March 9, 2023
Honorable Sam Graves, Chairman
House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
2167 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Garret Graves, Chairman
House Aviation Subcommittee
2167 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Rick Larsen, Ranking Member House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
2167 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Steve Cohen, Ranking Member House Aviation Subcommittee
2167 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
Dear Messrs. Graves, Larsen, Graves, and Cohen,
We write today to express our strong support for an effort being led by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) that calls for the construction or implementation of transient parking ramps at public-use airports.
Our organizations represent hundreds of thousands of pilots who own and operate virtually every general aviation aircraft type in the fleet, and we cannot agree more with AOPA and applaud their efforts. We believe individual owner-operators of aircraft should not be required to pay fees to a private business on a public-use airport when their products and services are not used, needed, or requested.
Most Fixed-Based Operators (FBOs) provide excellent service and are integral to our nation’s aviation fabric. Unfortunately, there is a lack of competition at many airports in our system which has led to increasing prices and above normal profits. We have and continue to see unprecedented consolidation in the FBO market, which has led to monopolistic behaviors at many of our nation’s public-use airports. Clearly, private equity firms have prioritized returns on their investments and placed the burden on the backs of pilots.
Simply said, we need policies at federally funded airports that create competition and help incentivize aviation activity, not unfettered practices that allow users of our aviation system to be penalized. Unlike the airlines, private pilots do not have a process available to negotiate fees and charges at airports.
Today, pilots are subject to a multitude of fees including tie down fees, security fees, maintenance fees, building fees, handling fees, habitat fees (offset for FBO employees working in high-cost areas), and others even when no fuel is purchased or when their services have not been requested.
Many FBOs waive or reduce these fees when fuel is purchased but those entities most often have extraordinarily high, above market, fuel prices.
Again, we firmly believe policies at federally obligated public-use airports should allow access without requiring private pilots to pay businesses for something they did not need or request. We also believe public-use airports should be required to provide access to an itinerant ramp for parking with the ability to impose a fair and reasonable fee.
In order for general aviation to grow and prosper in this nation, we respectfully request the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee address this issue in the impending FAA Reauthorization.
We are more than happy to provide any additional information the Committee may need.
Sincerely,
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
AAA Flying Club, Inc. Fort Wayne, IN
Acanthus Flying Club, MA
Acorn Mutual Flying Club, Lancaster, PA
Aero Fliers, Inc., OH
AeroFlyte of Pomona, Inc., CA
AESOP, LLC, OR
Airborne Aviation, NC
Air Care Alliance
Aksarben Flying Club, NE
Alameda Aero Club, Oakland, CA
Alaska Airmen’s Association
American Dream SkyRanch, SC
Archer Aviation, LLC, IA
Arizona Cloudbusters Flying Club, AZ
Arizona Pilots Association
Arkansas General Aviation Association
Altron Industrial, LLC, VA
Armed Forces Aero Club, San Diego, CA
Associated Aviation Services, LLC, CA
Association of Professional Warbird Operators, Inc., FL
Augusta Flying Club, GA
Austin Aviators Flight Club, TX
Aviation Adventures Flight Schools
Backcountry Aviation, LLC, VA
Bakalar Flying Club, Columbus, IN
Barnstormers Flying Club, Inc., TN
Bates Aero Club, AL
Bay Area Aero Club, Pearland, TX
Beaver Valley Flying Club, PA
Big Bear Airport Pilots Association, CA
Black Hole, Inc., Flying Club, Georgetown, TX
Bloomsburg Flying Club, PA
Blue Horizons Flying Club, OH
Blue Ridge Flyers, VA
Boca Raton Pilots Association, FL
Boyertown Flying Club, Pottstown, PA
Bradley Flying Association, Peoria, IL
Bridge City Flyers, IA
Brighton Airport Association, MI
Brighton Flying Club, MI
California Pilots Association
Caltech/JPL Flying Club
Camas Washougal Flying Club, WA
Capitol Flying, Inc., CA
Carrabelle Flying Club, Inc., FL
Cascade Flyers, Inc., WA
Central Oklahoma Aviators Flying Club
Cereal City Flying Club, MI
Chesaning Sportplane Association, MI Chesapeake Skyhawks, MD
Chocks Away Aviation, LLC, MD
Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association
Citation Jet Pilots Association
Civil Air Patrol Flying Association Inc, Hartford,
CT Cloud Dodgers Flying Club, FL
Colorado Pilots Association
Columbia Aviation Association, OR
Columbia Flight Club, MO
Commemorative Air Force
Congressional Flying Club, MD
Connell Aviation Group, Inc., IA
Connellsville Flying Club, PA
Consult Air, LLC, MS
Corporate Aircraft Association
Courtesy Aircraft Sales, Rockford, IL
Craig Airport Pilot Association, FL
Crossroads Flying Club, NM
Crosswinds Flying Club, Inc., Bloomington, IL
Dearborn Flying Club, MI
Deer Valley Skyhawks, AZ
Delaware Valley Aviation, PA
Departure Aviation Services, NC
Desert Flying Club, NV
Destin Airport Association, FL
Downwind Flying Club, WA
Dunedin Flying Club, Inc., FL
EAA Chapter 25, Lakeville, MN
EAA Chapter 38, Perry, GA
EAA Chapter 52, Sacramento, CA
EAA Chapter 99, Vero Beach, FL
EAA Chapter 150, Collegedale, TN
EAA Chapter 193, Jacksonville, FL
EAA Chapter 351, Enterprise AL
EAA Chapter 485, Pensacola, FL
EAA Chapter 724, Merritt Island Flying Club, FL
EAA Chapter 731, Hickory, NC
EAA Chapter 797, Live Oak, FL
EAA Chapter 905, St. Simons Island, GA
EAA Chapter 908, Fort Pierce, FL
EAA Chapter 1023, Greenwood, SC
EAA Chapter 1025, Covington, GA
EAA Chapter 1047, Wilson, NC
EAA Chapter 1271, Spruce Pine, NC
EAA Chapter 1355, Greenville, SC
EAA Chapter 1432, Stockton, CA
EAA Chapter 1494, Morristown, TN
EAA Chapter 1646, Apalachicola, FL
EAA Chapter 1674, Inverness, FL
Eagle LLC, MT
East Central Ohio Pilots Association, OH
Eclipse Owners and Pilots Association
EnginAires Aero Club, IL
Every Aviation, LLC, TX
Falcon RV Squadron, GA
Fightertown, LLC, VA
Fliegend Flying Club, Inc., IN
Flight Crew Aviation Services, IA
Florida Aero Club
Florida Bonanza Owners and Pilots
Flyboys Flying Club, LLC, Georgetown, SC
FlybyAir, LLC, LA
Flying Club of Kansas City, KS
Flying Educators, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Flying Engineers, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
Flying Javelina Aero-Club, AZ
Friends of Boeing Field, WA
Friends of Horry Airport, SC
Friends of Lone Pine Airport, CA
Friends of Pryor Field, AL
43rd Aviation Flying Club – Brainard Field Hartford CT
Gateway Flying Club, MN
GEM Flyers, Inc., IL
General Aviation Council of Hawaii
Gillespie Pilots Association, CA
Gnoss Field Community Association, CA
Golden Eagle Aviators, West Jordon, UT
G.P.A. Aviation Club, NJ
Grumman Owners and Pilots Association
Half Moon Bay Pilots Association, CA
Hammond Flying Club, LA
Hangar 6 Aviation, LLC, FL
Happy Landings, LLC, GA
Hartford Brainard Airport Association, CT
Hemacinto Valley Flying Club, CA
High Sierra Flying Club, CA
Hokie Flying Club, Blacksburg, VA
Hostess City Aviators, Inc., Savannah, GA
Hotstuff Air Racing, LLC, SC
International Flying Club, DuPage, IL
Intrepid Red Barons Club, Green Bay, WI
Iowa Aviation Association
JCP Flying Club, MD
JKA Pilots Association, Gulf Shores, AL
Kentucky Pilots Association
Kimmel Aviation Insurance, MS
Kingdom Pilots Association, MO
Kootenai Flying Club, ID
K-T Industries, Inc., IA
Lake Shelbyville Flying Club, IL
Lancair Owners and Builders Organization
Lantana Airport Advisory Board, FL
Leading Edge Aviation Foundation, LLC, AR
Legacy Aero Sport, LLC, NM
Liga International, Flying Doctors of Mercy, CA
Lima Whiskey Flying Club, PA
Low Flying Angels, CA
Maine Aeronautics Association
Marco Aviation Club, FL
Marshall Aviation Services, Inc., IN
Mid-Tenn Aero Club, Murfreesboro, TN
Mighty Mule Flying Club
Mineral Wells Flying Club, TX
Minnesota Pilots Association
Monroe County Airport Association, Aberdeen, MS
Montana Pilots Association
Monterey Pilots, CA
Moresco Services, Inc., PA
Morgantown Aero Club, PA
Mountain Flyers, Inc., Asheville, NC
Mother Lode Flying Club, Calaveras County, CA
National Warbird Operator Conference, LLC, IL
National WASP WWII Museum, Sweetwater, TX
New Bedford Regional Pilots Association, MA
New Braunfels Flying Club, TX
New England Flying Club, MA
New Jersey Aviation Association
New Mexico Pilots Association
New River Flying Club, WV
NorCal Flight Club, CA
North American Trainer Association
Northeast Florida Aero Club, FL
North Shore Aero Club, MA
Oceanside Airport Association, CA
Octopus Flying Club, MD
Odyssey Aero Club, Sanford, NC
150th Aero Flying Club, NJ
Olds Forge Flyers, Inc., MI
One Way Holding, LLC, VA
Onslaught Air Racing, LLC, SC
Oregon Aviation Industries
Oregon Pilots Association
Orlando Christian Flying Club, Inc.
Pacific Bonanza Society, CA
Pacific Gold Aviation Association, CA
Page Field Association, Fort Myers, FL
Palm Beach Aircraft Services, FL
Panther Aviation, LLC, VA
Payson Aero Club, LLC, AZ
PDK Airport Association, Atlanta, GA
Penn Yan Flying Club, NY
Perkins Flying Club, AZ
Petro Blend Corp, IA
Phoenix Flying Club, AZ
Pilatus Owners and Pilots Association
Pinellas Pilots Association, FL
Pine Mountain Aviation Association, CA
Pittsburgh Flying Club, PA
Plane Lease, LLC, IA
Plymouth Flying Club, Inc., NH
Premier Flight Solutions, FL
Princeton Flying Club, NJ
Recreational Aviation Foundation
Red Baron Flyers, Inc., Caledonia MN
Redlands Airport Association, CA
Redlands Flying Club, CA
Reno-Tahoe Aviation Group, NV
RFC Flying Club, Inc. Cedar Rapids, IA
Ridgeland Aviation Community Association, SC
Riverside Pilots Flying Club, CA
RPM Flying Club, IL
Runway Three-Six, LLC, IA
Runyon Aviation, LLC TX
RWJ Airpark Property Owners Association, TX
San Carlos Airport Association, CA
Sandpiper Aviation, NV
Sarasota Westwind Flying Club, FL
Savannah Area Aviation Association, GA
7 AC Club, Inc., Clearwater, FL
Servos, LLC, VA
Sheridan Pilots 307, LLC, Flight School, WY
Silver City Aviation, LLC, KS
Silver City Flying Club, CT
Sky Bryce Flying Club, LLC, VA
Skycrafters, Tri-Cities, TN
Skyhawk Flying Club, NE
SkyMaster Company, LLC, SC
Skyriders Flying Club, CO
Skyriders Flying Club, ID
Sky’s the Limit Flying Club, OH
Skytrain Company, LLC, SC
Sky-Vu Flyers, Inc., IN
SoCal Pilots Association, CA
South Shore Flying Club, Marshfield, MA
Southern Heritage Air Foundation, MS
SouthWings
Spirit Flyers, Inc., Chesterfield, MO
Spirit of Meriden Flight Club, CT
St. Augustine Airport Pilots Association, FL
Strikehalk Aviation, AL
Sun Country Aero Club, FL
Swift Arrow Flight Club, TX
Swift Museum Foundation, Athens, TN
Syracuse Flying Club, NY
Taildragger Flyers, Inc., MI
Tailwind Aviation Solutions, Perry, GA
Taunton Pilots Association, MA
TBM Owners and Pilots Association
TDM Aviation, LLC, TN
TFC Flying Club, Inc., CT
Tennessee Flyers Flying Club
The Bluff City Flyers, Inc., TN
The Nashville IMC Club, TN
Thomasville Flying Club, GA
Tillamook Pilots Association, OR
TLM Holdings, LLC, OR
TopFlight Aviation, Inc., Nashville, TN
Torrance Airport Association, CA
Tuolumne County Aeronautical Association, CA
Turris Flight Training, SC
T-34 Association
20 Awesome, LLC, NM
United Flying Club, CA
Upper Valley Flying Club, Inc., Lebanon, NH
Upstate Flying Club, NY
U.S. Aero Club, LLC, CA
Valley Aircraft Restoration Society, Mesa, AZ
Valley Pilots Flying Club, Inc., Concord, CA
Van’s Aircraft, Inc., OR
Venice Aviation Society, Venice, FL
Veterans Airlift Command
Wachusett Flying Club, LLC, MA
Warbird Adventures, SC
Warbird Aviation Services, LLC, PA
Warbird Museum, LLC, VA
Washington Pilots Association, WA
Washington Seaplane Pilots Association, WA
Watsonville Pilots Association, CA
WB Hangars, LLC, SC
Western Air Flying Club of Los Angeles, Inc.
Western Flying Club, NC
Western Reserve Flight Club, OH
Westminster Aerobats Flying Club, Inc., MD
Westwood Property Management, OR
Whiteman Airport Association, CA
Windwalker Aviation, AL
Wind River Flyers, WY
Wilmington Pilots Association, NC
Wing And A Prayer Flying Club, Athens, GA
Wingnuts Flying Club, Chesterfield, VA
Wings Over Winyah Flying Club, SC
Yellow Bird Flying Club, OH
York Travelers Flying Club, PA
Youth Eagles Aviation, CA
Zephyrhills Flying Club, Inc., FL
Zephyrus Flying Club, NV
