Read other 2006
   Press Releases

Aviation and Space Stakeholders Begin Plans To Implement Aerospace Commission Report

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 12 - Senior representatives from the Departments of Commerce, State, Defense, Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration met with leaders from the aviation and space industry today to develop an action plan for implementation of the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry's final report. AIA President and CEO John W. Douglass, who was also a commission member, said it was significant that such a broad-ranging array of representatives from aviation and space were able to put aside their minor differences and agree on a broad agenda to sustain the aerospace industry. He said the strong interest evidenced at this meeting from the federal agencies and the administration were a very positive indicator that the government supports the report and wanted to move forward with its recommendations.

The 40 representatives at the meeting held at The Boeing Company's Rosslyn, VA, offices agreed to divide the recommendations in the report into those that are near-term or long-term, those that require increased funding, or new laws, and those that require coordination and administrative action. They also agreed to divide the recommendations into domestic and international categories and determine ways to bring these ideas for reform to the international groups. The Aviation and Space Stakeholders said they would meet again in February with the government representatives to discuss "what, in the short term, we can do to build toward long term goals."

The members of the Aviation and Space Stakeholders Coalition are associations that represent the manufacturers, the airlines, other commercial and general aviation operators, the airport operators, the aviation maintenance providers, the aircraft parts distributors, the unions, and professional societies.

Douglass said that the aerospace commission's final report contains nine chapters, each with a recommendation designed to stand on its own and be implemented without relying on the others. Douglass also wrote an addendum to the report, saying that the unprecedented crisis in the airline industry since 9/11 has challenged government assumptions concerning customer absorption of additional security fees and costs.

P.A. Rel 2002-33

12.12.02

-AIA-

Contact: Matt Grimison, AIA
(202) 371-8548
matt.grimison@aia-aerospace.org