Article-It’s Bird Eat Bird in a Cluttered Sky

[canyonblue]

Sounds like it is the "tiny gulfstreams." I am sure they are impeding the flow of the 737s at FL 450.

Unfortunately, they have to come down sometime. Corporate aviation needs to start paying for the system, and not just the "Jet-A Tax". We already contribute to that, take a look at the taxes at MDW.

 

[GogglesPisano]

What's wrong with paying for what you use? If you traverse 2 FIR's, you pay a certain amount. If you traverse 3 you pay more. If you fly VFR you pay nothing. Fuel taxes do not address the fact that some aircraft pay less for some services, while other aircraft pay considerably more for the same services.

Gridock at busy airports can be eliminated by higher landing fees, forcing operators to use larger aircraft to offset the fee and reduce congestion.

I find it hard to believe that corporate jets are contributing to massive delays in the ATC system. However, everone should pay for the services they receive.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Airline management -- who haven't been able to figure out how to consistantly earn a dime since regulation -- wants to tell the US government how to manage the national airspace system.

Priceless.

Follow the airline model.
1. Paycuts for all
2. Massive furloughs
3. Bankruptcy
4. Government bailout
5. Go to step 1

 

[152SIC]

Isn't that the truth FurloughedAgain!

I wouldn't trust the people lobbying for this to manage a McDonald's, much less take their advice when it comes to managing out national airspace.

The ironies are so multiple, I don't know where to begin....

 

[FurloughedAgain]

They already pay a mere 4 cents per gallon vs. General Aviation's 22 cents per gallon tax.

The house bill raises GA's to around 41 cents per gallon to keep up with inflation.

The airlines want to delete their .04 cents per gallon and replace it with a $25 per flight user-fee... heck, they probably cut more than $25 per flight out of the crew's salary and retirement this year alone.

 

[gutshotdraw]

What's wrong with paying for what you use? If you traverse 2 FIR's, you pay a certain amount. If you traverse 3 you pay more. If you fly VFR you pay nothing. Fuel taxes do not address the fact that some aircraft pay less for some services, while other aircraft pay considerably more for the same services.

So who's going to track that? Another huge government agency to track and bill? How much of the revenue is going to be eaten up by that? Fuel taxes are collected by the VENDORS. The government collects the check. Just a bit more efficent don't you think?

As for the idea of paying for IFR services but not VFR flights, ask anyone rich and brave enough in Europe to fly a small GA airplane over there. Nobody wants to pay the ridiculous IFR airway fees so they scud run their butts off. I have to fly into small and un-towered airports all the time. I'd rather not go nose to nose with a guy scud-running a Bonanza because he doesn't want to pay stupid amounts of money just to fly in the system.

User fees will KILL light general aviation in this country if they are ever passed.

 

[GogglesPisano]

So who's going to track that? Another huge government agency to track and bill? How much of the revenue is going to be eaten up by that? Fuel taxes are collected by the VENDORS. The government collects the check. Just a bit more efficent don't you think?

As for the idea of paying for IFR services but not VFR flights, ask anyone rich and brave enough in Europe to fly a small GA airplane over there. Nobody wants to pay the ridiculous IFR airway fees so they scud run their butts off. I have to fly into small and un-towered airports all the time. I'd rather not go nose to nose with a guy scud-running a Bonanza because he doesn't want to pay stupid amounts of money just to fly in the system.

User fees will KILL light general aviation in this country if they are ever passed.

You'll admit, then, that in our current system some operators are subsidizing others?

 

[gutshotdraw]

Absolutely not. NBAA and AOPA have done repeated studies that indicate general aviation pays a larger percentage of the tab than ATA would have you believe. Fuel taxes are collected by the vendor but paid by the operator of the aircraft. It is a VERY efficient system and NBAA and AOPA are more than willing to accept a FAIR increase in fuel taxes to adjust for inflation over the past decade. The House bill makes that adjustment but keeps the current FAIR system in place. ATA is asking for GA to subsidize failed airline management.