WASHINGTON - The House has passed a major federal aviation bill that aims to improve aviation safety, enhance protections for passengers and airline workers, and invest in airport and air travel infrastructure nationwide, Clare Foran, Gregory Wallace, Tami Luhby and Haley Talbot report for CNN.
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The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
17 May 2024 -The funding bill provides $105 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as $738 million for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
According to Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed, the bill "authorizes critical funds to hire more air traffic controllers and make technology improvements; codify the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent rule requiring airlines to make it easier for stranded air travelers to get a refund; and enact other key measures to improve runway safety and avoid near-collisions."
The bill, which funds the FAA and NTSB through 2028 includes:
$66.7 billion for FAA operations to fund key safety programs, from aircraft certification reform to air carrier oversight, and enable hiring, training, and retention of safety-critical staff like air traffic controllers and technical engineers.
$17.8 billion for FAA facilities and equipment to fund modernization of key technologies and systems to ensure the resilience and development of the world’s most complex airspace system.
$19.35 billion for FAA airport infrastructure improvement grants to support more than 3,300 airports nationwide in meeting increasing demand and integration of emerging technologies. This includes $4 billion a year for boost authorizations for the Airport Improvement Program to improve aviation infrastructure, a major increase for a program that’s been authorized at $3.4 billion annually for the past decade.
$1.59 billion for FAA research, engineering and development to help America stay competitive in the global race for innovative and sustainable aerospace technology.
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Related: FAA extension on the horizon as legislative calendar shortens
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
