Comments on: Another user-fee horror story

By: Air Pirate

Air Pirate — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:26:24 +0000

Because whether you fly a G-550 or a C-150, we are ALL in this TOGETHER. We use the same weather briefers, the same controllers, the same airspace, the same approaches, the same airports. We don’t need to isolate each other and make ourselves more vulnerable. There’s strength in numbers.

Check 6.

By: N Sark

N Sark — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 08:28:29 +0000

OK AOPA, let’s pick our fights with the FAA. Let’s not back up the guy who went and purchased a G-550 for $27M and spend our resources to try to keep his registration fees down to $5 per transaction. At least have him pay for what I pay for my 10 year old Ford truck to register or $2 to get your ATP? How much did we all pay to get our driver Lic and none of us has problem with that on the “best day of our lives”? This would minimizes the possibilities of dealing with problems such as user fees for GA WX or ATC. Second, FAA is too big and expensive to run. Large portion of it can be and should be privatized. If you fight it we will all be looking at fees paid to an inefficient government agency. With the current Av-Gas prices GA is going downhill anyway and we don’t need any government’s help for that.

By: bill bedell

bill bedell — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:53:25 +0000

I remember when Nav Canada was imposed. At the time, avgas in Canada cost 25-50% more than in the US. After they imposed the nav fees, the fuel taxes remained. Since then, I fly to the border, use a US FBO and rent a US car, filling both my plane and rental car with US fuel upon my return from expensive Canada. The time/cost ratio tipped when they imposed nav fees without a commensurate reduction in fuel taxes.

Wiith the post-9/11 requirements for US Customs, I rarely travel to Canada for pleasure any more.