Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

While two U.S. House General Aviation Caucus leaders called for moving forward on air traffic control reform, 15 general aviation organizations urged key lawmakers to provide time for all stakeholders to thoroughly review and debate such a proposal. The appeals come as the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&amp;I) Committee prepares to introduce comprehensive FAA reauthorization legislation that is expected to include a measure to create an independent air traffic control organization funded by new user fees. The committee is expected to take action on the legislation in mid-February.

 


Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), a House GA caucus co-chairman and staunch GA ally, co-wrote an opinion piece with another active caucus member, Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), saying, “A foundation of conservatism is our belief that the federal government is incapable of doing just about anything more efficiently or innovatively than the private sector.”

 


<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/266093-no-reason-to-stall">The opinion piece,</a> titled “No reason to stall” and published by the political news organization The Hill, adds, “It is true that our nation’s airspace is complex, and also that our general aviation presence is the largest in the world. But that does not preclude us from designing an air traffic control organization that is superior to any system in existence today. To say it cannot be done is to challenge the very fiber of American ingenuity.” The lawmakers added that status quo is not working.

 


But in separate <a href="http://nata.aero/data/files/gia/ga%20industry%20letter%20final%20011916.pdf">letters</a> to T&amp;I Committee leaders, organizations representing a cross-section of the general aviation community appealed for caution. “Because we have so much at stake in the FAA reauthorization process, and given the magnitude of the change that we anticipate being proposed, we call on you…to provide ample opportunity for all stakeholders and citizens to carefully review, analyze and debate any proposed legislation changing the governance and funding for air traffic control,” the industry letters said.

 


The GA groups expressed concern that some big airlines are pushing for a new governance and funding model based on international systems. “The general aviation community has very real and long-standing concerns about foreign air traffic control models, which go well beyond the user fee issue,” they said. “These concerns are based on our operating experiences in foreign systems, as well as thoughtful analysis about what those systems might look like in the U.S.”

 


In addition to creating another layer of bureaucracy to collect the user fees, the general aviation community has feared long-term access issues could result under an organization run by an independent board. The organizations have pointed to airports in Europe where that has been problematic.

 


T&amp;I chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) is the primary driver of a proposal to create an independent, user-funded air traffic control organization, but the committee’s ranking Democrat, Pete DeFazio (D-Ore.), has expressed reservations about the system.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

GA Industry, Caucus Leaders Take Separate Paths on ATC 

GA caucus leaders back reform, GA industry urge caution.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Rule would not apply to insulin-treated diabetes

FAA Proposes Easing Medical Approvals for Diabetic Pilots

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Move averts potential shutdown

Congress OKs Stopgap Government Funding Measure

Jessica Reed

His career spanned more than five and a half decades

Longtime Bizav Attorney Gary Garofalo Flies West

Curt Epstein

The revision relaxes some provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act

New Treasury Rule Limits LLC Information Reporting

Kassebaum pushed through the General Aviation Revitalization Act

Nancy Kassebaum, Architect of GA Product Liability Reform, Dies

Gordon Gilbert

Increased fees are to recover pandemic shortfall

Nav Canada Increases ATC Service Charges 

Larger new bizav aircraft face 2027 deadline, while small new turbine bizav aircraft have 2029 deadline

FAA InFO Outlines CVR Upgrade Deadlines

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

More In Regulations and Government