Karen Walker/LAS VEGAS
THE US FEDERAL Aviation Administration says that its decision to drop funding from a programme aimed at rejuvenating general aviation (GA) was "a mistake", and that the money will be found after all.
FAA administrator David Hinson told attendees at the US National Air Transportation Association's convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, last week that the Advanced General Aviation Transportation Experiments (AGATE) programme was important and that the FAA would put back its share of the funding. "We are very interested in this programme. We had dropped funding from it, but that was a mistake and we will put funding back," says Hinson.
The AGATE programme brings together the technological and financial resources of the US Government, NASA, industry and aviation organisations, with the aim of making future GA aircraft, easier to fly and operate. It is regarded as a major part of a GA revitalisation effort going on in the USA.
The FAA had been expected to contribute $4 million this year towards the programme, but pulled its share of funding, much to the dismay of NASA and industry, which feels that FAA backing is critical to its overall success.
The FAA faces financial constraints, its annual budget is expected to be cut by 14%, or $1.5 billion, by the year 2003, but it is understood that this is not the reason for dropping AGATE funding.
FAA sources say that there is an "overwhelming inertia" against free flight within the FAA - an important part of the AGATE. It is believed that FAA staff scrapped funding against Hinson's wishes.
Source: Flight International
