Majority Statement

• Ted Stevens

  Senator
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  Majority Statement

  Ted Stevens

  The Chairman of the Subcommittee will be here shortly to take over this hearing.  He is at the Armed Services Committee meeting, which is an important meeting, and as soon as he can get away he will come.  The issues we are here to discuss are critical to the future of our national aviation and aerospace system.  The very light jets, which I have called the mosquito fleet without trying to be derogatory, will soon be part of daily air travel in our nation.  Just as regional jets have vastly increased the number of planes in our national airspace, this new fleet has the potential to add even greater numbers to it.

   

  The first wave of this fleet is expected to hit the market next year. And that increase can revolutionize air traffic business. At around $2 million each, on an estimated basis, these new mini jets will be within reach to thousands of individuals and companies and have the potential to create a booming air taxi industry. 

   

  Unmanned aircraft are also poised to enter national airspace and have been used by the military since World War II.  In those days, as I have reminded the Committee recently, pilots took those aircrafts off and then parachuted out, then the plans were flown remotely to targets. That is not the situation now of course.  Unmanned aircraft play an intricate part in fighting the wars we are involved in now, particularly the war against the terrorists. And UAVs have the potential of being a key line of defense for our first responders.  We have asked that they be tested in Alaska to determine whether or not they can play a significant role in maritime boundary enforcement and protecting our fisheries.  

   

  We look forward to hearing from our witnesses today, and we urgently hope that we can work together to ensure that our national airspace system can and will accommodate all manner of new aviation transport as well as face a period of upgrading of the whole system itself.

Testimony

• Mr. Michael Cirillo

  Vice President for System Operations Services

  Federal Aviation Administration
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• Mr. Nicholas Sabatini

  Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety

  Federal Aviation Administration
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Witness Panel 2

• Mr. Vern Raburn

  President and Chief Executive Officer

  Eclipse Aviation Corporation
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• Mr. Edward Iacobucci

  President and Chief Executive Officer

  DayJet Corporation
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• Mr. Jack Pelton

  Chief Executive Officer

  Cessna Aircraft Company
  Download Testimony (32.94 KB)

• Mr. Matt Andersson

  Senior Aviation Consultant

  CRA International
  Download Testimony (381.41 KB)