The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) mission is to promote aviation safety and reduce congestion by building, maintaining, and operating the Nation's air traffic control system; overseeing commercial and general aviation safety through regulation and inspection; and providing assistance to improve the capacity and safety of our airports. The FY 2010 budget request of $16 billion for the FAA reflects the Administration's commitment to increase the safety, performance, and capacity of our aviation system. Within the total is $865 million for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).
Federal Aviation Administration Budget
Federal Aviation Administration Budget
(Dollars In Millions)
2008 Actual
2009 Enacted Omnibus
2009 Enacted Total*
2010 Budget
Operations
8,740
9,042
9,042
9,336
Facilities & Equipment
2,514
2,742
2,742
2,925
Recovery Act
200
Research, Engineering, and Development
147
171
171
180
Grants-in-Aid for Airports (obligation authority)
3,515
3,515
3,515
3,515
Recovery Act
1,100
TOTAL
14,915
15,470
16,770
15,956
SUMMARY OF FAA FY 2010 INCREASES AND DECREASES
SUMMARY OF FAA FY 2010 INCREASES AND DECREASES
(Dollars in Millions)
Operations
Facilities & Equipment
Research, Engineering & Dev.
Airport Grants (Obl Lim)
Total
FY 2009 Base (Omnibus)
9,042
2,742
171
3,515
15,470
Pay Inflation Adjustments
235
9
2
3
249
Non-Pay Inflation Adjustments
20
174
1
0
195
Annualization of FY 2009 Initiatives
27
0
0
1
28
Non-recurring Costs or Savings (Preliminary)
0
0
0
0
0
Base Re-engineering, Reductions or Adjustments
0
0
0
0
0
FY 2010 Current Services Levels
9,324
2,925
174
3,519
15,942
Program Changes
11
0
6
-4
13
FY 2010 Budget
9,336
2,925
180
3,515
15,956
FY 2010 Budget
FY 2010 Budget
FAA operates and maintains the most complex air traffic control system in the world. Over the past several years, FAA has made exceptional progress in increasing the system’s safety and efficiency. FAA is also investing responsibly in capital programs and in its highly capable workforce in order to prepare for a future marked by ever-growing demand for aviation-related services. FAA’s FY 2010 budget maintains these recent safety and capacity gains while providing the level of investment required to meet future system demands. This budget allows FAA to execute its published plans for controller and safety staffing, research and development, and capital investment, thus further enhancing aviation safety while the agency implements NextGen, the aviation system of the future.
Operations: The FY 2010 budget requests $9.3 billion for the Operations account. This account provides funds for the operation, maintenance, communications, and logistical support of the air traffic control and air navigation systems. It also covers administrative and managerial costs for the FAA's regulatory, international, medical, engineering and development programs as well as policy oversight and overall management functions. The Budget supports the hiring of 107 new air traffic controllers and 36 safety staff. This improves FAA's ability to improve its safety oversight function and meets FAA's current need to start hiring a new generation of air traffic controllers in advance of the anticipated upcoming wave of retirements.
Facilities & Equipment: The FY 2010 budget requests $2.9 billion for the Facilities & Equipment (F&E) account. This account provides funds for programs that improve operational efficiency, constrain costs, modernize automation and communication technology and systems, and deal with aging facilities. Particular emphasis is placed on NextGen initiatives, en route and terminal air traffic control, navigation and landing systems, and communications.
Research, Engineering, and Development: The budget requests $180 million for the Research, Engineering, and Development (RE&D) account. This account provides the necessary resources to support Research, Engineering, and Development activities and maintain the agency’s administrative infrastructure. Funding will support efforts to improve aviation safety, aviation efficiency, and to reduce the impacts of aviation on the environment. Resources are also provided to fund NextGen research and development initiatives.
Grants-in-Aid for Airports: The budget request includes $3.5 billion for planning and developing a safe and efficient national airport system to satisfy the needs of aviation interests of the United States, with due consideration for economic, environmental compatibility, local proprietary rights, and safeguarding the public investment.
FAA Reauthorization: The Vision 100 — Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, as extended by Congress, expires on September 30, 2009. Starting in 2011, the Budget assumes that the air traffic control system will be funded with direct charges levied on users of the system. The FAA’s current excise tax system is largely based on taxes that depend on the price of customers’ airline tickets, not FAA’s cost for moving flights through the system. The Administration believes that the FAA should move toward a model whereby FAA’s funding is related to its costs, the financing burden is distributed more equitably, and funds are used to pay directly for services the users need. The Administration recognizes that there are alternative ways to achieve these objectives. Accordingly, the Administration will work with stakeholders and the Congress to enact legislation that moves toward such a system.
