Arlington, Va. (Nov. 30, 2023) – Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and CEO Eric Fanning yesterday sent a letter to congressional leadership urging Congress pass legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), calling it a “critical took for setting civil aviation on a long-term course to success.”
“The aviation industry is critical to the country’s economic prosperity. Throughout the history of flight, the United States has led the way in aviation safety and innovation, thanks in part due to the ingenuity of American industry, but also in part due to appropriately tailored policies and regulations provided via the FAA reauthorization bill,” Fanning writes. “Today, not only are we maintaining our role as the gold standard for safety and certification, but the industry is also on the cusp of incredible technological advancements that will change the way Americans travel. Enacting FAA reauthorization this year is critical to advancing America’s leadership in aerospace and unlocking this potential.”
In the letter, Fanning calls on Congress to broaden the FAA’s current Workforce Development Grant Program to aviation manufacturing. “This is vital as our industry seeks to attract the next generation of talent for high-paying, highly skilled jobs,” Fanning continues. “To further strengthen our global leadership in aviation, FAA reauthorization legislation will improve enforcement of bilateral aviation safety agreements, ensuring we can continue to compete on the world stage.”
Fanning concludes by pointing out the bipartisan benefits of FAA reauthorization and “to the traveling public, the aviation industry, and to our economy generally” and urges lawmakers to act swiftly.
Read the full letter below or by clicking here.
Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer, Republican Leader McConnell, and Democratic Leader Jeffries:
The Aerospace Industries Association’s nearly 330 member companies — from America’s leading manufacturers of commercial aircraft, engines, avionics, and air traffic control systems to family-owned businesses comprising our supply chain — applaud the leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee for their years-long work in developing bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation that will help move the aviation industry forward. We are grateful for the House-passed Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act and hope that the Senate will soon pass its own version of this legislation before current aviation tax authorities expire on December 31, 2023. Reauthorization of the FAA is Congress’ critical tool for setting civil aviation on a long-term course to success. Improved regulatory and safety processes, a stronger workforce pipeline, and restored global leadership at the FAA — all key tenets of this year’s reauthorization legislation — should not be held up any longer.
The aviation industry is critical to the country’s economic prosperity. In 2022 alone, our industry generated $418 billion in economic value, representing 1.6 percent of total gross domestic product (GDP) in the U.S.[1] Throughout the history of flight, the United States has led the way in aviation safety and innovation, thanks in part due to the ingenuity of American industry, but also in part due to appropriately tailored policies and regulations provided via the FAA reauthorization bill. Today, not only are we maintaining our role as the gold standard for safety and certification, but the industry is also on the cusp of incredible technological advancements that will change the way Americans travel. Enacting FAA reauthorization this year is critical to advancing America’s leadership in aerospace and unlocking this potential.
On November 15, 2023, the FAA’s National Airspace Safety Review Team released a report stating that Congress’ stop-and-start process of funding and authorization activity “has slowed down the implementation of key technology modernization programs” amongst other challenges.[2] Both the House and Senate legislation include key provisions to understand how technologies like model-based systems engineering will enhance safety in the certification process. Both bills would also ensure that the Advanced Air Mobility industry can work with the FAA to make that new sector of aviation a reality by ensuring proper oversight of the Powered-Lift Special Federal Aviation Regulation.
The aviation workforce pipeline would also be strengthened by broadening the FAA’s current Workforce Development Grant Program to aviation manufacturing. This is vital as our industry seeks to attract the next generation of talent for high-paying, highly skilled jobs. To further strengthen our global leadership in aviation, FAA reauthorization legislation will improve enforcement of bilateral aviation safety agreements, ensuring we can continue to compete on the world stage. Now that the FAA has a confirmed Administrator in place, we believe it is vitally important to give him these new tools and authorities without further delay, to make our aviation system safer and more competitive.
These provisions represent only a snapshot of the bipartisan benefits both the House and Senate FAA reauthorization bills will bring to the traveling public, the aviation industry, and to our economy generally. I urge you to make this bill a priority so that it can be enacted by the end of this year.
Sincerely,
Eric Fanning
President & CEO
Aerospace Industries Association
