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

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania), the chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and chief architect of the proposal for an independent, user-funded air traffic organization, is retiring from Congress at the end of the year. Shuster this week announced his decision against running for re-election in November, saying, “It has been one of my life’s greatest honors to serve and represent the citizens of the 9th District for 17 years. It has also been a tremendous privilege to have been selected by my congressional colleagues to be chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the last five years.”

 


However, he said that rather than focus on re-election he wants to focus on working to pass “a much needed infrastructure bill to rebuild America,” and added, “we have much still to do.”

 


While his statement focused on an infrastructure package, the T&amp;I Committee maintained that both infrastructure and pending FAA reauthorization bill remain major priorities, and Shuster intends to move on both fronts. “The chairman will be 100 percent focused on working with his colleagues and the administration to get these initiatives over the goal line,” the committee stated.

 


Shuster departs Congress as he was set to relinquish the reins of the T&amp;I Committee at the end of the year. He is facing a term-limit for number of years he could serve at the helm of the committee. One of his first actions after taking the reins of the committee was to quickly push through the last FAA reauthorization bill, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which was enacted within his first month as chairman.

 


The ATC proposal has become the centerpiece of the most recent FAA reauthorization proposal, H.R.2997, the 21st Century AIRR Act, but also has been the main stumbling block to progress on that bill. Shuster has been a fierce proponent of the bill, engaging in a major push that included old-fashioned horse-trading and grass roots lobbying, to get the bill through. He has come as close as any other previous lawmaker to getting the ATC proposal through the House.

 


But his decision to step down at the end of the year has quietly raised questions on whether his focus will need to shift more to infrastructure, given persistent opposition in the Senate to the ATC proposal.

 


The Senate has yet to act on its version of an ATC bill, but is expected to do so in advance of the March 31 expiration of the current authorization. While the fate of the House FAA reauthorization bill remains unclear, Shuster has an alternative path for the ATC proposal: the infrastructure proposal. However, that package might prove equally difficult to move forward.

 


The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association credited Shuster with helping out on key issues such as third-class medical reform, airport funding and other matters. “We look forward to working with Chairman Shuster in the days and months ahead to move a long-term FAA reauthorization bill that can get support from the entire aviation industry, as well as helping him move a bipartisan national infrastructure bill that will benefit all Americans,” the association added.

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.

T&I Chairman Shuster Set To Depart Congress at Year-end

Shuster emphasized a desire to push through an infrastructure package this year, but also is planning to focus on his ATC reorganization proposal.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

Kaleyesus Bekele

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

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.

Industry group presses for regulatory progress and continuity across the continent 

African Bizav Strives for Greater Market Opportunity

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.

More In Regulations and Government

African Bizav Strives for Greater Market Opportunity

Industry group presses for regulatory progress and continuity across the continent

FAA Proposes Easing Medical Approvals for Diabetic Pilots

Rule would not apply to insulin-treated diabetes

Congress OKs Stopgap Government Funding Measure

Move averts potential shutdown

Longtime Bizav Attorney Gary Garofalo Flies West

His career spanned more than five and a half decades

New Treasury Rule Limits LLC Information Reporting

The revision relaxes some provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act

Nancy Kassebaum, Architect of GA Product Liability Reform, Dies

Kassebaum pushed through the General Aviation Revitalization Act

Nav Canada Increases ATC Service Charges

Increased fees are to recover pandemic shortfall

FAA InFO Outlines CVR Upgrade Deadlines

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

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN