We fought hard for the important provisions in FAA reauthorization.
by Mark Baker
AOPA President & CEO
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2024 Digital Issue
As I write to you this month, I am heartened that after years of negotiations, wrangling, waiting, deliberations, and then waiting some more, we finally have an FAA reauthorization bill.
Things looked like they were moving swiftly when the House overwhelmingly passed its bill in July 2023, but then hit a roadblock when the Senate just could not get past some sticking points. Weeks became months, and months became more months.
But it was worth the wait (although we would have preferred a shorter wait time), because the FAA bill contains some provisions that greatly benefit our members and general aviation. These are provisions for which we fought hard, knowing how important GA is to you, me, local communities, and this nation.
Our advocacy team, one of the best in Washington, D.C., worked tirelessly every day to ensure GA’s interests were front and center. Jim Coon, AOPA senior vice president for government affairs and advocacy, who leads that team, goes into more detail on the important elements of the legislation. But I just wanted to reinforce how dedicated and focused our work was on your behalf, and how special the final product is.
We worked with allies in Congress to include such important measures as the expansion of BasicMed; modernizing and clarifying the medical certification process; ensuring a supply of 100LL is available at your airport during the safe transition to unleaded fuel; making sure that GA airports are properly funded and protected; and paving the way to develop a strong aviation workforce through programs like our innovative “You Can Fly High School Aviation STEM” initiative.
Never before has FAA reauthorization legislation contained so much for general aviation, and that’s because it never before included a standalone GA title, language that recognizes the importance of general aviation to our nation, especially its economic and societal contributions.
Thanks to the leadership and vision of U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and his House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as allies in the Senate, GA’s interests are fully represented. It really helps when you have a leader like Rep. Graves who understands and lives general aviation, and you can get things done in a bipartisan way that benefits everyone.
Protecting your freedom to fly is our mission at AOPA. That’s why we fought so hard for the important provisions in FAA reauthorization. And it’s why we’ve made the expansion of light sport aircraft and sport pilot privileges through the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) a priority for the past several years. AOPA and other GA associations provided detailed input and comments through the FAA rulemaking process. With more than 1,300 comments to review, we expect the FAA to come back with a final rule some time in 2025. That rule should increase access to aircraft and be a big win for GA and pilots. It’s taking some time, but we expect the results to pay big dividends for general aviation.
As you know, the AOPA team never rests and the work on your behalf never stops. Protecting and promoting general aviation, and your freedom to fly, is a 24/7 job. It is one that we relish, to ensure that all of you will always have blue skies ahead.
