the program must be reformed to ensure that these 
airport projects are moving forward.
    NASAO encourages Congress to consider increasing funding for 
general aviation airports by increasing the maximum amount an airport 
may receive from NPE from $150,000 to $250,000 per year and 
correspondingly increase State Apportionment to ensure that an increase 
in NPE does not further reduce State Apportionment funds.
Enhancing the State Block Grant Program
    Block Grant States (BGS) play a critical role in the development 
and maintenance of airport infrastructure on behalf of the FAA for 
eligible general aviation airports within their states. The BGS have 
been instrumental in administering annual AIP grants and COVID relief 
funds and will continue to be instrumental as they prepare to 
administer the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds. The BGS 
have taken on these responsibilities to meet the needs of general 
aviation airports in their states. However, with more tasks and 
responsibilities being shifted to BGS, this has exhausted BGS staff and 
has been done without any additional funds and resources. NASAO 
encourages Congress to provide these states with administrative relief 
as they execute federal airport grants on behalf of the FAA, like other 
federal transportation block grant programs. More broadly, NASAO 
believes it is critical for the FAA to work more collaboratively with 
the states in addressing current and future program needs.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Implementation
    As with any initiative of this tremendous size and scope, 
challenges with IIJA implementation were sure to arise. NASAO has 
created a working group of state aviation professionals from across the 
country to review the IIJA and its impact on state aviation programs. 
Many of these discussions are centering around technical details and 
the need for clarifications in how the FAA is implementing the law. We 
hope that sharing these issues will assist the FAA in working with 
states and local airport sponsors in meeting the goals of the IIJA. We 
plan to complete this review over the next few months and share our 
findings with the FAA and Congress in hope of collaborating on 
developing some adjustments.
               Ensuring Air Service to Small Communities
    Since its inception, the Essential Air Service (EAS) program has 
provided a vital link for many otherwise unserved communities to the 
nation's airways. Unfortunately, rising costs and the ongoing shortage 
of commercial airline pilots have disrupted service to many of these 
smaller communities. It is critical for Congress to continue to 
maintain its commitment to access to aviation for all Americans by 
fully funding the EAS program.
    Unfortunately, one of the impacts of the pandemic for some 
communities that ``graduated'' out of the EAS program found that the 
conditions that supported stable aviation access have eroded or 
disappeared. NASAO supports allowing those communities that 
successfully exited EAS and were then locked out of EAS due to 
provisions in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-
95) to rejoin the program to help restore scheduled air service that 
has been reduced or suspended as a result of the pandemic. Allowing 
these communities to be eligible to receive EAS assistance would ensure 
they continue to have access to the national air transportation system 
and give them the opportunity to reestablish their markets.
                   Preparing for New Era of Aviation
    AAM and UAS have the potential to create incredible opportunities 
within aviation. General aviation airports are most likely to benefit 
immediately from their promise to open up new markets and expand access 
to small communities. The prospect of connecting urban, suburban, and 
rural areas, some of which are not conveniently served by surface 
transportation, or underserved by existing aviation activities, in a 
new way that's cleaner, quieter, and more efficient--is exciting to us 
all, and can revolutionize how many people access the aviation system.
    But before this new technology can launch and disrupt existing 
transportation systems, many questions need to be answered. The FAA has 
a lot of work to do in certifying aircraft and finalizing criteria for 
their landing facilities. We still don't know how we will integrate AAM 
with other aviation activities and the larger transportation network or 
manage public access and security for AAM and UAS facilities and 
aircraft. We also need to address how AAM activities will contribute 
financially to the maintenance of the aviation system. To the extent 
that they use publicly funded infrastructure, use services, require 
inspections, and require regulation, AAM and UAS activities should pay 
some share of these costs, just as other users of the system do.
    And of course, as excited as some of us in aviation are about these 
new technologies, much work must be done by industry and governments to 
develop a broader public awareness and acceptance of this new 
aeronautical activity.
    State aviation agencies have an important role in this exciting 
future. State and local governments can and must play their part in 
managing the integration of these emerging technologies into the larger 
transportation system. Land use and siting decisions, multi-modal 
transportation planning, adaptation of existing infrastructure and 
development of new facilities, integration into existing airspaces, and 
local acceptance of new modes of flight and their facilities will all 
require close cooperation and planning at the state and local levels. 
Unfortunately, many state and local aviation and planning agencies are 
understaffed and already facing heavy workloads. It is vital that 
Congress provide funding to assist in planning for integration of these 
new technologies, both on and off the airport, including development of 
vertiports. Congress can support integration of these new technologies 
by:
      Tasking the FAA with establishing a national standard to 
address AAM airspace coordination and control informed by the ongoing 
work of the Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee, an aviation 
stakeholder led advisory committee that provides advice and 
recommendations to the FAA on UAS and AAM integration issues. Allowing 
for third party providers operating under the guidance of the FAA and 
the established standards would enable the federated system to expand 
more rapidly as AAM aircraft become certified while maintaining the 
appropriate level of safety.
      Enacting H.R. 5315, the Drones Infrastructure Inspection 
Grant (DIIG) Act, to support the efforts of state, local and tribal 
governments to capitalize on the benefits of using drone technology to 
inspect aging infrastructure while investing in workforce development 
programs to bolster the workforce of the future. We greatly appreciate 
Representatives Greg Stanton and Garret Graves for their leadership and 
the Committee for its support in advancing this important legislation.
      Directing the FAA to establish an outline for a 
constructive Federal regulatory framework for drone integration 
strategies that supports the application of a low-altitude drone 
activity and require the FAA to work collaboratively with states to 
develop an acceptable framework.
                    The Greening of General Aviation
    Creating a greener and more sustainable aviation system has been 
challenging due to some of the industry's particular technical needs. 
While advances in aircraft design and manufacturing have continued to 
reduce emissions and lower noise, aviation remains one of the hardest 
modes of transportation to turn green. However, general aviation 
airports have an opportunity to not only transform as part of a greener 
aviation system, but also to become more multimodal as EVs and AAM will 
eventually become more commonplace.
    State aviation agencies and airport sponsors need assistance with 
this transformational challenge. They will need to access expertise and 
funding to plan for airport transformation, charging for eVTOL 
aircraft, electrification of ground support equipment, on airport clean 
power generation, and EV charging for airport parking facilities. 
Congress should encourage and fund the development and implementation 
of these solutions by directing the FAA to develop plans and policies 
and identify how to make federal funding available to support both on 
and off airport development for AAM. With both electric and hydrogen 
propelled aircraft in development, it is critical that the FAA start 
planning how it will support airports and off airport transportation 
nodes with these new infrastructure needs.
    Additionally, the aviation industry faces significant hurdles in 
its quest for clean and sustainable fuel for aircraft of all types. 
General Aviation urgently needs an acceptable 100LL drop in replacement 
fuel standard given the growing concerns over the environment and 
impending action by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This 
will require both incentives to produce and distribute meaningful 
quantities of a replacement fuel within the United States and easing 
the path for permitting the required refining and production 
facilities. Similar to the ongoing discussions on sustainable aviation 
fuels (SAF), our aviation system will be more resilient if we act now 
to address the 100LL replacement fuel and SAF. NASAO supports the joint 
FAA/aviation industry/fuel producers' effort known as the Eliminate 
Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) Initiative.
     Provide Federal Support for PFAS Clean-up Efforts at Airports
    A growing problem amongst general aviation airports, as well as 
commercial airports, is their use over many years of fire suppression 
products containing PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in 
aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). For decades, AFFF containing PFAS has 
been used extensively at airports throughout the world to protect the 
safety of passengers, crew and others.
    The FAA has long required airports to train with and use AFFF fire 
suppression systems. Airports are faced with difficult choices when 
called upon to extinguish fires using the only FAA-approved 
firefighting foams, thereby potentially contaminating the watershed, 
and potentially being subject to environmental enforcement actions. 
Airports should not be held liable for PFAS contamination as a result 
of complying with a federal requirement. NASAO urges policymakers to 
review and provide liability protections for all airports faced with 
this challenge.
    In addition to providing liability protections, NASAO urges 
Congress and the FAA to swiftly implement federally assisted clean-up 
programs for PFAS contamination at airports stemming from the FAA-
required use of firefighting foams containing PFAS. Direct Federal 
support of airports (separate from the Airport Improvement Program) is 
needed to accelerate the clean-up process at contaminated sites.
                               Conclusion
    Chair Larsen, Ranking Member Graves, and members of the 
Subcommittee, the nation's state aviation professionals deeply 
appreciate the opportunity to share their views on the ``State of 
General Aviation'', and the value you place in their professional 
judgments on the needs of the industry.
    We ask you to remember that more investment is needed to keep the 
United States in the forefront of aviation. Although Congress has 
provided a much needed influx of funding for aviation infrastructure, 
there is still an enormous unmet need to repair and maintain existing 
general aviation airports, as well as a need to begin planning and 
developing the sustainable airports of the future.
    Thank you for this opportunity to appear today, and NASAO looks 
forward to continuing to work with this Committee as you consider 
important policy changes in the upcoming FAA reauthorization bill.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    And I will turn to Ed Bolen, president and CEO of National 
Business Aviation Association. You are recognized for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Bolen. Well, thank you, Chairman Larsen and Chairman 
DeFazio. Thank you for all that you have done. As my friend 
Pete Bunce said, your lifetime of service has made a meaningful 
difference, and we are grateful for that.
    And, Ranking Member Graves, thank you for your tremendous 
effort in Tarkio and helping us have an opportunity to see 
general aviation in action and underscore the fact that 
bipartisanship allows general aviation to thrive in the United 
States.
    And I really want to focus on that, because in the opening 
remarks, you have talked about the importance of general 
aviation to our Nation's job base. The fact that we create a 
huge number of jobs and provide economic development, 
particularly in small towns and rural communities in those 
large States, we provide access to the world economy, and we 
are always there for humanitarian efforts.
    And so, I want to thank this committee for the leadership 
it has shown. The United States is the world leader in all 
aspects of aviation, but nowhere is that more clear and evident 
than in general aviation.
    This committee has been enormously important in our ability 
to promote general aviation. You have recognized that access to 
airports and airspace is fundamental to our Nation's 
transportation system and to our economy.
    In the FAA reauthorization bill that was passed in 2018, 
you ensured that the public's airspace would be overseen by the 
public's elected Representatives, you. You made sure that we 
had fair and equal access to airports and airspace, and allowed 
that economic development and the job growth to take place.
    Fortunately, since that bill was passed, we have achieved a 
major milestone on the modernization of the ATC system. January 
1, 2020, we moved forward from a ground-based radar system to a 
satellite-based system, ADS-B, augmented with ground stations. 
Today, the U.S. has the most robust ADS-B system anywhere in 
the world.
    But that did not represent an ending point on our 
modernization journey. It is simply a milestone. We have got 
more work to do, but fundamental to that success is ensuring we 
always have fair and equal access to airports and airspace.
    I want to touch on a little bit about some of the key 
points that you have brought forward, and that is our ability 
to constantly improve the safety of the system. Safety is part 
of the reason that our system is able to grow and thrive. We 
have to be safe and we have to be perceived to be safe. That 
means that we need to continue to focus on things like the 
ASIAS program, which general aviation is participating in. It 
also means we need to use tools like SMS, safety management 
systems, but to do so in a way that is consistent with 
operations.
    Safety management systems are an important tool, but they 
have to be scalable and they have to be usable, and that is a 
key part as we move forward.
    I also want to point out that Congress has historically 
recognized that getting on a general aviation aircraft should 
not mean giving up your right to privacy. What we have seen 
since passage of the last FAA Reauthorization Act is we have 
privacy ICAO addresses and programs that limit aircraft data 
displays, but technology is moving fast and we need to move 
faster to make sure that there is a right to privacy reflected 
in those movements.
    We also see that technology is coming together in new and 
different ways. We saw that with the rollout of 5G. I think 
that there are important conversations that are taking place 
between this committee, the FAA, and the telecoms. I think we 
are moving through finding balances, but we need to be very 
vigilant about that.
    Also talking about the new technologies has been touched on 
a great deal by everyone that we have advanced air mobility 
coming forward, this ability to use distributed electric 
propulsion to get people where they need to be when they need 
to be there. Congress and this committee introduced legislation 
and passed legislation to advance this advanced air mobility 
industry with planning and construction grants. We want to do 
more, and we want to do better.
    And then, finally, let me underscore the importance of 
workforce development. In the last FAA authorization bill, you 
called for the Women in Aviation Advisory Board, you created a 
youth task force at the FAA, and clearly we all recognize that 
in order for us to go forward, those recommendations have to be 
made real. We need to recruit the best and the brightest to our 
industry, and there are underrepresented parts of our society 
in the aviation workforce that need to be a priority as we move 
forward.
    [Mr. Bolen's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
Prepared Statement of Ed Bolen, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
                 National Business Aviation Association
    Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, Subcommittee Chairman 
Larsen, Subcommittee Ranking Member Graves, and members of the 
Subcommittee on Aviation, thank you for holding this hearing to address 
the state of our nation's general aviation industry. On behalf of the 
National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA's) 11,000-member 
companies, we are pleased to testify at this hearing.
    With the current authorization of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) expiring a little more than a year from today, 
this hearing comes at a crucial time for our industry. We appreciate 
the work this Subcommittee is already doing to engage with all 
stakeholders on priorities for a long-term FAA reauthorization bill in 
2023, and we look forward to a robust discussion.
    NBAA's members, many of which are small businesses, rely on general 
aviation aircraft to meet some portion of their transportation needs. 
These aircraft provide connectivity to communities in nearly every 
congressional district, many of which do not receive airline service. 
While those airlines serve only around 500 airports, business aviation 
can reach 5,000 airports, located in places some people have never 
heard of. This unique American idea of connecting each other--no matter 
where we live and work--doesn't make headlines, but it supports 1.2 
million American jobs and $247 billion in economic output.
    As the Subcommittee knows, general aviation is an essential 
American industry that has long led the way in innovations that 
generate new technologies and new ways of thinking. We led the way in 
GPS, a transformative navigation and safety technology. We led the way 
in winglets and other technologies that drive safety and efficiency. 
These and other advancements make aviation safer, more secure, and 
sustainable and ensure that our country will remain the world's leader 
in aviation five, 10, and 25 years from now.
          General Aviation's Flight Path Disrupted by COVID-19
    Given that this hearing focuses on the state of general aviation, 
it is vital to understand the impact of recent events on the sector, 
including the COVID-19 pandemic.
    As with all aviation segments, the pandemic was devastating for 
general aviation. By March 2020, there were severe economic 
consequences for various businesses, from aircraft operators to 
airports and aviation manufacturers. Teterboro airport--which supports 
nearly 5,000 jobs and generates more than $1 billion in economic 
impact--witnessed a near standstill in operations, impacting families, 
small businesses, and the local community.
    In the pandemic's early months, workers were furloughed or let go, 
including in the U.S. aircraft maintenance industry, which lost 50,000 
jobs. In addition, pilots struggled to obtain essential documentation 
required for flight, including medical certificates. Flight departments 
faced challenges in trying to keep their airplanes qualified for 
airworthiness. Flight-training facilities were largely shuttered, 
causing delays in recurrent training and closing the pipeline for 
future pilots.
    The work of Congress in passing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and 
Economic Security (CARES) Act was critical in providing needed relief 
to the general aviation community and aiding the sector's recovery. 
Leading up to the passage of the CARES Act, NBAA worked with members of 
this Subcommittee to ensure that general aviation commercial operators 
were eligible for the same relief programs as the major airlines. 
Thousands of small air charter operators that did not have access to 
capital markets were in desperate need of relief, and with your 
leadership, the Payroll Support Program provided a sense of certainty 
during very uncertain times.
    For the aviation supply chain, the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs 
Protection Act provided critical relief for employees in the aerospace 
supply chain at risk of furlough due to pandemic-related slowdowns and 
closures. Thanks to this legislation, general aviation manufacturers 
and suppliers could retain their highly-skilled workers and weather the 
worst of the pandemic.
    In short, congressional action in a crisis moment helped general 
aviation to be on a flight path to recovery--there is strong demand for 
new employees, and our industry is serving small towns and communities 
across the country. We also see strong demand in the new and pre-owned 
aircraft markets, with historically low numbers of used and new 
aircraft available for purchase.
    While the post-COVID moment has challenged business aviation with 
supply-chain snags and other concerns facing all sectors, the most 
important consideration is that aviation workers are back on the job, 
and in some cases, we are even seeing a return of worker shortages 
among pilots and other aviation professionals. The general aviation 
community recognizes the critical role of congressional leadership in 
passing the CARES Act to make this recovery a reality.
           A Focus on America's Continued Aviation Leadership
    During previous testimony before this Subcommittee, NBAA has 
underscored that while the U.S. has the world's largest, safest, most 
efficient, and most diverse aviation system, we must continually 
improve and enhance the air traffic control (ATC) system to maintain 
this leadership role. Through effective oversight by Congress and the 
public, we are making tremendous progress on new technologies that have 
brought improved efficiencies and safety enhancements to our system 
while preserving fair and equal access for all users.
    For example, the successful implementation of Automatic Dependent 
Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) marked a significant positive turning 
point in our nation's aviation history, transitioning our ATC system 
from ground-based radar to satellite-based navigation coupled with 
signal-enhancing ground stations. This technology, and ADS-B equipage 
across the fleet, is enhancing situational awareness for air traffic 
controllers and bringing new efficiencies to the national airspace 
system, making the United States a model for the rest of the world.
    While legacy, ground-based radars take anywhere from 5 to 12 
seconds to update an aircraft's position, ADS-B equipment now provides 
controllers with precision GPS position data on aircraft almost every 
second--enabling ATC to identify and resolve hazardous situations more 
quickly. At more than 450 general aviation airports, ADS-B provides 
surveillance coverage at significantly lower altitudes than previously 
possible using radar, improving safety and access to small communities. 
Also, through Performance Based Navigation, GPS, and the Wide Area 
Augmentation System, general aviation operators can conduct safe 
approaches to more airports in bad weather, providing reliable 
connectivity to small towns and rural communities.
    As we continue moving forward with ATC advancements, which the FAA 
projects can deliver $100 billion in benefits through the 2030s, NBAA 
is partnering with FAA leaders and this Subcommittee to advance our 
shared goals for a next-generation ATC system that is safe, efficient, 
and overseen by Congress. While we still have work to do in 
accommodating expected growth and new entrants, now is not the time to 
allow private interests to control our nation's ATC system. For these 
reasons, NBAA has always been steadfast in supporting the advancement 
of our aviation system that allows all stakeholders equal and fair 
access to airports and airspace.
    As we move towards the 2023 FAA Reauthorization, we know that this 
Subcommittee will prioritize policy solutions that provide a long-term 
reauthorization and offer funding certainty to the agency while 
requiring detailed reporting requirements and enhanced oversight. These 
policies should include metrics on cost-benefit data supporting 
modernization programs and the status of critical milestones and 
deliverables. Working with Appropriators in Congress to secure flexible 
multi-year funding authority for the FAA operations account has also 
proven helpful and should be considered in the future.
    Through our support of the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2021, 
we are also committed to maintaining financial stability for the FAA by 
allowing the use of funds from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) 
during lapses in government funding. Although taxes continue to be paid 
into the AATF throughout government shutdowns, the FAA is prohibited 
from using any funds to continue operations or pay the agency's 
dedicated employees during that time. Passage of this bill would 
provide the agency additional flexibility to use trust fund revenues 
for continued operations during government shutdowns or other funding 
lapses.
    NBAA also firmly believes that the current system of trust fund 
taxes, which are simple to collect and administer, is the proper way to 
support the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF). The fuel tax and the 
percentage tax on airline tickets and charter flights do not require 
the government to issue invoices or institute complex recordkeeping 
systems that a per-flight user fee would require. In our opinion, 
maintaining the AATF and associated taxes provides funding stability 
for the FAA and is the best approach to funding our future aviation 
infrastructure and modernization needs.
                  Aviation Safety Always an Imperative
    Since NBAA's founding in 1947, safety has been at the core of our 
mission. Currently, we are working with the FAA, the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the industry on initiatives 
developed with our government partners to improve general aviation 
safety.
    Those engagements include expanding general aviation participation 
in the FAA's Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) 
program, which is a conduit for exchanging safety information, so that 
data can be aggregated and analyzed, and the results used to identify 
root causes of accidents and enhance safety. General aviation operators 
are now a growing part of the ASIAS program, and the safety data is 
used to proactively identify risks and drive positive safety changes 
across the general aviation community.
    In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light increasing 
stresses on the aviation community and the toll on pilots' mental 
health, a critical component to ``Fitness for Duty'' and aviation 
safety. NBAA is concerned that FAA aeromedical certification 
regulations and policy severely dissuade pilots from seeking clinical 
treatment for mental health conditions. We believe that early 
intervention with mental health conditions, among all health 
conditions, makes for the best outcomes in the lives of pilots as well 
as in aviation safety.
    We look forward to working with this Subcommittee and the FAA to 
define better the mental health cases that require disclosure to the 
FAA or trigger its review. This includes providing additional pathways 
for Aviation Medical Examiners to issue airmen medical certificates, 
minimizing the wait times of FAA reviews, researching and identifying 
other pharmacological treatment options that can safely be used in the 
aviation environment, and better defining the need for neurocognitive 
testing in some cases. Collectively these efforts should reduce 
barriers to treatment and get pilots the help they need, maintain 
pilots' livelihoods, aid employers in understanding the readiness of 
their workforce, and enhance safety.
    Safety Management System (SMS) implementation also continues to be 
a significant focus for business aviation, and our industry is 
committed to the positive improvements these programs bring to an 
operator's safety culture. Through voluntary SMS programs, including 
the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), 
operators are safer, more efficient, and utilize data to achieve 
continuous safety improvements.
    At the same time, NBAA is concerned that upcoming FAA mandates for 
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 135 on-demand air charter 
operators and Part 145 repair stations could take a ``one size fits 
all'' approach to SMS that is overly prescriptive and not scalable to 
smaller companies. As the FAA develops these regulations, the agency 
must recognize the diversity of the business aviation community, with 
its unique challenges and operating models. NBAA wants to be engaged in 
the regulatory process, which should involve a look at existing 
industry standards as part of the solution to achieving regulatory 
compliance. Importantly, we know this collaborative approach will 
result in a regulatory framework that enhances safety and allows 
operators to create a SMS program that addresses their operational 
needs.
    NBAA is engaged with the FAA on airport surface safety by 
supporting initiatives to reduce wrong surface incidents and mitigate 
runway incursions. This May, the FAA released new hotspot symbology and 
Arrival Alert Notices as the culmination of a multi-year, collaborative 
effort with the industry.
    General aviation continues to actively engage in critical safety 
concerns related to 5G telecommunications networks operating from 3.7-
3.98 gigahertz (GHz), commonly referred to as the C-band. Beginning in 
2015, NBAA and a broad coalition of aviation stakeholders raised 
detailed safety concerns about the potential for 5G interference with 
radio altimeters. We appreciate the Subcommittee's continued attention 
to this critical matter.
    The mitigations to ensure that 5G power levels around many of the 
nation's airports remain lower than allowed by telecommunications 
providers have been extended beyond the initial 6-month implementation 
period and will continue to stay in place for the near term. Currently, 
only some of the business aviation fleet have alternate means of 
compliance, allowing them to continue all-weather access to most 
airports. For a significant portion of our fleet, there is not yet an 
approved retrofit solution to upgrade the radar altimeter with filters 
to protect from 5G interference. Over the coming months, we 
respectfully request that the FAA dedicate the necessary resources to 
approve alternate means of compliance or the radar altimeter 
modifications needed for the general aviation fleet to safely operate 
across our nation's entire airport network.
    Finally, in the 2018 FAA Reauthorization, Congress directed the FAA 
to modify supplemental oxygen requirements under Part 121 of the FARs. 
This change increased the flight level (F.L.) threshold (i.e., 
altitude) from FL 250 to 410 (i.e., from 25,000 to 41,000 ft) when the 
remaining pilot at the aircraft controls must wear an oxygen mask when 
the other pilot leaves their seat. However, this change did not provide 
relief to air charter operators under Part 135 of the FARs.
    Safety experts have determined that more limited use of oxygen 
masks below FL 410 does not adversely affect safety because of the 
extremely low risk for aircraft depressurization at altitudes above FL 
250. Also, applying this change to FAR Part 135 operations would 
harmonize FAA regulations with International Civil Aviation 
Organization standards. We encourage the Subcommittee to engage with 
the FAA on modifying the applicable regulations for oxygen use in air 
charter operations.
Respecting the Privacy, Safety and Security of General Aviation Flights
    Another priority for our sector is ensuring that the privacy, 
security, and protection of someone traveling on a general aviation 
flight is not compromised by anyone, anywhere in the world with an 
internet connection. We firmly believe that no one should be required 
to surrender their safety, security, and business intelligence because 
they board an aircraft, just as people's movements aboard airlines, 
railroads, and other systems are not the business of cyber-stalkers.
    The general aviation community has fully complied with the FAA's 
ADS-B mandate. While this is a critical cornerstone technology for our 
ATC system, incorporating ADS-B into flight operations has produced 
unintended privacy and security concerns.
    To simplify the complicated simple, we're seeing how unencrypted 
signals that provide an aircraft's flight identification, precise 
position, and other detailed data are used to widely broadcast to the 
public the real-time location positioning of general aviation aircraft. 
This situation presents serious security concerns for companies and 
individuals who are simply using their aircraft in business or for 
humanitarian flights. The result is often flight-stalking of Americans 
on social media or tracking websites that post aircraft movements in 
real-time.
    Individuals who have received threats are in danger because their 
real-time movements and travel plans are available to the public. 
Competitors can track where a business aircraft is flying, presenting 
industrial security concerns. This means that to protect passengers and 
operators of general aviation aircraft, the FAA must do more to 
prioritize the development of additional security measures.
    For example, the FAA should expedite its work to improve the 
Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) program, which allows operators to obtain a 
random ``aircraft address'' code, which can provide additional 
security, and isn't tied to publicly available FAA aircraft 
registration records.
    The FAA should also explore the limitations to the PIA program, 
which is severely limited because the codes cannot be used for 
international flights or even extended for overwater operations in the 
United States. The FAA is also limited in how frequently it can issue 
random aircraft addresses, meaning that members of the public can link 
an address to a specific aircraft before the operator can obtain a new 
address.
    We respectfully request that this Subcommittee work with the FAA to 
improve the PIA program, including allowing third-party flight plan 
service providers to issue privacy aircraft addresses more frequently. 
Also, the FAA should work internally and with international partners so 
that privacy addresses can be utilized for all flights. The FAA also 
must plan for the future by studying how to encrypt ADS-B signals from 
aircraft, developing relevant equipage standards, and engaging with 
affected stakeholders for a more effective privacy solution.
               An Industry's Commitment to Sustainability
    As we think about the state of general aviation, we also know that 
the future of flight needs to be more sustainable than ever. NBAA and 
our partners in general aviation are sharply focused on reducing the 
sector's already minimal carbon footprint.
    For example, through the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate 
Change, our industry has pledged to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 
2050. This goal builds on our 40-year record of leading the way toward 
a continually decreased carbon footprint, through fuel-saving 
technologies, from winglets to highly efficient engine technology and 
advanced avionics, to other world-leading innovations.
    To achieve our 2050 goal, business aviation has a broad-based view 
of sustainability, including zero-emission electric aviation, 
sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), optimized GPS technology, utilizing 
sustainable airport infrastructure, and other strategies.
    NBAA has also launched a Sustainable Flight Department 
Accreditation Program to recognize and encourage business aviation 
community members to take significant sustainability actions. This 
comprehensive accreditation will stimulate, document, and audit how 
operators are making widespread investments and progress towards a 
carbon-neutral future.
    With aviation widely recognized as one of the most challenging 
transportation sectors to decarbonize, we know that SAF, a low-carbon 
synthetic jet fuel derived from sustainable feedstocks, will be crucial 
to meeting emissions reduction goals. SAF can reduce lifecycle 
greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet 
fuel.
    Everyone understands the promise of this groundbreaking technology: 
NetJets, one of the largest business aircraft operators, has committed 
to purchasing 100 million gallons of SAF over the next ten years. 
Signature Flight Support, the world's largest chain of Fixed Based 
Operators, has SAF available at a growing list of general aviation 
airports and has supplied more than 6 million gallons of renewable fuel 
since 2020.
    Despite these impressive accomplishments, the SAF market is still 
in a nascent stage and requires long-term incentives to meet growing 
demand, as we have seen with nearly all carbon technologies in the 
transportation sector. We appreciate the Subcommittee's leadership in 
supporting H.R. 3440, the Sustainable Skies Act, and want to underscore 
that the blender's tax credit contained in the bill is specifically 
aimed at incentivizing the production of SAF, representing the most 
important action that Congress can take to support decarbonization of 
aviation.
    Policies like the blender's tax credit are crucial to achieving the 
Administration's goal of 3 billion gallons of SAF by 2030 and 100% SAF 
by 2050, representing an estimated 35 billion gallons. Building a 
thriving domestic SAF industry is crucial to our energy security and 
will put airports and operators on a path to achieving their shared 
sustainability goals.
    Of course, the need to continue moving forward with new aviation 
fuels extends beyond the consideration of SAF production. That's why 
NBAA is a full partner in the general aviation community's Eliminate 
Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, which aims to lay 
out a roadmap to transition piston-engine aircraft to lead-free 
aviation fuels by the end of 2030. The most important element to this 
initiative is its collaborative approach, which brings all stakeholders 
together to determine what is necessary to find a viable high-octane 
unleaded replacement for 100 octane low-lead aviation gasoline (100LL) 
without compromising the existing U.S. transportation infrastructure 
system and general aviation safety.
    As sustainable technologies advance, the business aviation 
community is committed to being a leader and an early adopter. Our 
broad industry goal for net-zero emissions by 2050 and more detailed 
goals for Sustainable Flight Department Accreditation participants 
provide a measurable framework for emissions reductions. Through forums 
such as the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel 
and our support of a SAF blender's tax credit, we have the framework to 
decarbonize the aviation sector together, and we look forward to this 
Subcommittee's continued support.
                    Embracing the Future of Aviation
    America has always pioneered in aviation, and our industry 
continues to lead as we develop transformative technologies such as 
electric aviation, new propulsion technologies including hybrid and 
hydrogen, and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). Today, distributed electric 
propulsion systems are being harnessed for electric vertical takeoff 
and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which will revolutionize our aviation 
system and create new use cases for general aviation airports.
    Incredible advances are being made in next-generation battery 
technology. As a result, AAM will advance the nation towards 
sustainable, zero-emission aerospace and open new transportation 
opportunities to move people between and within urban, suburban, and 
rural areas.
    AAM has the potential to directly connect communities that legacy 
infrastructure investments may have left behind. The technology will 
improve mobility, leverage existing public transportation systems, 
create workforce opportunities, reduce congestion, and support 
emissions reductions. According to a recent Deloitte study, AAM has the 
potential to create nearly 300,000 jobs and become an annual $115 
billion market by 2035.
    Thanks to the work of Chair Larsen, Ranking Member Graves, their 
staff, and members of this Subcommittee, we are proud that H.R. 6270, 
the Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act, was recently 
passed by the House. The AAIM Act authorizes funding to plan for and 
eventually build critical new AAM infrastructure by leveraging existing 
public transportation facilities to support AAM operations and 
fostering engagement programs to introduce the latest technologies to 
diverse communities. This legislation will position the United States 
to maintain its global leadership in aviation while providing the tools 
to create thousands of new green jobs for our skilled aviation 
workforce. We look forward to collaborating with Senators Moran and 
Padilla on the Senate version of the AAIM Act (S. 4246) so that this 
legislation can advance in both chambers.
    Expanded aviation charging infrastructure will be another crucial 
element to achieving the benefits AAM can bring to diverse communities. 
Without the necessary charging infrastructure in place, it is difficult 
for private businesses and individuals to be confident enough to switch 
to cleaner, electric aviation. We have seen a similar dynamic with the 
transition to electric vehicles in automobiles, and policymakers have 
responded appropriately by providing tax incentives for businesses and 
individuals and grants and formula funding for state and local 
governments to install E.V. charging stations.
    The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit (section 
30C of the Internal Revenue Code) allows for a 30% tax credit for the 
cost of any qualified alternative fuel vehicle refueling property, 
which includes electric vehicle charging stations and hydrogen 
refueling stations. Recognizing the challenges posed by climate change 
and the need to accelerate the transition to a decarbonized future, the 
Administration and Congress have released proposals to enhance and 
extend the section 30C tax credit for E.V. charging stations.
    NBAA and our AAM Roundtable support a simple technical change to 
modernize the section 30C tax credit to ensure that the critical 
investments necessary for AAM, or electric aviation, charging 
infrastructure are covered and similarly deployed. Leveraging private 
investment with an expanded Sec. 30C tax credit is key to the 
successful rollout of charging stations for electric aviation across 
our existing network of more than 5,000 public-use airports.
    Finally, we applaud the FAA's dedication and progress on crucial 
aircraft certification, air traffic operations, vertiport, and flight 
standards requirements to facilitate AAM operations. NBAA's AAM 
Roundtable members appreciate the FAA's goal of setting clear, 
performance-based standards for the industry that don't compromise on 
safety. As part of the upcoming FAA Reauthorization, we look forward to 
continued dialogue on how the agency can utilize the existing 
regulatory structure to facilitate the safe introduction of these 
technologies. Providing general aviation with certainty for aircraft 
certification, airspace integration, operational approvals, airport 
investment, and infrastructure standards development is a critical 
element in the United States remaining a global leader in aviation.
    As the FAA works towards a Special Federal Aviation Regulation 
(SFAR) that will enable commercial AAM operations and pilot licensing, 
we ask that this Subcommittee closely monitor the agency's stated goal 
of completing the process by December 2024. The first aircraft type 
certification for an AAM aircraft is expected shortly, and companies 
are progressing towards Part 135 operations, so the timely completion 
of the SFAR, with engagement from industry stakeholders, is crucial for 
the successful launch of commercial service.
        Investing in Our Nation's Airports and Protecting Access
    Airports and heliports are economic engines for the communities 
they serve and provide critical air transportation links for residents, 
visitors, and businesses. NBAA members and the general aviation 
industry have a shared interest in airports, heliports, and future 
vertiports being good neighbors to the communities surrounding these 
facilities and ensuring their viability and accessibility. We are 
committed to and stand behind targeted and effective measures to 
address aviation noise concerns.
    Unfortunately, in recent years we have observed an increase in 
efforts to impose mandatory, precedent-setting local restrictions that 
contradict decades of federal policy and would have detrimental impacts 
on the national air transportation system. The New York State Assembly 
recently passed a bill that targets business aviation and helicopter 
operations in New York City and throughout the state, which NBAA and a 
coalition of industry groups have opposed. Similar legislation is being 
contemplated at the city and federal levels. Several other 
municipalities throughout the nation are also considering various 
parochial access restrictions to curtail flights.
    We encourage the Subcommittee to monitor these developments closely 
and support the FAA in its mission, including fully implementing the 
Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA). Your continued support 
of federal grant-based and deed-based obligations, and compliance with 
ANCA and other aviation statutes and regulations, play an essential 
role in preventing a patchwork of local operational restrictions and 
possible airport and heliport closures. We must commit to investing in 
and protecting our irreplaceable aviation infrastructure, especially at 
this critical juncture, as new entrants, including AAM with eVTOL 
aircraft, prepare to take flight.
    Federal investment in airports ensures their viability. Federal 
dollars allow for airports, especially smaller facilities, to remain 
affordable for general aviation use. Without this vital investment, 
many local municipalities would not be able to maintain the 
infrastructure that links their community to the rest of the country 
and to the world.
    We commend the Subcommittee for supporting the Airport Improvement 
Program (AIP) and numerous airport relief and investment packages it 
has recently championed. As future airport funding and investment 
opportunities arise, we encourage the Subcommittee to maintain its 
focus on investing in our general aviation airports, which are the 
backbone of our air transportation system.
                    Building the Aviation Workforce
    For general aviation to continue growing and supporting 
communities, we must address significant workforce challenges, 
including the shortage of qualified pilots and technicians. According 
to the Boeing company, more than 600,000 new pilots and technicians are 
needed to address projected growth in the next 20 years.
    NBAA has taken the lead on several fronts to address workforce 
shortages, including working with Chairman Larsen, the late Congressman 
Don Young, Congresswoman Angie Craig, Senator Gary Peters, Senator Dan 
Sullivan, and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto on the introduction of 
H.R. 3310 and S. 1681, the Promoting Service in Transportation Act, 
which was passed into law through the Infrastructure Investment and 
Jobs Act (IIJA).
    Through targeted public service announcements authorized by the 
Transportation Workforce Outreach Program in the IIJA, we will start a 
new dialogue on transportation careers, focusing on the availability of 
advanced technology and good-paying jobs today. With continued growth 
and demand for STEM workers, we must remain competitive by educating 
students about the exciting innovations and technologies under 
development in the transportation industry. We support the full $5 
million appropriation for this program and appreciate the efforts of 
this Subcommittee with House Appropriators.
    Moving toward the upcoming FAA Reauthorization, we look forward to 
building on programs from the 2018 FAA bill, including grant programs 
to support the education of future aircraft pilots and the recruitment 
of much-needed aviation maintenance technicians. Carefully reviewing 
and adopting recommendations of the Youth Access to American Jobs in 
Aviation Task Force and the Women in Aviation Advisory Board will be an 
excellent starting point for additional workforce provisions.
    At our largest event, NBAA-BACE, we host a ``Careers in Business 
Aviation Day'' that provides workforce development programming as part 
of the ``Collegiate Connect'' initiative. We continue these efforts at 
NBAA's regional events and targeted educational programs by offering 
student-focused programming to educate young people about the many 
career opportunities in business aviation. Through partnerships with 
non-profit organizations, NBAA is also helping to expose, recruit and 
retain new professionals from underrepresented communities. These 
initiatives will help to ensure that the industry remains competitive 
and reflects a more diverse workforce.
    NBAA also actively sponsors targeted initiatives to attract, 
develop and retain underrepresented segments of the population. This 
includes our sponsoring partnership with The Red Tail Flight Academy, 
whose volunteer leaders focus on recruitment that bolsters diversity 
within the aviation industry, including free training for future 
pilots. We are pleased that this program, inspired by the Tuskegee 
Airmen, graduated its first class of future leaders last month. We are 
also a proud partner with Flying Classroom, a program launched by 
aviation pioneer Barrington Irving that aims to teach all students 
about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
                               Conclusion
    This hearing and similar discussions with policymakers in the 
coming months will serve as the building blocks for a successful and 
inclusive FAA Reauthorization process. The general aviation community 
appreciates the work of this Subcommittee on the 2018 Reauthorization, 
which set the stage for many of the next-generation developments we are 
witnessing. Our industry looks forward to continued engagement as we 
develop policy solutions that safely embrace new aviation technologies 
and maintain the role of the United States as the world leader in 
aerospace.
    General aviation is witnessing historic technological advancements, 
from advanced biofuels to electric aviation and AAM, which will connect 
communities to sustainable transportation options. NBAA appreciates 
this Subcommittee's continued leadership, and we welcome the 
opportunity to testify at this critical hearing.

    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Mr. Bolen.
    Now I will turn to Member questions, and we will start with 
the chair of the full committee.
    Representative DeFazio, you are recognized.
    Mr. DeFazio. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. And thanks to everyone 
for their testimony.
    Mr. Bunce, I've got to tell you, you sounded a lot like me 
when you were talking about the FAA bureaucracy. There are some 
people who have raised issues, you know, Phil Washington 
doesn't have a tremendous amount of aviation experience. What 
that place needs is a manager, and this guy is a manager. I 
mean, the things he did with L.A. Metro, innovative stuff, the 
tunnel boring, the subways, amazing things, on time, under 
budget.
    I am looking forward to someone who will actually shake 
that agency up. When Administrator Dickson came in, we had this 
conversation, but unfortunately, I would say he kind of got 
sidelined by COVID and then obviously all the problems with 
Boeing and the MAX, and he really didn't get to do the things 
he had intended to do in terms of unstovepiping that agency and 
unclogging the plumbing.
    The comments about the legal were really interesting, and 
that should be fairly easy to deal with. I mean, why does 
technical data have to go through legal? I will certainly be 
bringing that up with Mr. Washington when I talk to him later 
this week prior to his, hopefully, approval by the Senate.
    So, thanks for that. That is always good. And I am going to 
ask him to sit down with you, too, and with all of you, in 
fact, as a group to hear about these things.
    Now, Mr. Bolen, the 5G issue, I just spent quite a bit of 
time talking to Acting Administrator Nolen yesterday about this 
issue, and I fear we are not really quite resolved yet on this 
issue as we move forward.
    We don't have an agreement on permanent measures yet, and I 
am sure a lot of your members are struggling with trying to get 
the filters or the new altimeters or whatever they are going to 
need. I know there is a fear that you are going to have to do 
it twice. I raised that with him. We need to know what the 
longer term is going to be with these new--all the entrants are 
coming. We have already got the big entrants, now we've got a 
whole bunch of other entrants coming in.
    And other countries have adopted measures that we need to 
adopt, and I want you to all help us advocate for it with 
permanent areas of protection, lower power, deflection of the 
antennas, and other things that will not cripple this industry. 
It will still be allowed to provide the service, but it is 
doable, it is being done in other countries, we should be able 
to do it here.
    Unfortunately, we have created the ``wild West'' when it 
comes to the FCC and the deregulation of the industry, and 
nowhere else in the world have they allowed that. So, those 
really aren't questions, but they are a couple of observations, 
if anybody wants to opine on those a little bit for a minute. I 
have got 2 minutes left.
    Ed, do you want to go ahead?
    Mr. Bolen. You are exactly right about the situation 
related to 5G. We have a temporary situation, but we have 
permanent challenges. And working together I think we are 
encouraged that the telecom and the FAA have shared a lot of 
data. We have learned a lot more, but we are in a situation 
where we have got to find ways to move forward on a permanent 
basis, and the power, the direction, all of those things have 
proven to be effective.
    And I think you are right, we need to move from temporary 
agreements to permanent solutions that do facilitate the 
benefits of safe aviation operations and the benefits inherent 
in state-of-the-art network systems.
    Mr. Bunce. Chair DeFazio, I would only add, though, that 
this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is going to happen 
again and very soon. So, our GPS is going to be interfered 
with. You are very familiar with the Ligado situation.
    Mr. DeFazio. Yes.
    Mr. Bunce. But as spectrum becomes more precious and they 
start being adjacent to our spectrum, our systems take so long 
to certify, it is going to happen again.
    And, really, if you look at what NTIA did not do in the 
process--the FAA told them this was going to happen, but it was 
like they were shouting in the woods and nobody was listening, 
and there was no coordination between the FCC and FAA.
    So, if we can do anything in Government, it is to start 
getting these agencies to work together. And I know that is 
going to take commerce committee involvement and Senate 
commerce and everything, but we have got to be able to solve 
this spectrum issue, because it is going to happen again and 
again.
    Mr. DeFazio. A good observation.
    I did have a good conversation with the current Chair of 
the FCC, and she recognized the fact that--the lack of 
coordination that went on under the last administration and is 
committed to doing better. But it would be better if we could 
have a formal MOU or something else between these agencies, 
which will be something that we have to deal with the commerce 
committee on.
    So, thank you for those observations.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. I thank the chair.
    I am going to move to Representative Graves for 5 minutes. 
Before I do, just an update on votes. It is now looking to be 
11:30 to 11:45 when votes are called, just for Members' 
awareness.
    With that, Representative Graves of Louisiana for 5 
minutes--sorry, what I meant to say was Representative Graves 
of Missouri for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Graves of Missouri. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Like you, I get them mixed up all 
the time.
    Mr. Graves of Missouri. We look so much alike.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I would ask unanimous consent 
that my opening statement be included in the record.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Without objection.
    [Mr. Graves of Missouri's prepared statement follows:]

                                 
  Prepared Statement of Hon. Sam Graves, a Representative in Congress 
     from the State of Missouri, and Ranking Member, Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure
    Thank you, Chair Larsen and Ranking Member Graves, and thank you to 
our witnesses.
    I had the pleasure of meeting with many of today's witnesses at the 
General Aviation Town Hall we hosted this past weekend in my hometown 
of Tarkio, Missouri. As I made clear to many of you in Tarkio, now is 
the right time to be having conversations about the challenges the 
general aviation community faces, especially as we approach next year's 
FAA reauthorization bill. Only by working together can we make certain 
that general aviation thrives for future generations of Americans to 
enjoy.
    For those who might not be as familiar with this industry, the 
general aviation fleet is comprised of business jets, fixed-wing piston 
engine aircraft, rotorcraft, lighter-than-air, and light sport 
aircraft. That's a diverse set of aircraft, each with its own varying 
levels of pilot training and certification.
    General aviation is much more diverse than pilots taking joyrides 
or people flying in corporate jets. The general aviation community 
includes rural and remote puddle jumpers, crop dusters, air ambulances, 
aerial firefighting, air tourism, living history flights, and more.
    General aviation is where all aviators, even airline pilots, get 
their start and build their experience.
    And general aviation manufacturing has paved the way for the 
modern-day jetliner through advancements in engineering and technology.
    Put simply, without general aviation, there simply would be no 
aviation industry. It is the common denominator shared by all aviators. 
It underpins the success of the modern-day aerospace system as we know 
it. Our Nation's aviation industry cannot thrive unless our Nation's 
general aviation community also thrives.
    As such, Congress has a vested interest in making certain that 
general aviation remains robust and healthy.
    From ensuring student pilots make the leap to private pilot, to 
educating grade-school students about well-paying careers in aviation, 
to ensuring airspace access in rural communities, to improving aviation 
safety, we must ensure that the general aviation community has the 
tools and resources that it needs to flourish for decades to come.
    Here in Congress, the General Aviation Caucus--one of the largest 
caucuses--plays a key role in tracking the needs of the general 
aviation community and raising awareness on key issues. I appreciate 
the Caucus' work and know its members will remain engaged on these 
issues.
    I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today about how we can 
work together to address the challenges the general aviation community 
faces. Thanks again, Mr. Chairman, for holding today's critically 
important hearing.

    Mr. Graves of Missouri. One thing I didn't hear about today 
was the success of BasicMed and how that has impacted the pilot 
community. And I know we have some 70,000 pilots that have 
taken advantage of it, and safety hasn't been compromised.
    And the question is probably more for Mr. Baker, but I 
encourage anybody to chime in.
    You might, for the benefit--because I know a lot of us 
worked on that, and it was implemented back in 2017, but we 
have new Members on the committee. You might just briefly 
explain the impact it has had on the general aviation community 
and what we might be able to do to expand it, for that matter.
    Mr. Baker. Thanks, Sam. That has been one of the biggest 
wins in general aviation in the last 50 years--70,000 people 
jumping into that in the last 5 years.
    We did the safety look-back. No discernible difference 
between that and third-class medical, at all, zero, from a 
safety perspective.
    If anything, I think it is an opportunity to revisit it and 
look at, how could we expand it? People have been safely flying 
up to five passengers in these aircraft around the country. We 
are working hard to get Canada to receive BasicMed as an 
alternative medical, crossing the border. We got it done in 
Bahamas and Mexico now and most of the Caribbean.
    So, the opportunity to take another look at it and say, 
this has been really a successful program to lower the cost, 
having pilots work with their own doctors to find out what they 
need to do to make sure they make the decisions every day 
before they fly that they are safe to fly with that conditions 
or whatever they have.
    And I am really proud of this bipartisan event that 
occurred and was signed into law in 2016 and has resoundingly, 
for certain, improved the value of aircraft and the access to 
these 5,000 airports in a big way.
    Mr. Viola. I think that now is a good time to tie that to 
workforce development as well, because there are people that 
knew how hard it was to get through the medical process, and 
now, with knowing that they can do BasicMed to get things 
started, they can get involved in aviation. So, I think it even 
helps there as well.
    Mr. Graves of Missouri. Well, that was the one thing that I 
wanted to point out. And it is something I am going to be 
working with some of the newer Members to explain it to them 
and why it is so important and what it has done to impact and 
help, when it comes to a lot of those pilots that just simply, 
kind of, faded away, and now they have come back.
    So, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. I thank the gentleman. He yields 
back.
    I recognize myself for 5 minutes.
    The first question I have is for Mr. Rozansky regarding AIP 
funding to meet infrastructure needs.
    Specifically, have you all looked at how advanced air 
mobility infrastructure needs will impact the investment 
decisions that airports will be making?
    Mr. Rozansky. Thank you, Chair Larsen.
    Yes, we have taken a preliminary look at how advanced air 
mobility may impact our long-term capital planning. At this 
point, however, there are more questions than answers.
    There are even several AAM developers working very closely 
throughout the State of Florida. And with our close proximity 
to urban centers like Miami-Fort Lauderdale, we believe we will 
see some early adoption.
    But the electrical grid infrastructure remains the biggest 
single question mark. What sort of voltage needs are there? 
What qualifications do the personnel on the ground need to 
have? Are they going to be replaceable battery packs, or do 
aircraft have to sit on the ground charging? Do you need more 
ramp space?
    So, we have started to contemplate those needs, but without 
clear standards on the development of vertiports yet from the 
FAA--which they are moving in that direction. They have issued 
an engineering brief here lately, although I understand an 
advisory circular on vertiport design may not come about until 
2024, if I recall correctly.
    So, we are eagerly awaiting that guidance and talking to 
some of the developers of these systems, but I think it is 
still a bit of an evolutionary process.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Yes. Thank you.
    I would note that Representative Davids and Representative 
Graves are cosponsors of a bill to develop a coordinating 
council. And then Representative Graves and I are cosponsors of 
a bill on planning and infrastructure, with a lot of support 
from folks. Both have passed the House, and, again, waiting on 
the Senate to act. But we are trying to push these issues 
forward, because I think we need to begin the planning.
    So, Mr. Pecoraro, the same question for you from the 
aviation officials side, on the public side. How are you all 
thinking about infrastructure specific to AAM?
    Yes, sorry about the--we will get the microphone fixed at 
the break. Sorry.
    Mr. Pecoraro. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    As Mr. Rozansky said, I think that a lot of the challenges 
right now that we face at the State and local level on this is 
knowing what the standards are going to be. Is there going to 
be--just like with charging your cell phone--is there going to 
be one standard for charging, or are there going to be multiple 
different types of attachments that people are going to need to 
be able to charge various types of aircraft?
    It is important for the FAA to come forward with that kind 
of standard and a lot of other types of standards like that to 
be able to make that case. States can't plan, airports can't 
plan, local airport sponsors can't plan unless they know what 
all of these technical standards are going to be.
    So, we very much appreciate the work that you have done in 
trying to push this forward and make some of these funds 
available. When the standards are available, we will be able to 
start making those kinds of plans. Because it is coming very 
rapidly, as you know.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Yes. One of those issues where we 
had hoped the FAA may not be able to be ahead of the technology 
but at least be closer to where the technology is, as compared 
to the experience we had with UAS.
    Mr. Pecoraro. And I would just say that the FAA's new 
office of AAM and UAS is, I think, working hard on these 
issues, and they are doing a good job of reaching out to States 
these days to try and incorporate us into the conversation. But 
things have to move a little faster.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Sure. Thank you.
    Mr. Bunce, I could probably ask anyone here on the panel 
this question about this relationship between the desired 
investment in SAF, or sustainable aviation fuel, and the leaded 
fuel issue within GA.
    Is there a nexus here between GA's adoption of--or, as we 
move forward on EAGLE and in SAF, how are you all thinking 
about that, as equipment manufacturers?
    Mr. Bunce. Well, Chair Larsen, I think there is a nexus. We 
are learning more as we dive into this. And, actually, my 
colleague Tim Obitts went out to NREL just recently, and we are 
hearing some very promising things, that there may be the 
feedstocks of waste products that are out there to be able to 
convert methane into aviation gasoline for piston aircraft. 
And, obviously, we know that has a lot of nexus with 
sustainable aviation fuel.
    So, the more that we get in--and that is why EAGLE is so 
important and we are all partners in this, is because the more 
we see all the tentacles, we know how complicated it is, but we 
are starting to be able to tap into things like the Department 
of Energy, who has vast resources, that want to help us with 
SAF but also maybe now with leaded fuel.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. That is great. Thank you.
    And I will turn to the other Representative Graves, from 
Louisiana, for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Graves of Louisiana. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Chairman, now that Ranking Member Sam Graves is here, I 
want to reiterate what I said earlier. I do appreciate the 
ranking member hosting us over the weekend and pulling the 
aviation panel together. That was remarkable. I do have to 
question his judgment, flying a 1940s aircraft upside down, but 
whatever.
    But I also want to apologize to all of you. We had a 
Natural Resources Committee markup that is scheduled during 
this time that I am quite certain was done intentionally, but 
it is not going to stop me from offering amendments. So, I 
apologize for having to depart earlier and, unfortunately, 
again later today. My good friend--well--good friend, Chairman 
Grijalva.
    In any case, Colonel, thanks again for being here.
    Back in May, at the emissions hearing, we talked a little 
bit about some of the changes that the FAA has made in the 
certification process for advanced air mobility aircraft.
    I wanted to ask you, could you talk a little bit about 
collaboration with the FAA and industry on their efforts now on 
the Special Federal Aviation Regulation, the SFAR, that they 
are doing now? Can you talk about just collaboration with you 
or with industry on the development of the SFAR?
    Mr. Bunce. If we go back, Chair Graves, a few years, we 
went for 5 years trying to certify basically an airplane that 
had a vertical takeoff capability. And we had begged the FAA 
for the last 3 years of that process to codify it, to write it 
down to a procedure. And as the last Administrator left, the 
decision was made to change the way we are going to certify 
these aircraft.
    That was a very nontransparent process, but what I will say 
now is that they have come to us and said, we want 
transparency, we want to work with industry. And so, they sent 
a team over. We got all the companies that are in AAM together 
to be able to listen to what they had to say from both flight 
standards and cert. And then they tasked us to come back to 
them with a very detailed ``this is what needs to be in this 
SFAR,'' which is a basic rulemaking, to be able--and it is an 
aggressive schedule.
    They have to get it done now. They have committed to the 
end of 2024. And we know that the FAA is very behind on 
rulemaking. So, it is aggressive. We are going to submit that, 
along with HAI and our other sister associations, to the FAA 
this week.
    But the importance in this process will be twofold. One is 
that they keep the collaboration and the communications open 
with industry through the process and they don't go into ex 
parte where they won't talk to us. And there are ways that 
legal can allow them to do that by putting things on the 
docket.
    But probably more important to me is that they listen to 
you, they listen to Congress. And if you hold their feet to the 
fire on getting this SFAR done, you ask the questions, ask for 
progress reports, and let them know this is very important, we 
don't lose in the process.
    We do know that, when they shifted gears, the U.K. and 
Brazil now went with EASA. They went with the Europeans and 
their forum. So, unless we get this right, our chance for 
global leadership in this area is gone.
    Mr. Graves of Louisiana. Thank you. That raises very strong 
concerns about some of the uncertainty there.
    Mr. Bolen, I want to thank you for some of your input. And, 
over the weekend, we heard, kind of thematically, feedback from 
many folks about just concerns about the FAA, about lack of 
decisionmaking, lack of leadership, and what I would probably 
refer to as just kind of inept management over there.
    I wanted to ask, from your perspective, your members'--the 
lack of certification, the lack of regulations, and just the 
lack of decisionmaking, can you talk about how that is 
affecting some of the folks that you represent?
    Mr. Bolen. Well, I think, as it has been pointed out, there 
are a lot of new people in their position at the FAA. And what 
we are hoping is that people quickly establish command of the 
issues and the processes and find ways that we can embrace new 
technologies, new processes, so that we can constantly advance 
the state of safety, and finding ways to do so that are 
thoughtful, thorough, but are able to yield real safety 
benefits.
    I know there are countless examples, and we talked about 
many of those in Tarkio. One of the things that I think is 
important for our industry has been high-altitude supplementary 
oxygen. We have a petition for rulemaking that is in. And I 
think that is a good example of how frustratingly long the 
rulemaking process is. We put in a petition. It may lead to 
rulemaking. It may take years.
    But we have an opportunity with new technologies to 
increase compliance, to increase safety, and to solve a lot of 
the challenges that we have. One of the benefits of business 
aviation is a lot of times we can fly above the rest of the 
traffic, and this would help us be able to do that more 
efficiently and effectively.
    Mr. Graves of Louisiana. Thank you.
    Mr. Chairman, I have questions for some of the other panel 
members, but I will be submitting those for the record.
    Thank you. I yield back.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    The Chair will recognize Representative Davids of Kansas 
for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Davids of Kansas. Thank you, Chairman Larsen, and thank 
you to Ranking Member Graves for holding this hearing. I think 
you are getting my note right now.
    So, I was fortunate enough to host Chairman Larsen in my 
district last week just before Ranking Member Graves' Tarkio 
airshow. I am sorry I missed you guys there. And we had an 
aviation roundtable, actually, and we had an opportunity to 
hear from quite a few local and national stakeholders from the 
general aviation community about the workforce, needed Federal 
investment, and challenges that folks are facing right now.
    And one of those issues--and, actually, this kind of 
dovetails on what we were just talking about a second ago. One 
of those issues is that of aircraft and equipment 
certification, international validations with folks like EASA.
    And, of course, we have a thriving aerospace supplier 
network in Kansas City, including Garmin. And their businesses 
unquestionably have been hampered with these validation hangups 
and in discussion and negotiation.
    So, I am curious. Of course, we have established 
relationships with a lot of regulating authorities for the sole 
purpose of expediting these types of certifications with some 
reciprocity. And so, I am curious about the slowdown.
    Mr. Bunce, I was hoping maybe if you could share a little 
bit, not just about why you think we are seeing these 
bottlenecks--because I know we have heard a little bit about 
that--but also if there is something that you think we should 
be doing there or can be doing.
    Mr. Bunce. Representative Davids, we are seeing it in both 
directions. So, we have these bilateral safety agreements. The 
one that is talked about the most is between us and the 
Europeans, but we have them with the U.K., we have Brazil, and 
Canada. Our industry is global, so, we have to be able to 
validate products back and forth.
    But as we went through all the difficulties with the MAX, 
it really made validation a lot tougher. And what our 
perspective is, that, of course, the leadership at the FAA and 
EASA and the European Commission all say, ``Hey, we trust the 
bilateral, we trust each other's safety competencies,'' but 
when it gets down to the technicians and validating new 
products, that is not happening.
    And there is some reciprocity between the organizations, 
that if we ask a lot of questions about how EASA certified a 
program, then the European technicians do the exact same thing, 
and it is bogging down the process. We are talking years, now, 
that it is taking to validate products.
    And then, if you don't see this cooperation and a workplan 
that is built upfront, then you have problems with other 
countries, such as with Canada, which is not working well at 
all.
    So, we had an agreement with the Europeans that produced a 
workplan upfront. That is not being followed. The workplan is 
not happening.
    There is also an office that you called for in the last 
reauthorization to be able to man up the validation office in 
the FAA. That is very slow to mature right now, and they need 
training.
    So, right now, validation is not working very well in any 
direction.
    Ms. Davids of Kansas. Thank you. I appreciate that.
    And I also appreciate all of the work that all of you are 
doing.
    I do want to just mention--it has been discussed a bit--the 
efforts that we are making and that you all are making around 
general aviation. The advancements can have such a big impact 
on economic development. And I know folks have already been--
Mr. Baker, you brought that up earlier.
    And I have seen it at home. I was just at the Miami County 
Airport in Kansas, and an extension of the runway there would 
allow for additional economic development that would be good 
for the entire region. Their hangars have long waiting lists. 
There are a couple of businesses there that have--they don't 
even advertise and they have a year-out wait to get some of 
their customers serviced.
    So, I just appreciate the work you guys are doing around 
that.
    And, with that, I will yield back, Chairman.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
    I recognize Representative Massie of Kentucky for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Massie. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Bunce, at first I wasn't sure, as an engineer, how to 
take your comment that if you put five engineers in a room you 
will get seven answers, but I have decided that you are just 
characterizing them as overachievers. And I don't need any 
further comment on that.
    But you did elucidate several of the problems that are 
facing general aviation today. I want to give you a chance to 
offer some solutions. I know you have already mentioned some 
already, but if there are some other solutions that we might 
take into consideration, please give them to us.
    Mr. Bunce. Well, thank you, Mr. Massie. And our mutual 
friend Dan Schwinn, I am sure, would be agreeable to the 
disagreement between engineers.
    Mr. Massie. Well, if one of the five engineers is from MIT, 
just take his answer.
    Mr. Bunce. There you go.
    Mr. Massie. OK.
    Mr. Bunce. But one of the solutions, I think, is: You can't 
fix it unless you measure it. And what we are seeing in some of 
the aircraft certification offices out there is, pre-pandemic, 
we got response time from the FAA down to about 30 days, on the 
average. We have one ACO that just told a company it is now 120 
days before we are going to get back to you on when we go and 
put an issue paper forward and they have to respond to it.
    Now, 120 days. Think about that. Four months. How can we, 
as industry, deal with something like that? Because you have a 
burn rate because you are not selling any product while you are 
trying to develop it. And just to get this back-and-forth 
answer, whether it is 90 days or 120 days.
    So, what we can do? More resources for them. But, also, try 
to cut down this response time, and be able to say, ``OK, are 
you measuring it, FAA? We want a report back to this committee 
on what you are doing to fix that.''
    And a lot of it is processes. And I think, if the new 
Administrator is confirmed there, that is one thing we hope he 
takes on as a task, is looking at his processes across the 
agency and saying, ``OK, how can we right this ship and get 
this flightpath corrected so that we can help industry 
innovative?'' Because innovation relates directly to safety.
    Mr. Massie. I think in a couple years you are going to look 
like a prophet, talking about the spectrum issue and mentioning 
that there are going to be further conflicts that are going to 
come up. I mean, it is inevitable.
    The value of the spectrum, if you look at the prices at the 
auctions, have increased by two orders of magnitude since the 
1980s and the 1990s when these systems were first developed. 
And our ability, engineering-wise, to segment that spectrum has 
increased by an order of magnitude.
    Can you tell us where some of the other collisions you 
think are going to happen? Not arbitrary. I mean, these are 
driven by the markets and by the value of the spectrum. But you 
mentioned another one, GPS, that might occur?
    Mr. Bunce. Yes, sir. If you think about a GPS satellite, I 
think it is operating at a very low wattage rate. It is 210 
watts, or whatever. So, it is like a light bulb out in space. 
So, it takes very little to overwhelm our receivers.
    And receivers, in both the airlines and civil aviation, we 
may have a receiver that was one of the earlier generations of 
GPS versus some of the later ones, where the filters are not as 
good. So, once they start transmitting right next to our 
spectrum, they are going to interfere. And then we are going to 
have to spend a lot of money, or we will be regulated from 
certain type of approaches if we don't get that fixed.
    Now, one thing that the satellite receiver folks got 
through the big sale of the spectrum--I think it was an $80 
billion sale--was part of it was compensation for them to help 
migrate away so that they wouldn't have the impact from the 5G.
    And I think, as we look to sale of spectrum, which, you are 
exactly right, is precious--and we want the U.S. to move 
forward. We are not trying to fight that. But if it is going to 
affect us in aviation, which takes years and years to certify a 
new product, is there a way to compensate that and think ahead 
of time so we can have the widgets available to be able to have 
a rapid plug-in to new aircraft or existing aircraft, but also 
have a way to help compensate folks that have to do that?
    Mr. Massie. I am going to give other folks a chance to 
answer this question.
    We know there is a shortage of chips, and that is affecting 
general aviation. Are there shortages of other things that 
people could let us know about that are going to affect GA?
    Mr. Rozansky. Member Massie, if I may, regarding workforce, 
the Contract Tower Program is suffering from a significant 
shortage of viable workforce, some of which--a culmination of 
factors, some of which driven by recruitment to the FAA staff 
towers.
    Secondly, the wages are out of alignment with Department of 
Labor. And I know there has been an effort on this 
subcommittee, which we greatly appreciate. So, some controllers 
are making difficult financial decisions, what is best for them 
and their families. And the CONTRACT Act would go a long way 
towards helping those efforts.
    Coordination with the FAA on a transition of a recruitment 
from a contract tower, backfill vacancies, go to the FAA, would 
help a great deal. It is all part of one NAS.
    Mr. Massie. Thank you. My time has expired. It wasn't the 
answer I anticipated, but it was a good answer. Thank you very 
much.
    I yield back.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    I now turn to Representative Johnson of Georgia for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Johnson of Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for 
holding this hearing.
    And thank you to all of the witnesses for your time and 
your testimony.
    Lead is a neurotoxin with harmful developmental effects in 
children. Over 25 years ago, lead was banned from all road 
vehicles due, in part, to the severe health consequences of 
lead exposure.
    Today, aviation fuel for piston-engine aircraft is our 
country's main and primary source of lead emissions. And the 
link between piston-engine aircraft and blood lead levels have 
never been stronger. Recent research shows a correlation 
between high levels of lead in children's blood in relation to 
proximity to airports.
    We have heard testimony today about the joint Government 
and industry Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions, or 
EAGLE, initiative, which would remove lead from piston-engine 
aircraft fuel by 2030. The EAGLE initiative is long overdue and 
is critical to reducing lead exposure to all Americans.
    Mr. Bunce, are you and the manufacturers you represent 
confident that the EAGLE initiative will succeed?
    Mr. Bunce. Yes, sir. We are confident.
    Mr. Johnson of Georgia. At last month's stakeholder 
meeting, what progress was discussed? And were any concerns 
raised about the program, the initiative?
    Mr. Bunce. I thought that we were able to really get an 
organizational structure in place that allows very good 
cooperation between the industry associations, the pillar leads 
of the four pillars that we have in the EAGLE initiative, two 
of which are industry-led, two of which are FAA-led, and the 
collaboration and actually the ability to be able to go toward 
a certification of a fuel.
    Remember, the FAA has never done this. We certify the 
engines to operate on a fuel. The FAA has never certified an 
actual fuel.
    But I think my colleagues would agree, the last meeting set 
the stage for us to be able to explore improved avenues to be 
able to accelerate the process to get to testing so we can do 
what is called a fleetwide approval of a fuel or multiple fuels 
that can satisfy the entire fleet.
    Mr. Johnson of Georgia. Thank you.
    Helicopter air ambulances fly at low altitudes and fly in 
and around communities with potentially high 5G traffic.
    Mr. Viola, how has 5G interference impacted helicopter 
operations since the 5G rollout began?
    Mr. Viola. Congressman, thank you for that question.
    We have worked hand-in-hand with our operators, and we have 
actually put in an exemption, especially on the air ambulance 
providers, because we knew that they couldn't be shut down. So, 
there are some additional risk mitigations that we had to 
address in order to operate without those radar altimeters in 
that area.
    Other than that, there are some areas that we are working 
through. And I think as you heard earlier today, the goal is to 
not have to continually do retrofits, but actually come up with 
policies and procedures that will enable us to do one-time 
fixes and then work on the spectrum issues with policy again to 
make sure that it is not that we are playing catchup in the 
aviation industry with safety concerns but that we are laying a 
safe future as we bring in this future technology.
    Mr. Johnson of Georgia. Thank you.
    Mr. Bunce, are there any actions that you recommend 
Congress to take to ensure success of the EAGLE initiative?
    Mr. Bunce. Thanks, sir. Showing interest from this 
committee on progress would be very beneficial and helpful to 
us. And I know you all care about this, as we do. And so, just 
continually pulsing the FAA.
    But also encouraging the FAA to work very closely with 
other Federal agencies, like I mentioned earlier, the 
Department of Energy and others, to be able to help us find a 
solution would be very beneficial to us.
    Mr. Johnson of Georgia. OK. Thank you.
    I have no further questions, and I yield back.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
    The Chair recognizes Representative Mast of Florida for 5 
minutes. Representative Mast.
    Mr. Mast. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Bunce, obviously everybody likes you, but you can throw 
me in that lot as well. I like you as well. Good to see you 
here today.
    I wanted to talk to you all a little bit about the flavor 
of the summer, I guess I would call it, the flavor of the 
summer. Any of us that have flown, we have all felt the delays. 
Whether it is for weather, whether it is because of those that 
are in the towers and the shortages there, whether it is pilot 
shortages, we have felt it.
    But I think we touched on it just a couple of questions 
ago, what's going on in the towers; it was touched upon. 
Competitive wages, it was touched upon, the shortages there.
    I just want to hear a little bit more about how general 
aviation is affected by the shortages in the towers, the 
contract towers and otherwise. Whoever might be the best person 
to discuss that, I would be curious to hear a little bit more 
on that.
    Mr. Bolen. Well, this is Ed Bolen with the National 
Business Aviation Association.
    I think it is inherent for the broad aviation community to 
constantly work and communicate what the needs on the system 
are.
    And, clearly, staffing has been a front-burner issue in 
several press stories, whether it is staffing at airports, in 
control towers, with various airline operations. That has been 
a big challenge as we, as a community, went through the 
pandemic and trying to come back in terms of that.
    There are programs in place that we can try to leverage to 
minimize operations, increase efficiencies. We have a dual AFP 
program that we are using in places. So, I think there are 
opportunities there. And we have had, particularly in Florida, 
important meetings that have taken place in Jacksonville to 
explore those opportunities and to continue the dialogue.
    But you are touching on something that is really important. 
Staffing, workforce issues are a challenge throughout the 
industry. It came up earlier that there were supply-chain 
issues. The workforce issues are every bit as pressing and 
deserve a great deal of attention.
    Mr. Mast. Thank you. I appreciate your comments. It is 
something that we all feel, and I know it is felt in different 
segments. I would just point out this: I think it is something 
for us to discuss certainly as a committee and subcommittee 
more broadly.
    You mentioned moving off of COVID, moving from COVID. My 
understanding of it right now is that FAA is still requiring a 
10-day quarantine for people testing positive with COVID. And 
the CDC guidelines, as an example, I want to say, is half that 
from when your symptoms end. So, right there, that is a 
staffing issue. It doesn't solve everything, but it is 
certainly a piece of it.
    We should also be looking at, as well, the individuals that 
are being moved on from Government service because of an 
unwillingness, for any hosts of rightful reasons, to not get a 
COVID vaccine. If that is affecting the FAA workforce as well, 
that is something that we should be looking at as well, making 
sure that individuals are not being kicked out of Government, 
whether it be the military or the FAA or any other Government 
agency, for choosing to not get a vaccine. I think that is 
something we should be looking at as well.
    With that, Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions, and I 
yield the remainder of my time.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Well, thank you, Representative 
Mast.
    At this point, I would like to recognize Representative 
Payne for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Payne. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank Ranking 
Member Graves for having this committee hearing today.
    Let's see. Mr. Baker, in your testimony, you mentioned that 
the commercial aviation industry will need 600,000 new pilots 
over the next 20 years. AOPA's website estimates that it costs 
between $6,000 and $12,000 to earn your initial pilot 
certificate. It can cost thousands more to earn a commercial 
pilot certificate.
    How can we, as Congress, make sure that this cost is not a 
barrier to producing the pilots we need for the general 
aviation sector?
    Mr. Baker. Thank you for the question.
    Yes, we recognize that fuel costs have gone up, and the 
basic license, as you said, is between $8,000 and $12,000, at a 
minimum, today for an average student.
    Now, we also believe that a lot of the simulator work that 
can be accomplished is a real positive, and there is movement 
to get more of those credits put forth. But, as you also 
recognize, to get all the way to a commercial license with the 
hours, the 1,500 hours, is a very expensive proposition.
    Now, part of that is that there is a big need for flight 
instructors. Flight instructors are making a reasonable wage 
today, and for those that have the ability and the 
consciousness to be a flight instructor, there is a good 
opportunity there.
    But maybe there is a potential that we have to look at for 
how are we going to finance or allow loans or some other ways 
to get these young people access to get to those very highly 
experienced levels that make them the safe pilots, good pilots, 
that we need to consider.
    Mr. Payne. OK.
    Also, given its diversity of aircraft within the aviation 
community, does the cost to train some aircraft differ than the 
cost of training for other aircraft? And does this impact those 
from lower income situations?
    Mr. Baker. It certainly does. The unmanned part of this 
thing can be a lot lower cost, for certain. But we don't know 
exactly where that is headed to, when you start to have 
unmanned carried passengers, and where that is all going to 
lead to and what kind of certifications that are going to be 
required. That is something that we need to work closely with 
the FAA and the regulator on, to figure out what is the 
standard that is going to be required at some future date when 
that becomes a reality.
    But I would tell you that I believe that the numbers that 
Boeing continues to print out there, which is 600,000 pilots 
for just the airline world in the next 10 or 15 years, is a 
really big number. And we are not at a level where we can 
support that level of accreditation. We don't have enough 
designated pilot examiners today. We have 700-and-some 
examiners. We need 1,500 examiners from the FAA. And it has 
been really a slow move to get that up to a number that I think 
is going to help us get to the 50,000 pilots a year that this 
country needs to produce.
    Mr. Payne. OK. Thank you----
    Mr. Viola [interrupting]. I would like to answer that 
question also, when you talk about the differing cost of 
certification for pilots.
    When you look at the rotorcraft community, it is going to 
be a little more expensive than the airline, or the airplane. 
So, as you look at funding for part 141 schools and such, make 
sure that any limitations that you put on there may affect the 
actual aircraft that they are getting qualified in.
    Mr. Obitts. And--Mr. Obitts here with NATA--with regard to 
the eligibility, we are hearing from our flight schools that 
they are having issues related to student loans and also use of 
GI bills. So, that should be looked at as well.
    Mr. Payne. Thank you.
    Mr. Bunce, we are expecting a similar demand for trained 
aircraft mechanics in the future that we are expecting as for 
pilots. What are your members doing to help train the next 
generation of aircraft manufacturers and mechanics?
    Mr. Bunce. Well, Member Payne, we are extremely supportive 
of the efforts that our colleagues at AOPA, AEA, and our other 
associations are doing to build a pilot workforce.
    But, also, if we make advanced air mobility happen, that is 
going to be a feeder for the airlines. Because these pilots 
will be able to fly in what is called part 135 type of 
operations. So, they will need a commercial ticket, but they 
can use that flight time that they mature in advanced air 
mobility to be able to go and build up to the 1,500-hour rule. 
So, we consider advanced air mobility a real enhancer to 
aviation.
    Also, if you think about an electric aircraft as a trainer, 
where you are doing a lot of the basic work of just landing and 
taking off, if you can do that much more cheaply with an 
electric motor, you reduce cost dramatically.
    Mr. Payne. Well, thank you. And my time----
    Mr. Larsen of Washington [interrupting]. The gentleman's 
time has expired.
    Mr. Payne. Yes. I yield back.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    The Chair recognizes Representative Balderson of Ohio for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Balderson. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
    Mr. Bunce, thank you for being here today. And I also want 
to talk about the supply-chain issues you described in your 
testimony.
    I want to go back to a question that Mr. Massie asked--
didn't get the answer, but he had a great answer--about 
workforce development, but on the semiconductor issue. Does 
this really factor in to the general aviation supply issue? And 
can you expand on the importance that these chips play in 
general aviation and why it is crucial we expand our domestic 
production?
    Mr. Bunce. Absolutely, sir.
    I spoke to one company in North Dakota the other day. So, 
their chip sourcing went from a chip that was basically a $7.50 
chip to now over $780 per chip. And this is for a piece of 
equipment that they sell that a lot of us use in our aircraft 
here that only sells for about $2,800. So, think about a chip 
that costs that much. And he absolutely refuses--he is having 
to suck it up instead of putting a $700 surcharge.
    What other companies are having to do is, they are having 
to take chips and put their engineering teams onto being able 
to modify the boards to work with a different type of chip. But 
then that has to go back through the FAA processes.
    And not only that, but then the aircraft manufacturer has 
to certify that wherever that chip came from, that they have 
the quality-control processes to be able to have it go into an 
aircraft. The automotive industry doesn't have those 
restrictions.
    So, it is a true problem. And having more chips available 
here in the U.S., I think, is a national strategic priority.
    Mr. Balderson. Thank you. Great answer, and I couldn't 
agree with you more. And there was a letter sent off by the 
Commerce Secretary and Secretary Austin today too that talked 
about this same issue. So, thank you very much for that answer.
    Mr. Bunce, today it was announced that the Consumer Price 
Index is at 9.1 percent. What impact has this record inflation 
had on the general aviation manufacturing industry?
    Mr. Bunce. Sir, I didn't hear you well. You are talking 
about the inflation rate and the impact on the industry?
    Mr. Balderson. Yes. I apologize. The rate hit 9.1 today. 
What effect has this record inflation rate had on the general 
aviation manufacturing industry overall?
    Mr. Bunce. It is tremendous. And remember, the lead lag in 
taking orders and fulfilling the orders at a certain cost point 
when your suppliers now as you are building--and we have what 
is called a book-to-bill ratio that is out there about 2-2\1/2\ 
years. So, as you are accepting aluminum or fiber and 
everything, you are having to pay this increased inflationary 
cost in addition to having to pay increased labor cost, but you 
still made a contractual price to your customer.
    So, it is reducing the margins that our manufacturers have 
out there. And, eventually, for the next orders that they take, 
you have to start passing those increases along. So, it is 
having a big impact.
    Mr. Balderson. All right.
    Thank you very much for your answers.
    And, Mr. Chairman, I will yield back my remaining time. 
Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
    Just a heads-up: They called votes on the floor just now. 
So, we will continue with questions, and--sorry, I can't see 
that far--we will go with Congresswoman Norton.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Norton. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Viola, as one of the chairs of the Quiet Skies Caucus, 
I am particularly concerned with the effects of helicopter 
noise on the lives of my constituents here in the District of 
Columbia. Helicopter noise is a major concern, not only in my 
jurisdiction, but in the national capital region.
    What steps do you believe the Federal Aviation 
Administration and helicopter operators should take to reduce 
helicopter noise?
    Mr. Viola. Thank you for that question.
    And whether the helicopter, today or tomorrow, we are 
talking about AAM. And I mentioned earlier the societal good 
that vertical flight brings to society, with the emergency air 
ambulance and others. And we understand that we do need that 
community compatibility.
    And so, we do offer the Fly Neighborly initiative, which is 
a voluntary noise-reduction program, as we continue to work 
with communities such as yours. And then, as part of that, we 
look to the stakeholders to see what we can do, how we can 
operate with a reduced noise footprint.
    Of course, the future aircraft have that promise. And we 
look forward to keeping open the ability to operate inside the 
cities today as we get that future technology that will enable 
us to operate even more quietly and more friendly.
    But, in June, we were down here with the Eastern Region 
Helicopter Council, and we introduced a new noise initiative 
for Washington, DC. We established a noise complaint system for 
individuals in and around the region to share their concerns. 
HAI and the Eastern Region Helicopter Council aim to work with 
the DC community to review and process the noise complaints and 
then use this data to help mitigate the noise.
    Using available flight tracking data, we will be able to 
accurately identify aircraft that are participating or not 
participating, and some of the measures that we are trying to 
work with you and other Government officials with to try to 
focus that increased community compatibility.
    So, just flying safely in compliance is not enough. We want 
to be neighborly. And we hope, with the advancements in 
technology that are coming, we will continue to get safer so we 
can continue to use vertical flight into the cities in the 
future.
    And you have heard some of the other panel members here, 
with the technology, with the electric aircraft and others, 
that will come. So that we keep access is very key at this 
point.
    Ms. Norton. Thank you. That is useful.
    Continuing with you, the Government Accountability Office 
conducted a study of helicopter noise in the national capital 
region and recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration 
develop a mechanism to exchange information with all helicopter 
operators in the national capital region.
    Now, I understand the Helicopter Association International 
and the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, in cooperation with 
the FAA, are doing a test of such a mechanism this summer. How 
will the information gathered by this mechanism aid in the 
reduction of helicopter noise in the national capital region?
    Mr. Viola. Yes, ma'am. Thanks for that question.
    I think that, as you asked as well, it is a test program. 
We are looking to make sure that we correlate the noise issues 
that are coming in and the locations and the aircraft. And then 
that is when we will use the technology to see if there is a 
way, based on what aircraft, when, and locations.
    And we are working with the FAA and other agencies to make 
sure that we can get a clear picture of what is going on today 
and then plan the future and work with the community to 
continue to increase the compatibility.
    Ms. Norton. Mr. Rozansky, I want to thank you for bringing 
up aircraft noise in your testimony, which negatively impacts 
the lives of our constituents. It affects their sleep, health, 
and quality of life.
    The 2021 FAA Neighborhood Environmental Survey indicated 
individual and community annoyance with aircraft noise has 
considerably increased.
    Could I ask you, what tangible actions can FAA and airports 
take to engage with their communities to reduce aircraft noise 
and aircraft noise annoyance?
    Mr. Rozansky. Thank you, Member Norton. That is a topic I 
cited extensively in my complete written testimony.
    The Naples Airport Authority has been an industry leader in 
noise-abatement efforts. We are currently in the midst of our 
fourth part 150 noise study, in part as a result of the 
dramatic growth in private-jet activity that we have seen, but 
because so many who come to our community are seeking that 
quality of life you refer to.
    So, it is a balance amongst all the stakeholders. We 
certainly strive to preserve and promote a healthy and robust 
aviation system, providing great access to and from our 
community, but while also protecting the quality of life of the 
folks who live nearby the airport. And----
    Mr. Larsen of Washington [interrupting]. Thank you for your 
comments.
    Mr. Rozansky. I am sorry, Chair?
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Time has expired.
    Mr. Rozansky. Oh, my apologies.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
    Thank you, Congresswoman Norton.
    We are going to now turn to Representative Nehls for 5 
minutes.
    Mr. Nehls. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    And thank you to all the witnesses who have testified here 
today.
    Mr. Bolen, eVTOL aircraft will provide a quiet alternative 
to conventional aircraft. Companies like Lilium [holding up a 
photo]--a beautiful picture here we have; looks like something 
from ``The Jetsons.'' Companies like Lilium have announced that 
they will sell their eVTOL aircraft to individuals and 
businesses, allowing general and business aviation to reap 
these benefits.
    What should the FAA be doing to prepare the eVTOL aircraft 
to join the general aviation fleet?
    Mr. Bolen. Well, the eVTOL have an enormous promise for our 
Nation and for the world. They will enable us to take the next 
step in on-demand air mobility, getting people where they want 
to be when they need to be there and doing it safely, securely, 
and sustainably.
    I think a lot of us at this table recognize that, a lot of 
times in aviation, some of the most unpredictable part of that 
is getting from a city center to an airport. So, this will 
complement the airline and business aviation as we move 
forward.
    We also have an opportunity, particularly here in the 
United States, where we have over 5,000 public-use airports, we 
have an opportunity to ensure that that infrastructure, which 
has been so invaluable to growing general aviation, is able to 
serve the eVTOL community.
    I think we have already talked about at some length the 
certification issues that we have challenges with and are 
working through. As we begin to see the introduction into 
service, we are going to need to look at the operations, and 
that will include airport operations, vertiport operations, but 
also air traffic operations, and making sure that the FAA, the 
community, is all coming together to understand what challenges 
we have and what opportunities we have, making sure we get this 
right.
    Because, as you take the technology industry and the 
aviation industry, if we can bring the best of both together, 
we are going to have a safe, secure, sustainable industry that 
is going to provide enormous benefits for all of humankind.
    Mr. Nehls. Thank you. That is good news. Great to hear.
    Mr. Baker, we have all read or personally experienced the 
delays in commercial flights ongoing throughout the Nation. Can 
you detail some of the efforts the FAA has taken recently to 
address the air traffic controller shortage?
    If you would give me 1 minute, because I have one more 
question.
    Mr. Baker. Sir, the issue that all of air traffic control, 
all workforce is really real, in my opinion. And that is one of 
the reasons we kicked off this 4-year high school program. It 
starts in the 9th grade, goes to the 12th grade. Twelve 
thousand kids took it this last year. As we look forward to the 
registrations this year, we will be in 45 States, in over 500 
high schools.
    And what I believe the objective should be: We should be in 
1 of every 10 high schools. We should be at 2,500 high schools 
with a free education program to show pathways in aviation, 
including controlling.
    Mr. Nehls. Thank you.
    Last question. Mr. Viola, I read in your testimony about 
the alarming situation ongoing for our air tour operators at 
several of our national parks. It seems the FAA and National 
Park Service are rushing to meet a court-ordered deadline but 
have opted to exclude critical stakeholders like the National 
Parks Overflights Advisory Group.
    As you mention, air tour operators offer people with 
disabilities and often the elderly an opportunity to view and 
enjoy some of our Nation's most treasured landscapes they 
otherwise would not be able to see.
    I have also been told that some of these air group 
operators in the off-season help the Federal Government fight 
wildfires and other natural disaster events.
    Do you have any suggestions on how we can help alleviate 
this issue?
    Mr. Viola. Thank you very much for that question and 
pointing out that issue.
    In 2000, the NPATMA was established by Congress. That is 
really all we need to do, is follow what was established by 
Congress. There was a court order in 2020 that drove the two 
agencies together, and they basically went underground, the 
National Park Service and the FAA, and they are now processing 
all that information on their own.
    What you had required in 2000, as Congress, was for 
industry to work together. And the solutions we were working 
were, what aircraft were making what noise? What altitudes? We 
were actually trying to work together to make sure that we 
could continue to have access for the public.
    And as you probably hear as well with your constituents, 
anytime I tell people that the National Park Service is trying 
to prevent all overflights, they are shocked, because they have 
actually gone out and participated and were able to view our 
beautiful parks from the air.
    So, I think going back and looking at the NPATMA, what was 
established in 2000, and ensure that cooperation happens.
    Mr. Nehls. Well, thank you, Mr. Viola. And you have my 
commitment, I will continue to look into this.
    Mr. Viola. Thank you.
    Mr. Nehls. I yield back.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you.
    Before I go to Representative Titus from Nevada, just a 
quick administrative update. We will go to Representative 
Titus, we will recess, and then we will come back. There are 
two votes. We are in the middle of one right now. So, after the 
recess, it shouldn't be any more--well, famous last words--any 
more than 30 minutes, I would guess less than that. And we will 
come back and we will see if there are any other Members who 
have questions.
    So, I would ask for your patience, but to wait for us to 
come back, if you don't mind.
    But, before that, we will go to Representative Titus.
    You are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    I just wanted to share some figures with you that are good 
news before I ask my questions.
    Compared to pre-pandemic levels, general aviation traffic 
is up 20 percent at the Henderson Executive Airport in southern 
Nevada, and it is up 7 percent at the North Las Vegas Airport.
    And this is thanks largely to a number of events that have 
occurred in Las Vegas--the draft, the football draft, and the 
Pro Bowl, and the opening up of Raiders stadium. We think that 
is going to increase even more as we look towards the Super 
Bowl and also Formula 1 races. So, this is a very important 
part of the economy and the tourist sector in southern Nevada.
    Now, going back to the previous question, many of the 
people who come to Las Vegas know that it is more than just the 
bright lights on the strip. They like to look at our 
surrounding areas.
    And so, I am interested in the work that you are doing with 
the national parks, Mr. Viola, as well. Because I think there 
are 23 national parks, and I just wonder what impacts you think 
this plan is going to have on the helicopter tourism industry 
out of Las Vegas, many of whom fly over Lake Mead or the Grand 
Canyon.
    Mr. Viola. Yes. Thank you very much for that question.
    Yes, that is a problem. And we are trying to highlight that 
right now, that the plans, as they are being put together, 
without going through the NPOAG, without having industry input, 
are very concerning to being able to put a lot of those people 
out of business.
    So, yes, we would love to follow up on this topic and 
provide as much detail as you would like to hear, ma'am.
    Ms. Titus. Thank you. I would like to do that.
    And there is no ability to have local government input or, 
say, the convention center input? It is just strictly behind 
closed doors with the National Park Service?
    Mr. Viola. Yes, the technique they are using is, they have 
done some open meetings, but you will see by the meetings or if 
you watch one of them on YouTube, they are really not taking 
any questions. Some of your constituents have actually written 
in and provided additional documents, and they have not been 
acknowledged. So, it is not a good thing that is going on right 
now in that area.
    Ms. Titus. Well, I would appreciate if you would work with 
me to see if we can't at least have some voice in there.
    Mr. Viola. Yes, ma'am. We will reach out and connect and 
ensure that we work together on this.
    Ms. Titus. Well, thank you.
    And one other thing I would like to ask you: I am the 
cochair of the Unmanned Systems Caucus, and we have been 
hearing about some unauthorized drones who interfere with the 
helicopters, especially when they are fighting fires.
    Could you kind of address that, of how we can be sure that 
only authorized drones are in that airspace, and they don't 
interfere with any operations you all might be engaged in?
    Mr. Viola. Yes, ma'am. So, currently, when we have 
firefighting operations going on, the FAA will put out a 
temporary flight restriction in those areas. But what happens 
is, it ends up being the participants or the ones that are 
qualified to fly the UAS will stay out of those areas.
    So, what we do have is, we have nonparticipants or people 
that aren't flying in accordance with the rules that are 
actually interfering. They are interfering with firefighting, 
and they are also interfering with air medical. And nothing 
better that they try to do is to launch a UAS so they can get a 
look at an accident scene.
    So, we are really trying to do some public awareness and 
working with the FAA on ways to prevent or have some counter-
drone capability, so when there are some public safety issues 
going on, such as firefighting and/or air ambulance emergencies 
going on, that we can somehow help keep those out of the area.
    Ms. Titus. Is there anything this committee can do to help 
you in that, or is it just strictly you and the FAA? Anything 
Congress can do? I mean in the reauthorization.
    Mr. Baker. Say the question again. I am sorry, I couldn't 
hear it.
    Mr. Viola. The question was, for anyone here, as we are 
trying to keep the unauthorized-drone activities from becoming 
a safety hazard to general aviation, they just don't understand 
that there is other aviation that is out there.
    Mr. Baker. Yeah, we are certainly very concerned about some 
of the drone usage, and we want a safe integration of that 
airspace. We believe in drones; we think it is the right thing 
for our economy. But it has to be done with a detect-and-avoid 
for general aviation, not put the burden on the small aircraft 
below 400 feet. It doesn't work that way.
    Mr. Bunce. And there does need to be civil penalties. Just 
like if somebody points a laser at a pilot, that is a safety-
of-flight issue. And if we hit one of these drones out there 
with an aircraft or a rotorcraft, it is different than a bird. 
That battery can come through the windscreen and be very 
dangerous. So, we have to enforce the airspace rules.
    Ms. Titus. Well, maybe you can work with us on the caucus 
to see if we can come up with something that helps both sides.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you very much.
    So, since they have called for votes on the House floor, 
the committee will recess, and we will restart the hearing as 
soon as the last vote is over.
    Again, there are two votes. One, the time is out, but there 
are 350 people left to vote, so, it will be a little bit as we 
rush over--I am sorry, 330 people. So, 20 people voted in the 
time I said that.
    So, we will be back. I guarantee I will be back, and then 
we will make an assessment then. So, I really do appreciate the 
indulgence of the panel.
    And, with that, the committee will be in recess.
    [Recess.]
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. I call the committee to order.
    We will continue with Member questions. The Chair calls on 
Representative Auchincloss from Massachusetts for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Auchincloss. Thank you, Chairman. I appreciate letting 
me waive on to the committee to ask these questions.
    In the commercial aviation sector, my constituents and 
indeed someone who commutes back and forth between Boston and 
Washington, me, have been really very significantly disrupted 
by staffing shortages in the commercial airlines and the flight 
delays that has led to. We are seeing that commercial airlines 
are scheduling flights that are almost guaranteed to not be 
able to fly because of the lack of pilots and staff, which is 
really not an acceptable business practice.
    I know that some of my colleagues on the Republican side of 
the aisle have asked about the impact of staffing shortages in 
general aviation, and I would like to continue that line of 
questioning.
    Mr. Baker, as you mentioned, the shortage of air traffic 
controllers has been causing delays for an extended time, and 
the FAA is working to increase controller staffing. Can you 
shed some light on factors that have led to staffing shortfalls 
within the industry?
    Mr. Baker. So, there is clearly an opportunity for young 
people to join aviation right now, and you can tell by the 
average wages that are going up in all sectors in aviation. The 
demand is high and the supply is not enough. And one of the 
reasons why we have our high school programs is to introduce 
young people into aviation in 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grade, and 
we look forward to growing that program significantly.
    We do know that the FAA has had some recruiting going on 
for air traffic controllers and had big turnout for people that 
did apply for the jobs, but it takes them a long time to get up 
to speed to run one of the bigger sectors in the ATC centers of 
that traffic.
    So, in other words, there is a long lead time to have an 
employee and an experienced employee ready to take on those 
roles. So, we believe and have seen in every sector, including 
general aviation where there is a shortage of flight 
instructors and others, maintenance workers, in general 
aviation as well. But we continue to be working through that 
and people are attracted to aviation, fortunately, because it 
is a fun and interesting industry.
    Mr. Auchincloss. Can you, and others can also jump into 
this, can you speak about work that both general and commercial 
aviation could do to diversify and make more resilient and 
widen the pipeline for new talent coming in to this industry?
    And what help the airlines should be giving to invest in 
this new pipeline, given that they have used buyouts and early 
retirements during the pandemic, despite more than $50 billion 
in Federal aid; whether they need to be making investments now 
to replenish and strengthen and make more resilient that 
staffing shortfall, both for pilots and also, as you have said, 
for designated pilot examiners, who I know are another shortage 
area.
    Mr. Baker. So, one of the things that we have recorded in 
our high school program thus far in the last 5 years is that 40 
percent or more of the kids taking these programs come out of 
underrepresented groups, minorities. Twenty-five percent are 
young women. Both sectors are underrepresented in the aviation 
working world today.
    So, creating the pathways and interests and showing them 
that they can, too, be participating in this world and we need 
them is really a big part of our high school initiative. And I 
think that is the first place you get that done.
    Mr. Auchincloss. We are talking about 5- to 10-year 
projects, I know. You don't train a pilot or an air traffic 
controller or a DPE overnight, nor would I think anybody would 
want you to.
    We are facing a summer of disruption right now, and I see 
an analogy here with healthcare, where we have got significant 
shortages in healthcare staffing acutely felt in Massachusetts 
where a big cause of that has been a lack of immigration. We 
are 2 million immigrants short of where we were supposed to be 
based on pre-pandemic trajectories.
    I would be interested to hear from you or from any of your 
colleagues here at the witness table, what can we do to 
increase the number of certified immigrants coming to the 
United States who could help staff the airline industry in the 
short term?
    Mr. Rozansky. Regarding Federal contract towers--and thank 
you for the question--the contractors are not able to develop 
their own workforce. They must rely on federally certified air 
traffic controllers trained only by the FAA.
    They are developing a business case for how they could help 
develop the pipeline starting in contract towers, which may 
very well include a more diverse workforce, kind of the next 
generation of those that are underrepresented. They would still 
have to be trained and certified by the FAA, but as of right 
now, and this is a big item that could be included in an 
upcoming FAA reauthorization, having the contract tower 
operators help develop their own workforce would be a huge 
initiative in that direction.
    Mr. Auchincloss. Well, I would certainly encourage in this 
reauthorization that both general and commercial aviation think 
about how we can expand and diversify the training pipeline, 
and also how we can look to immigrants and other nontraditional 
populations for help in the short term, because we can't take 
much more of the disruptions that we are seeing in the airports 
across the United States.
    Thank you, Chairman.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Representative.
    I understand Representative Van Drew has logged on. If 
Representative Van Drew has logged on. To the folks at home, 
just give us a few minutes--a few moments. It will not be a few 
minutes. Just a moment.
    If I can get a clear message from staff on the--OK. We 
understand he is logged on and we are just trying to get him 
up. So long as everyone is comfortable with silence. There you 
go.
    Representative Van Drew, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
    Dr. Van Drew. Good morning. Actually, good afternoon by 
now.
    Thank you to Chairman Larsen and Ranking Member Graves for 
holding today's hearing on the state of general aviation.
    General aviation encompasses many different sectors, but 
today, I would like to focus on the advanced aviation 
technologies of unmanned aircraft systems, we know it as UAS, 
and advanced aviation mobility, AAM.
    My district in South Jersey is home to the William J. 
Hughes Technical Center where cutting-edge research is 
happening in the UAS office and in the AAM program. This 
committee, the FAA, and the aviation stakeholders community are 
in conversation to determine how to best structure Federal 
organizations and policies so that these industries may grow in 
a safe and an efficient manner.
    With next year's FAA authorization around the corner, this 
hearing is an excellent opportunity to publicly explore how we 
can improve the Federal Government to unlock the potential of 
advanced aviation.
    I offer my questions to three of our witnesses: Jim Viola 
of Helicopter Association International, Pete Bunce of the 
General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and Mark Baker of 
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
    My question is this: Is the FAA's current approach to 
rulemaking and certification for UAS and AAM operations 
satisfactory? If not, please elaborate on the ways that you 
would improve the FAA's approach from both an organizational 
and a policymaking standard.
    Mr. Viola, please respond first, followed by Mr. Bunce, and 
Mr. Baker. And I will yield the remainder of my time for these 
responses.
    Thank you so much, Chairman.
    Mr. Viola. Thank you, Congressman, for that question. It is 
a very important question, indeed, with the FAA's ability to be 
flexible with certification and also ensure the safety. I 
really think that I would recommend a top level look at even 
what the FAA mission statement is today, and then see what it 
is we are requiring of them.
    We all talked workforce issues today. The FAA, as a 
Government agency, also has a workforce. I think you will hear 
some other peers here talk about the growth of Government as 
well as the industry side. I think there is a lot of work that 
we can do on the industry side to help keep the FAA at a 
smaller, more oversight capability without all the necessity 
for growing a workforce that tries to keep up with the rapid 
pace of technology.
    Mr. Bunce. Representative Van Drew, I would add that we are 
supportive of a technology office at the FAA, but the purpose 
of that office needs to be to break down the stovepipes in the 
lines of business.
    We learned through the Garmin Autoland system, where 
somebody with an incapacitated pilot can push a button and an 
airplane will land autonomously, that the Air Traffic 
Organization wasn't involved in the development, or the right 
people from the ATO weren't involved, and that really hampered 
and caused that program to be 7 years long.
    What we would be very wary of is if we went and separated 
out like this certification directorate and pulled people out 
of there to just work that one segment, because it is 
interdependent with the aviation industry that we already have 
established.
    Take fly-by-wire or take the autonomy that is already being 
built in the aircraft, they need to rely on that expertise to 
be able to go and make advanced air mobility work. So, we have 
got to make the stovepipes work together, but we don't want to 
bust up the stovepipes.
    Mr. Baker. Adding to that only would be the general 
expectation that when it becomes rulemaking, it is not 
expedited at all. We have been working and waiting for the 
MOSAIC, which is an update for the aircraft's certifications 
for, I think, 6 years in that rulemaking effort. It is 
basically on the shelf. We are standing by for the LODA 
rulemaking. It is not a good process when it goes and just sits 
and doesn't have the urgency and the timelines associated with 
it. So, that is our, kind of, feeling about it.
    Dr. Van Drew. OK. Well, I thank you, and I am disappointed 
to hear the last statement, but understanding where you are 
coming from. Hopefully, we will do better with the rulemaking 
and move forward. I mean, this is obviously the cutting-edge 
technology that is going to bring us into the future.
    So, with that, I will yield. And, Chairman, once again, 
thank you.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Representative Van 
Drew.
    The Chair recognizes Representative Perry of Pennsylvania 
for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Perry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    And for the folks that are testifying here today and 
answering some questions, my questions will be for Mr. Baker.
    When we left, we were talking about the EAGLE, I guess, 
initiative or what have you. Seems like everybody here loves 
it. I just want to go on the record. I guess we are forcing you 
to love it. I don't love it. I don't know that it is any good. 
I've got a lot of questions and concerns about it.
    Now, even you said, some of you said, somebody here said 
that we have never done this with a fuel before. Right? We have 
never done--there might be a reason for that, right? And the 
unintended consequences, the gentleman from New Jersey, my 
colleague from New Jersey, talked about the cost of going to 
flight school, especially for people that have a hard time 
coming up with the money to learn. It is expensive. I don't 
necessarily think the costs that I heard here are actually 
reflective of the true cost of the whole thing. At the same 
time, we are promoting stuff like this, which I am not a rocket 
scientist, all right, but this raises the cost for everybody, 
right?
    So, you talk about making it affordable; at the same time, 
this very committee--of course, you all have to be committed to 
it because we told you you've got to be, right? So, I am not 
picking on you.
    But for Mr. Baker, Santa Clara County has unilaterally 
prohibited the sale of 100 Low Lead, right? And it violates 
their AIP grant assurances and increases the risk of 
misfueling. And I wonder if you can comment on that situation, 
if left unaddressed and other municipalities or political 
enclave seek to do that, and if it poses a particular threat to 
the general aviation industry overall, and particularly to 
things like disaster relief, emergency operations, search and 
rescue, or particular law enforcement issues.
    And then, finally, in that regard, what should this 
Congress and the FAA do about that?
    Mr. Baker. It is a great question. I thank you for that 
one.
    We are really concerned about the slippery slope of letting 
these individual airports violate their agreements and decide 
that they are going to only carry one type of fuel and not 
another type of fuel, which is a huge safety concern. If an 
airplane gets misfueled, the engine will detonate. It will 
become a problem and the airplane is going to come down.
    The request that we put into the FAA and the FAA legal 
group is to say, you can't violate those grant assurances and 
you must keep all this fuel available. The FAA has not been 
able to come to agreement with Santa Clara County----
    Mr. Perry [interrupting]. Has not been able to or is 
unwilling to enforce? Like, they enforce their will on the rest 
of us around here, right? I mean, you go install the wrong 
floor in your 1947 Bonanza and see what happens to you.
    So, tell me if they can't or they won't.
    Mr. Baker. The response was, it is complicated. And I know 
that. If it was easy, we would have solved it a long time ago. 
But it is a very important safety issue. And I believe that the 
regulator, who is in charge of safety aviation in this country, 
should take that at the paramount most important part first, 
that if we get this misfueling done, and it will happen, it is 
a big problem.
    Mr. Perry. Is there something--look, we are in the Aviation 
Subcommittee. I thank the gentleman for calling the hearing. 
This is an important issue. These are important issues.
    What should we be doing about it? Like, I will tell you I 
have already had concerns about the program. I don't know what 
is wrong with the 100 Low Lead. If we want alternatives, OK, 
God bless it. Let the market work that out.
    There is a whole bunch of aircraft out there that use them, 
that use 100 Low Lead. And, I guess, if we are going to go back 
to the cost of flight school, I guess we are going to change 
every single engine in every one of these GA community 
aircraft. Like, what can this committee, what should this 
Congress be doing about this situation?
    Mr. Baker. In the urgency of asking the FAA to respond to 
make sure that we do not lose 100 Low Lead till the transition 
is complete. We support the transition. It is the right thing 
to do long term. We need to hold the refineries, and I think 
they will be competitive with the current price of fuel, 
because there is only one supply of Low Lead, by the way, the 
lead in the world [inaudible] supply chain.
    Mr. Perry. Right. Even when you say that, with all due 
respect, you say, make sure the suppliers provide it, as we 
force it to be phased out; the market isn't doing this. This is 
self-imposed regulatory ideology and policy coming from the 
Government. And you are saying, we are going to force you to 
keep making it, even though your market is diminishing and even 
though we are telling you we are going to destroy your market 
for doing this.
    What do you think that is going to do to the price of 100 
Low Lead?
    Mr. Baker. I believe that the opportunity for the 
alternative fuel to be made by the current refineries is high, 
and so, they will have an opportunity to change over to that 
other fuel. It is the right thing to do. But I will also tell 
you, we need the time to make that transition safely or we are 
going to risk a very significant part of the aviation's 
ecosystem.
    Mr. Perry. I thank the gentleman.
    I yield.
    Mr. Larsen of Washington. Thank you, Representative Perry.
    That concludes our hearing. I want to thank the witnesses 
for their testimony. The comments and insights have been very 
informative and very helpful.
    So, I ask unanimous consent the record of today's hearing 
remain open until such time as our witnesses have provided 
answers to any questions that may be submitted to them in 
writing. And I know a few Members have questions for the 
record.
    I also ask unanimous consent the record remain open for 15 
days for any additional comments and information submitted by 
Members or the witnesses to be included in the record of 
today's hearing.
    So, without objection, so ordered.
    And, with that, the subcommittee stands adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 1:01 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]



                       Submissions for the Record

                              ----------                              

 Prepared Statement of Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Representative in 
                    Congress from the State of Texas
    Thank you, Chairman Larsen and Ranking Member Graves, for holding 
today's hearing on the state of general aviation. I would also like to 
thank our outstanding witnesses for testifying before us today.
    General aviation airports don't get the same attention as 
commercial airports but play a critical role in our aviation system. 
Like most businesses, general aviation has faced significant challenges 
from the pandemic, but has shown resilience and a focus on growing to 
meet the future needs of the industry.
    I'm proud to represent the Dallas Executive Airport which provides 
corporate and private travel, numerous aviation services, flight 
training, and facilities for law enforcement. Dallas Executive also 
serves as a reliever airport for Love Field and plays an important role 
in the North Texas aviation system.
    I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on the health of the 
general aviation system and learning what we can do to help support the 
industry.

                                 
Letter of July 27, 2022, to Hon. Rick Larsen, Chairman, and Hon. Garret 
 Graves, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Aviation, from Hon. Jennifer 
          Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board
                                                     July 27, 2022.
The Honorable Rick Larsen,
Chairman,
Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure, United States House of Representatives, 
        Washington, DC 20515.
The Honorable Garret Graves,
Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure, United States House of Representatives, 
        Washington, DC 20515.
    Dear Chairman Larsen and Ranking Member Graves:
    As Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), I want 
to thank you for your leadership to help ensure the safety of general 
aviation, and respectfully submit this letter for the record regarding 
the July 13, 2022, hearing, ``The State of General Aviation.''
    As you know, the NTSB is an independent federal agency charged by 
Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United 
States and significant events in other modes of transportation--
highway, rail, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. We determine the 
probable cause of the events we investigate and issue safety 
recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.
    The vast majority of our investigations involve general aviation 
accidents, and those investigations have contributed to the improved 
safety of general aviation over the years. In fact, since 2010, 96 
percent of all NTSB investigations were in the aviation mode, and of 
those, 94 percent were in general aviation, meaning that general 
aviation investigations account for roughly 90 percent of our 
investigations. In 2020, our Office of Aviation Safety opened 1,139 
investigations; 1,085 were in general aviation.\1\
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    \1\ 2021 data is not yet available.
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                Recent Safety Trends in General Aviation
    Since 2001, the rate of fatal accidents in general aviation 
operations has generally trended downward. In 2001, the fatal accident 
rate per 100,000 flight hours was 1.274, and although it has been as 
high as 1.381 (in 2005) and as low as935 (in 2017) over the last 20 
years, in 2020, the rate was 1.049. Although the safety of general 
aviation has improved in the last decade, we do see areas where 
additional effort is needed.
    For example, in March 2021, we released a report discussing the 
ongoing safety issues associated with revenue passenger-carrying 
operations conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
Part 91 for general aviation.\2\ These operations include the 
following:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \2\ NTSB. Enhance Safety of Revenue Passenger-Carrying Operations 
Conducted Under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. 
Washington, DC: NTSB. AAR 21/03.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      certain nonstop commercial air tour flights
      sightseeing flights conducted in helicopters and hot air 
balloons
      nonstop intentional parachute jump flights
      living history flight experience sightseeing flights
      glider sightseeing flights
      air combat/extreme aerobatic experience flights and tour 
flights conducted under the premise of student instruction or training 
flights

    The NTSB has long been concerned that these operations, which carry 
thousands of passengers for compensation or hire each year, are not 
held to the same maintenance, airworthiness, and operational standards 
as air carrier, commuter, and on-demand operations. Members of the 
public who pay to participate in Part 91 revenue passenger-carrying 
activities are likely unaware that these operations have less stringent 
requirements than other commercial aviation operations. Although Part 
91 revenue passenger-carrying operations are diverse, the need for 
greater safety requirements and more comprehensive oversight applies to 
all of these operations. As a result of our Part 91 investigation, we 
made six new recommendations and reiterated four previous 
recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
    These recommendations were derived from numerous investigations 
NTSB investigated between 2016 and 2019, including accidents in 
Honolulu, Hawaii; Lockhart, Texas; Mokuleia, Hawaii; Windsor Locks, 
Connecticut; Morrisville, Vermont; Four Corners, California; Poipu, 
Hawaii; and New York, New York. These eight accidents alone resulted in 
45 fatalities, 6 serious injuries, and 4 minor injuries, and the NTSB 
remains concerned that the safety issues identified in each of these 
accidents continue to occur at multiple Part 91 revenue passenger-
carrying operators; as a result, safety improvements are needed to 
avoid placing future passengers at risk. Our recommendations and their 
statuses are enclosed.
    In brief, we identified four categories of safety deficiencies that 
still must be addressed, which we wanted to bring to your attention as 
you consider legislation to reauthorize the FAA.
      The Need for an Appropriate Framework for Part 91 Revenue 
Passenger-Carrying Operations. The operating rules for Part 91 general 
aviation, which include revenue passenger-carrying operations, do not 
require operating certificates, operations specifications, FAA-accepted 
general operations manuals, FAA-approved training programs, or FAA-
approved maintenance programs, all of which are required for Part 135 
commuter and on-demand operations, including most commercial air tours. 
Because Part 91 revenue passenger-carrying operators are not required 
to have initial and recurrent pilot training programs, the operators 
have no formal method to determine if pilots are adequately prepared 
for the responsibilities associated with the company's operations.
         Our review demonstrated that the FAA should be implementing 
one level of safety for all commercial air tour operators, especially 
given the longstanding safety concerns in this area. In addition, to 
address other Part 91 revenue passenger-carrying operations, we 
recommended that the FAA develop national safety standards, or 
equivalent regulations, for revenue passenger-carrying operations that 
are currently conducted under Part 91. These standards, or equivalent 
regulations, should include, at a minimum for each operation type, 
requirements for initial and recurrent training and maintenance and 
management policies and procedures.

      The Need to Address Regulatory Loopholes and Omissions. 
The FAA created certain exceptions to Part 91 rules that allow some 
operations to be conducted outside of the scope of regulatory and 
oversight requirements that apply to operations conducted under an 
operating certificate. However, some Part 91 revenue passenger-carrying 
operators have exploited specific exceptions in federal regulations by 
carrying revenue passengers for purposes other than the exceptions 
intended, allowing them to avoid more stringent regulatory 
requirements. For example, two of the accident flights reviewed for 
this report were inappropriately operating under the student 
instruction exemption, even with the knowledge of the local FAA office.
         The NTSB recognizes that other regulatory loopholes and 
omissions might also exist. Therefore, the NTSB recommends that the FAA 
identify shortcomings in 14 CFR 119.1(e) that would allow revenue 
passenger-carrying operators to avoid stricter regulations and 
oversight and to address these loopholes as part of a new framework for 
Part 91 operations.

      The Need for Increased Federal Aviation Oversight. Part 
91 revenue passenger-carrying operators are not subject to the same 
level of FAA oversight and surveillance as Part 135 operators. The NTSB 
concludes that the FAA's oversight and surveillance of Part 91 revenue 
passenger-carrying operations do not ensure that these operators are 
properly maintaining their aircraft and safely conducting operations. 
The FAA needs to provide its inspectors with sufficient guidance to 
pursue more comprehensive oversight of Part 91 revenue passenger-
carrying operators. Such guidance and oversight could help ensure that 
these operators are properly maintaining their aircraft and safely 
conducting operations.

      The Need for Safety Management Systems. Operators need to 
establish safety management systems (SMSs). An SMS is an effective way 
to manage and mitigate risks in aviation operations; the FAA has 
described them as a ``formal, top down business-like approach to 
managing safety risk.'' The four components of an SMS are safety 
policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion. 
Only Part 121 air carriers (generally larger airlines and regional 
carriers as well as cargo carriers) are currently required to 
incorporate an SMS, but the FAA has only encouraged voluntary SMS 
implementation beyond Part 121 operations.
         Part 91 revenue passenger-carrying operators would benefit 
from an SMS to ensure that operational risks are sufficiently 
mitigated. In addition, FAA oversight of SMSs for passenger revenue-
carrying operations currently conducted under Part 91 is critical for 
ensuring that mitigations are in place to address potential safety 
hazards.
            General Aviation and Reauthorization of the NTSB
    Our investigations often find safety issues or identify trends that 
are important to improving aviation safety, as well as provide 
information to the flying community about lessons learned.\3\ That is 
one of the reasons why it is so important that we have reduced our 
backlog of investigations open for more than 2 years by more than 75 
percent, to 78 from 440, since the start of 2022. We anticipate 
reducing this backlog to zero by the end of the fiscal year. To achieve 
this, we established a process that filled open investigative and 
technical review positions to support the mission; triaged 
investigations that were ready for expedited completion through 
reassignment; used reemployed annuitants to broaden the pool of report 
reviewers in the short-term while creating a longer-term solution; 
enhanced employee performance standards; and developed quality metrics 
and a means to track them for all investigations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3\ In 2022, to date, we have issued 10 recommendations as a result 
of general aviation accident investigations. These recommendations 
concern carbon monoxide sensors, hazardous icing conditions in Alaska, 
and technical issues with particular models of aircraft.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    As you know, I came before the committee earlier this year to 
discuss our proposal to reauthorize the NTSB. The goal of our 
reauthorization proposal is to right-size the agency over time and to 
ensure that our employees have the right skill set. This year, our goal 
is to grow by about ten percent, increasing our staffing to roughly 412 
full-time equivalent positions. Our reauthorization proposal 
anticipates adding roughly 15 people per year through 2027, in addition 
to filling the vacancies that will occur through retirements and 
separations. These 75 total positions do not even fill one-half of the 
identified needs in our agency. In fact, our staff identified the need 
for an additional 192 positions over the next 5 years. Of those 
positions, more than 20 percent are in our Office of Aviation Safety. 
The vast majority of these new investigators in OAS would investigate 
general aviation accidents.
    I welcome the opportunity to further discuss these safety issues 
and recommendations with the Committee. In addition, I appreciate the 
Committee's consideration of our reauthorization proposal, which would 
allow the NTSB to hire more staff to meet the expanded need for 
transportation investigations, including those related to general 
aviation.\4\ Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of any 
assistance to you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\ NTSB. National Transportation Safety Board Draft 
Reauthorization Act of 2022. Washington, DC: NTSB.
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        Sincerely,
                                          Jennifer Homendy,
                       Chair, National Transportation Safety Board.

Enclosure

     Recommendations Regarding Revenue Passenger-Carrying Operations
      Conducted UnderPTitle 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Number                     Status          Recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-21-9..........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Develop national
                                                       safety standards,
                                                       or equivalent
                                                       regulations, for
                                                       revenue passenger-
                                                       carrying
                                                       operations that
                                                       are currently
                                                       conducted under
                                                       Title 14 Code of
                                                       Federal
                                                       Regulations Part
                                                       91, including,
                                                       but not limited
                                                       to, sightseeing
                                                       flights conducted
                                                       in a hot air
                                                       balloon,
                                                       intentional
                                                       parachute jump
                                                       flights, and
                                                       living history
                                                       flight experience
                                                       and other vintage
                                                       aircraft flights.
                                                       These standards,
                                                       or equivalent
                                                       regulations,
                                                       should include,
                                                       at a minimum for
                                                       each operation
                                                       type,
                                                       requirements for
                                                       initial and
                                                       recurrent
                                                       training and
                                                       maintenance and
                                                       management
                                                       policies and
                                                       procedures.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-21-10.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Identify
                                                       shortcomings in
                                                       Title 14 Code of
                                                       Federal
                                                       Regulations
                                                       119.1(e) that
                                                       would allow
                                                       revenue passenger-
                                                       carrying
                                                       operators to
                                                       avoid stricter
                                                       regulations and
                                                       oversight in
                                                       operations that
                                                       include, but are
                                                       not limited to,
                                                       air combat/
                                                       extreme aerobatic
                                                       experience
                                                       flights and tour
                                                       flights operating
                                                       as student
                                                       instruction,
                                                       nonstop
                                                       commercial air
                                                       tour flights
                                                       operating as
                                                       aerial
                                                       photography
                                                       flights, and
                                                       glider
                                                       sightseeing
                                                       flights; after
                                                       these
                                                       shortcomings are
                                                       identified, use
                                                       that information
                                                       to add other
                                                       types of flight
                                                       operations to the
                                                       national safety
                                                       standards, or
                                                       equivalent
                                                       regulations,
                                                       requested in
                                                       Safety
                                                       Recommendation A-
                                                       21-9.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-21-11.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Revise FAA Order
                                                       8900.1, Flight
                                                       Standards
                                                       Information
                                                       Management
                                                       System, to
                                                       include guidance
                                                       for inspectors
                                                       who oversee
                                                       operations
                                                       conducted under
                                                       any of the living
                                                       history flight
                                                       experience
                                                       exemptions to
                                                       identify
                                                       potential hazards
                                                       and ensure that
                                                       operators are
                                                       appropriately
                                                       managing the
                                                       associated risks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-21-12.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Develop and
                                                       continuously
                                                       update a database
                                                       that includes all
                                                       of the revenue
                                                       passenger-
                                                       carrying
                                                       operators
                                                       addressed in
                                                       Safety
                                                       Recommendations A-
                                                       21-9 and -10 to
                                                       facilitate
                                                       oversight of
                                                       these operations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-21-13.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Require safety
                                                       management
                                                       systems for the
                                                       revenue passenger-
                                                       carrying
                                                       operations
                                                       addressed in
                                                       Safety
                                                       Recommendations A-
                                                       21-9 and -10.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-21-14.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       For the revenue
                                                       passenger-
                                                       carrying
                                                       operations
                                                       addressed in
                                                       Safety
                                                       Recommendations A-
                                                       21-9 and -10,
                                                       provide ongoing
                                                       oversight of each
                                                       operator's safety
                                                       management system
                                                       once established.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-19-28.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Require all
                                                       commercial air
                                                       tour operators,
                                                       regardless of
                                                       their operating
                                                       rule, to
                                                       implement a
                                                       safety management
                                                       system.
                                                       (Reiterated).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-19-30.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Acceptable           AVIATION
                                   Response.           ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Revise Order
                                                       8900.1, Flight
                                                       Standards
                                                       Information
                                                       Management
                                                       System, to
                                                       include guidance
                                                       for inspectors
                                                       who oversee Title
                                                       14 Code of
                                                       Federal
                                                       Regulations (CFR)
                                                       Part 91
                                                       operations
                                                       conducted under
                                                       any of the 14 CFR
                                                       119.1(e)
                                                       exceptions to
                                                       identify
                                                       potential hazards
                                                       and ensure that
                                                       operators are
                                                       appropriately
                                                       managing the
                                                       associated risks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-19-31.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Unacceptable         AVIATION
                                  Response             ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Develop and
                                                       implement
                                                       national
                                                       standards within
                                                       Title 14 Code of
                                                       Federal
                                                       Regulations (CFR)
                                                       Part 135, or
                                                       equivalent
                                                       regulations, for
                                                       all air tour
                                                       operations with
                                                       powered airplanes
                                                       and rotorcraft to
                                                       bring them under
                                                       one set of
                                                       standards with
                                                       operations
                                                       specifications,
                                                       and eliminate the
                                                       exception
                                                       currently
                                                       contained in 14
                                                       CFR 135.1.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-17-45.........................  Open--              TO THE FEDERAL
                                  Unacceptable         AVIATION
                                  Response             ADMINISTRATION:
                                                       Analyze your
                                                       current policies,
                                                       procedures, and
                                                       tools for
                                                       conducting
                                                       oversight of
                                                       commercial
                                                       balloon
                                                       operations in
                                                       accordance with
                                                       your Integrated
                                                       Oversight
                                                       Philosophy,
                                                       taking into
                                                       account the
                                                       findings of this
                                                       accident; based
                                                       on this analysis,
                                                       develop and
                                                       implement more
                                                       effective ways to
                                                       target oversight
                                                       of the operators
                                                       and operations
                                                       that pose the
                                                       most significant
                                                       safety risks to
                                                       the public.
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