Transportation Committee Approves Aviation Funding Stability Act

In a move to prevent future complications in the aviation industry akin to those that transpired as a result of the partial government shutdown earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has passed H.R. 1108, the Aviation Funding Stability Act of 2019. H.R. 1108 was introduced on February 8 and its advancement from the Committee is the first major hurdle on its way to becoming law.

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) president and CEO, Pete Bunce, said “we look forward to working with members of this Committee, the broader Congress and other stakeholders who share jurisdiction in a bipartisan way to advance this legislation in the near-term and mitigate the consequences of any future government shutdown on the FAA.”

H.R. 1108 must now move through the House of Representatives, Senate and, should it pass both, the president, before it can become law.

The industry is still feeling the pain from the winter’s 35-day partial government shutdown. Scheduling delays with the FAA have slowed the process of certification, supplemental type certification, simulator approvals and more, which has caused headaches not only with manufacturers but also other aviation related businesses such as flight training organizations.