Improving Aviation Vernon J. Ehlers Member of Congress 4/9/99 Every day the skies are filled with thousands of airplanes and hundreds of thousands of passengers traveling on the safest and most efficient aviation system in the world. Air travel is now part of mainstream America. It is no longer reserved for the rich or the business traveler, but is now dominated by family leisure travel. Last year more than 600 million passengers traveled by air -- over two times the entire population of the United States -- and the industry is growing. Aviation experts expect that the airlines will carry one billion passengers annually by 2010. With this much growth effecting nearly every traveler in the United States, Congress is now asking itself and the industry: Can we meet this increasing demand with our current system? We can, but if our goal is to have the most efficient, safest, and secure in the aviation system in the world, we have to continue to invest in it. The Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21), now being considered by Congress, will ensure that we achieve this goal. This legislation embodies Congress' vision of investment in America's aviation infrastructure in two major ways. It dedicates revenue for spending on the aviation system, and it focuses investment on airport facilities across the nation and on modernization of our air traffic control equipment. Put the Trust Back in Trust Fund Thirty years ago Congress created the Aviation Trust Fund as a dedicated source of funding for aviation infrastructure. Taxes paid by air travelers on each airline ticket purchased were supposed to flow into this fund, and airports were supposed to receive this money for infrastructure investment such as runways, taxiways and gates. However, this has not always been the case. Only a portion of this money has been invested in the aviation system, and that means the flying public has been shortchanged. For example, this year we expect the trust fund to collect more than $10 billion in taxes, but only about $8 billion will return to the aviation community. The difference is being used to balance the budget. AIR-21 would ensure that the taxes sent into the trust fund are spent only on aviation investment by moving the trust fund "off budget." This would link spending from the trust fund to revenue received by the trust fund. But why taking the trust fund "off budget" so important? Because if we don't, investment in our infrastructure will decline, at the same time demand for air service increases. With AIR-21, as demand for air service increases and therefore taxes flowing into the trust fund increase, investment will keep pace with demand. It is just irresponsible to let balances in the trust fund grow, while congestion in aviation system becomes unbearable. If do not move the trust fund "off budget" we expect its balance will climb to more that $91 billion (check CBO runs) in just 10 years. This money is intended to improve aviation, and should be used for that purpose. Invest for the 21st Century Delays are the scourge of this industry. Every time an airplane sits on a runway it burns fuel and time that cost the airlines millions of dollars. Delays also mean increased congestion both on the ground and in the air. If congestion gets bad enough safety also become compromised simply because too many planes are in too small of an area. American Airlines did a study in 1997 that found the average delay per flight would jump from 1.6 minutes to 4.2 minutes in just 15 years due to crowded gates, runways, and taxiways. Now 4.2 minutes does not sound like a long delay, but it is an increase of 163% -- more than double the current delays. Just think of the last time you were delayed at an airport. Now think of how inconvenienced you would be if you more than doubled that delay. Delays of this magnitude will cripple the aviation industry. AIR-21 provides a solution by focusing investment in two major areas: adding capacity at airports and modernizing the air traffic control (ATC) system. If airports can add runways and gates, more airplanes can be added to the domestic fleet carrying more passengers. This will also allow new air carriers to enter into new markets that they probably could not otherwise serve. Bringing competition into these markets also has the added benefit of lowering ticket prices. Adding capacity to our system is the only way the aviation system will be able to handle a billion passengers per year. The media has focused national attention on our outdated ATC system. There is no question that the system needs to be modernized. It is unacceptable to have state-of-the-art airplanes being guided by systems that have some elements of 1950's technology. Last year, the ATC system experienced more than 100 significant system outages where air traffic controllers lost some or all of their system that help track aircraft. In addition, the delays you now experience at airports are most likely caused by the inefficiencies of the system. Like adding capacity to our system, modernizing the ATC system makes the entire system work more efficiently. Aviation is now a key component of America's economy. It allows people and goods to travel across the country and the world faster than in any time in history. Both small and large communities now depend on aviation to have access to the rest of the world. Small communities increasingly site that bringing aviation service into their community is a key to future economic growth. But if we are going to meet the challenges that the successes of the aviation system brings, we have to invest for the future. If we don't invest in America's aviation system adequately for the 21st Century, we run the risk of crippling an industry that so many people have come to depend on. Congressman Vern Ehlers represents the Third District of Michigan which includes Kent, Ionia, and the northern half of Barry County. He has served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since 1994 and during the 106th Congress he is serving on the Aviation Subcommittee. This article appeared in the May issue of The Shoreline Business Monthly.