General Aviation Airport Access Act

Bill: 118-s-1847
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
Introduced: 2023-06-07
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Lease and rental services

Service industries
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>General Aviation Airport Access Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires public use airports that have received certain federal grants or property conveyances to provide transient general aviation aircraft parking on or near the existing apron in specific circumstances. A<i> transient general aviation aircraft</i> is an aircraft that is not owned or operated by an air carrier and is seeking to park temporarily at an airport. </p> <p>Specifically, transient general aviation aircraft parking must be provided on or near the existing apron when a pilot or owner of the aircraft does not need or request fuel or use other related services from the airport or a fixed-base operator at the airport. A <i>fixed-base operator</i> is a business that is operating on an airport or heliport and provides aeronautical services, such as fueling, rentals, and parking.</p> <p>A public use airport may assess a fee on a transient general aviation aircraft for using the transient apron; the fee must be fair, reasonable, transparent, and publicly available. It must also exclude any extraneous or hidden costs. A controlled access airport or a fixed-base operator at the airport may not charge a fee for a pilot or passenger to transit between their transient general aviation aircraft parked on the transient apron and a place outside the airport's perimeter fence, whether or not the individual must pass through a building.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1847 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 7, 2023 Mr. Budd introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To amend title 49, United States Code, to increase access to general aviation airports, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the General Aviation Airport Access Act . 2. Public airport apron access for transient general aviation aircraft (a) In general Chapter 401 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 40131. Apron access for transient general aviation aircraft (a) Transient apron A covered airport shall provide transient general aviation aircraft parking on or near the existing apron when the pilot or owner of that aircraft does not need or request fuel or use other related services from the covered airport or a fixed-base operator at the covered airport. (b) Transient fees A covered airport may assess a fee on a transient general aviation aircraft for using the transient apron described in subsection (a) and, if it does assess such a fee, the fee shall be fair, reasonable, transparent, publicly available (including on the website of the entity that imposes such fee), and exclude any extraneous or hidden costs. (c) Access to transient apron A controlled access airport, or a fixed-base operator at a controlled access airport, may not charge a fee for a pilot or passengers to transit between their transient general aviation aircraft parked on the transient apron described in subsection (a) and a place outside the airport’s perimeter fence, whether or not such transit requires passing through a building. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Controlled access airport The term controlled access airport means an airport that is a public use airport and— (A) is required to have an airport security program under part 1542 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations; or (B) the airport or a fixed-base operator at the airport does not allow a pilot unescorted access to the pilot's transient general aviation aircraft that is parked on the transient apron described in subsection (a). (2) Covered airport The term covered airport means an airport that is a public use airport and has— (A) received a grant under section 48103 or chapter 471 at any time during the most recent 20-year period; or (B) been the recipient of a Federal property conveyance. (3) Fixed-base operator The term fixed-base operator means a business granted the right by an airport sponsor or heliport sponsor to operate on an airport or heliport and provide aeronautical services, including fueling and charging, aircraft hangaring, tiedown and parking, aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance, and flight instruction. (4) Public use airport The term public use airport has the meaning given that term in section 47102. (5) Transient general aviation aircraft The term transient general aviation aircraft means an aircraft, not owned or operated by an air carrier or foreign air carrier, that is seeking to park temporarily at an airport. . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for chapter 401 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 40130 the following: 40131. Apron access for transient general aviation aircraft. .