NAAA Advocates for Federal Law Banning ADS-B From Being Used to Levy Fees

NAAA joined a coalition of nearly 100 general aviation organizations across the U.S. advocating to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (CST) leadership to move Senate legislation, S. 2175, prohibiting federal, state, and local governments from using automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data (ADS-B) to assess a fee or otherwise impose a charge on the owner or operator of such aircraft. The letter was sent to the chairman of the CST Committee, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), and the Ranking  Member of the Committee, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), before the CST Committee advanced Chairman Cruz’s ROTOR Act legislation that responds to the collision between a PSA Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter above the Potomac River just outside of Reagan National Airport in the Washington, DC area this past January. Among other things, Senator Cruz’s legislation would limit the Army’s ability to turn off a location-transmitting technology on its helicopters; mandate that aircraft that are already required to have ADS-B Out installed also have ADS-B In, equipped no later than Dec. 31, 2031; and direct the FAA to establish an office for coordinating airspace issues with the Defense Department and require the aviation agency to conduct safety reviews related to helicopter operations around busy airports. The ROTOR Act was marked up out of Committee and is awaiting scheduling for full U.S. Senate approval.

Unfortunately, S. 2175, was not considered “in order,” and hence withdrawn so other opportunities are being sought by the GA coalition to advance S. 2175, authored by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC).  To read the letter sent to the CST Committee leaders click here.