On Tuesday, February 7, 2023, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO, Pete Bunce, testified before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in a hearing entitled: “FAA Reauthorization: Maintaining America’s Gold Standard in Aviation Safety”.
In his testimony, Bunce conveyed that all aviation stakeholders need to work together to plot and navigate the industry’s future path for safety and innovation. He also expressed that action be taken to reverse the current trends that are tarnishing the U.S. as the gold standard in aviation safety. The next FAA reauthorization bill should facilitate a robust FAA oversight process that delivers safety and technology improvements in the most effective manner possible. Additionally, he commended Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for prioritizing the input and work needed to put together an FAA reauthorization bill at the outset of the 118th Congress.
During the hearing, Bunce highlighted a 90-day review of FAA’s regulatory processes to reduce inefficiencies and enhance safety and innovation; investments in FAA’s technical capabilities including training; increased agency focus on aviation safety bilateral agreements and validation delays; business aviation’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions and the support needed to advance the industry’s sustainability goals; the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative to ensure a safe and sound transition to unleaded fuels; improvements to the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system; and efforts to strengthen the industry’s workforce.
