By Rob Stapleton
Alaska Journal of Commerce

As a legion of aviation groups lined up against a proposal in the U.S. Senate to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, which includes a proposed $25 segment fee, Alaska's senior senator was working to exempt Alaskan aviators from the charge, according to his staff.

“I am concerned that this legislation as originally drafted places an undue burden on too many small carriers in rural parts of America, including Alaska,” said Sen. Ten Stevens, R-Alaska, in a written statement. “Changes to any portion of the aviation industry will have a tremendous impact on our state. This provision will exempt many of Alaska's aviators and will especially help our rural communities that rely so heavily on aviation as a basic means of transportation and commerce.”

The proposal passed by one vote with Stevens voting for the segment fee.

Initially officials with the Alaska Airmen's Association were shocked, and had no comment on the vote and Stevens' participation in it.

The AAA had provided both the state Legislature and the Senate a copy of a petition signed by 1,700 pilots and members of the group, against the Senate bill proposing the $25 fee and other provisions in the Aviation Investment and Modernization Act of 2007.

Stevens, who is vice chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, secured a fee exemption for many Alaskan aviators in the bill, which was approved May 17 by the committee.

The provision would expand the exemption in the underlying FAA reauthorization bill to exempt many Alaskan pilots and air carriers from paying the $25 per flight surcharge proposed in the original bill.

The Air Transport Association, representing most U.S. airlines, has voiced support for the legislation that puts a higher burden of the nation's air space control on general aviation. Alaska Airlines is a member of the ATA and supports the FAA reauthorization legislation, but deviated on Stevens' action.

“We're aware that language is being considered in the bill that would address how the $25 ATC modernization fee would be applied for flights within the state of Alaska and have no objections to this language,” said Joe Sprague with Alaska Airlines.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, National Business Aircraft Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Regional Airline Association are all in opposition to any user fees by aircraft owners, or pilots using the U.S. airspace.

Stevens' staffers indicated that this bill is far from being a done deal, and that it will be changed by other committees before going to House for its version of the bill.

The reauthorization will need to be passed in Congress by Sept. 30 for the FAA to proceed with a budget.

Rob Stapleton can be reached at rob.stapleton@alaskajournal.com.