They were supposed to be talking about the FAA Reauthorization Bill, but last Wednesday one after another of aviation's bigwigs reminded Congress's aviation subcommittee about the destruction of Chicago's Meigs field. Speakers reminded the committee that aviation services are a federal matter and the intrusion of local special interests could result in inconsistent regulations and service availability based on regional political biases. "Our national air transportation system is far too important to the United States to allow powerful private enterprises to use their political clout to create an unjustified, ad hoc patchwork of airspace restrictions," said Ed Bolen, president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Jack Olcott, president of the National Business Aviation Association, said airspace restrictions must be imposed based on a credible threat and not on the security fears of local jurisdictions. "A temporary flight restriction (TFR) seems to be the tool of choice for some mayors and governors trying to address constituent concerns about security," Olcott said. He also told the committee that the TFR Chicago Mayor Richard Daley practically begged authorities to impose over his city played a role in his subsequent decision to destroy the airport runway and he's afraid other mayors might be watching. "This abominable example of a mayor usurping federal authority in the name of homeland security has become a consideration, albeit to a lesser degree so far, across the country."
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/complete/newswire-complete-issue-40