Regional Airport Economics
Socialism for the privileged
The FAA 2023 budget request is $18.6 billion. 97% of all airports in the U.S. are categorized as GA and more than 97% of all aircraft in this country are also GA. It is safe to assume that GA will get a good chunk of that $18.6B.
Additionally the FAA collects taxes and fees from the flying public. One estimate is $29 - $200 per seat. This is in turn distributed to regional airports around the county through grant money. Regional airports also receive state and municipal subsidies. Land is often provided for free. Pollution costs are born by residents.
The people using these services are a very small, but resourced, percentage of the population.
"In the first full accounting (2009) of the 28-year-old Airport Improvement Program, USA TODAY found that Congress has directed $15 billion to general-aviation airports, which typically are tucked on country roads and industrial byways.
"The lawmakers also regularly use general-aviation airports to get around their districts and states, sometimes in planes with lobbyists. Members of Congress took 2,154 trips on corporate-owned jets from 2001 to 2006, according to a 2006 study by PoliticalMoneyLine, an independent research group.
"General-aviation airports handle mostly recreational planes and corporate jets — usually just a few each hour. Half of the airports are within 20 miles of another private-aviation airport, a USA TODAY analysis shows.
"Critics say the number of subsidized airports with no commercial flights is excessive at a time when larger airports are struggling to deal with delays in air traffic, and that much of the money the general-aviation airports get benefits only a few private pilots."
It seems we have two airspace systems: one for the public and one for those who can afford to fly by private plane.
Additionally the FAA collects taxes and fees from the flying public. One estimate is $29 - $200 per seat. This is in turn distributed to regional airports around the county through grant money. Regional airports also receive state and municipal subsidies. Land is often provided for free. Pollution costs are born by residents.
The people using these services are a very small, but resourced, percentage of the population.
"In the first full accounting (2009) of the 28-year-old Airport Improvement Program, USA TODAY found that Congress has directed $15 billion to general-aviation airports, which typically are tucked on country roads and industrial byways.
"The lawmakers also regularly use general-aviation airports to get around their districts and states, sometimes in planes with lobbyists. Members of Congress took 2,154 trips on corporate-owned jets from 2001 to 2006, according to a 2006 study by PoliticalMoneyLine, an independent research group.
"General-aviation airports handle mostly recreational planes and corporate jets — usually just a few each hour. Half of the airports are within 20 miles of another private-aviation airport, a USA TODAY analysis shows.
"Critics say the number of subsidized airports with no commercial flights is excessive at a time when larger airports are struggling to deal with delays in air traffic, and that much of the money the general-aviation airports get benefits only a few private pilots."
It seems we have two airspace systems: one for the public and one for those who can afford to fly by private plane.
