House Airports Bill Drawing Alarm from Aviation Orgs
by Kerry Lynch
– December 23, 2019, 11:24 AM
A bill seeking to permit small airports to establish a range of operational restrictions is drawing fire from a spectrum of the aviation industry, with nine associations expressing fear that such authorization would “dismantle our national system of airports.” Representing general aviation, business aviation, cargo, helicopter, and commercial operators, the associations raised their concerns about H.R.5423, the Aircraft Noise Reduction Act, to House Transportation and Infrastructure leaders in a December 20 letter.
Citing the difficult approval process that airports must undergo to impose restrictions, Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colorado) recently introduced the bill, which would enable small airports to set curfews and limit the number and types of aircraft that can operate at their facilities, among other restrictions. It also would prohibit the FAA from withholding federal funds from airports that choose to regulate aircraft noise.
However, the associations said that the bill would…