US Senate passes FAA re-authorisation bill

US Senate passed (19-Apr-2016) the FAA re-authorisation bill by a 95-3 margin on 19-Apr-2016, thus extending its programmes and powers through 01-Oct-2017. The re-authorisation restores funding and programmes for the FAA that includes important, targeted solutions to identified challenges, but without language for creating a privatised air traffic control (ATC) system, overseen by an airline-centric board of directors and funded through onerous new user fees. The bill - H.R.636 - includes measures, widely supported by the aviation community, for streamlining the certification process for aviation technologies, improving aviation safety, integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System and accelerating implementation of a Next Generation 'NextGen' air traffic management system. The bill also provides a plan for the US DoT to modernise third-class medical requirements for pilots of small general aviation aircraft. The legislation would authorise spending for the FAA and its programmes through Sep-2017. National Air Transportation Association (NATA) president and CEO Tom Hendricks said: "We hope this legislation will serve as the impetus for the House to cease efforts to create an air traffic control corporation and instead move ahead with other provisions of the House committee-passed legislation that strongly resemble the bill approved today by the Senate". [more - original PR] [more - original PR A4A] [more - original PR NBAA] [more - original PR NATA] [more - original PR HAI] [more - original PR ARSA] [more - original PR Senator Thune] [more - original PR Delta Air Lines] [more - original PR AOPA] [more - original PR Senator Heinrich]