House Defeats Curfew Amendment for California Airports

Contact: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, April 1, 2011 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today welcomed action by the U.S. House of Representatives to reject an amendment to national aviation legislation that would ban night operations at two important California airports.

By a vote of 243 to 178, House members defeated an amendment to the bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that would have imposed a night-time ban on aircraft operations at both the Bob Hope Burbank (BUR) and Van Nuys (VNY) airports. The amendment had been offered as part of the debate over the “FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011” (H.R. 658).

“NBAA joined with other major aviation organizations in strongly opposing this amendment on the grounds that it would circumvent the requirements of the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA) and could set a dangerous precedent,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.

In a letter signed by NBAA and the Air Transport Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Cargo Airline Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, National Air Transportation Association and Helicopter Association International, the industry wrote that such action “would undoubtedly lead to the creation of a patchwork of confusing and complex operating restrictions across the country that would undermine our national aviation and airport system.” In addition, the ban would “have a devastating impact on local businesses,” the letter noted.

For more information on the industry opposition to the amendment, see the joint letter. For information on House passage of FAA reauthorization, see NBAA’s press release.

# # #

Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.

Members of the media may receive NBAA Press Releases immediately via e-mail. To subscribe to the NBAA Press Release e-mail list, submit the online form at www.nbaa.org/news/pr/subscribe.