Blog

An online petition has been created at We The People to garner support against Aviation User Fees as currently proposed in legislation.  If the petition receives 5,000 "signatures" by October 23, White House staff will review it, ensure that it’s sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response.

Kevin M. from Marion, Iowa was the first to sign the petition on September 23 and as of this morning (Tuesday, September 27) it has received over 2,300 signatures.

"At a time when we should be working to simplify the tax codes, the administration wants to make it more complex by adding another new fee to the aviation system.

The aviation community understands the need to raise revenue at a time when we all need to sacrifice, however, this should be done by increasing tax rates on aviation fuel, rather than on a per-flight basis. By using an existing system of revenue generation, the administration can put more of the revenue collected towards the operation of the air traffic control system, thus improving safety for the system overall.

Furthermore, a tax on fuel more accurately reflects the actual ATC services used over a fixed flat fee, as a flight from NYC to LA will require more controller time than a flight from NYC to Boston."

» For more information or to sign the petition, CLICK HERE!

iFlightPlanner.com and the Aerostars formation aerobatic team proudly announce a new partnership that will provide Team Aerostar with integrated flight planning support powered by iFlightPlanner.com and iFlightPlanner for iPad.

At AirVenture 2011, iFlightPlanner.com and Sennheiser Aviation introduced an integrated iPad application that maximizes the power and versatility of iFlightPlanner.com’s web-based flight planning wizard with the portability of the Apple iPad.  With the release of iFlightPlanner for iPad later this fall, Team Aerostar will have an integrated electronic flight bag that allows for flight details such as their routes, weather, navigation logs, VFR and IFR charts, approach plates, and digital logbooks to be downloaded and viewed on the iPad while in flight and without a data connection.
 
“Our airline flying schedules keep us very busy so our flight planning between our base airport and the show sites must be quick, easy, and exact,” said Paul Hornick, Left Wing pilot for the Aerostars.  “iFlightPlanner.com and iFlightPlanner for iPad provide our team the tools necessary to handle our VFR or IFR flight planning needs in an easy to use interface that is quick to learn and even quicker to use.”

» Click HERE to read the full PRESS RELEASE.

The Aircraft Electronics Association, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Helicopter Association International, the International Council of Air Shows, the National Association of State Aviation Officials, the National Air Transportation Association, and the National Business Aviation Association released the following joint statement in opposition of President Obama’s recent proposal for addressing the nation’s deficit and job crises.

"As primary representatives of the general aviation community, we are expressing our unified opposition to the new $100 per flight tax in your proposal. We believe this per-flight tax not only imposes a significant new administrative burden on general aviation operators who currently pay through an efficient per-gallon fuel charge at the pump, but it will also necessitate the creation of a costly new federal collection bureaucracy."

"As you know, the issue of how general aviation can best contribute revenue to the federal government has been the subject of significant study and debate as part of the FAA reauthorization process. After careful consideration, both chambers of Congress have passed bills that endorse the per-gallon fuel charges rather than adopt a per-flight tax similar to the one you propose. In fact, Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives felt so strongly about this issue that 116 members of that body sent you a letter earlier this year saying new aviation charges like the one you are now proposing would be 'dead on arrival'."

"Mr. President, many foreign countries have imposed per-flight charges on general aviation and the results have been devastating. Please do not go down that dangerous path and cost jobs in our community. Per-gallon fuel charges work. Per-flight taxes destroy."