The President Tuesday signed two bills that will allow FAA to distribute AIP funds to airports. One extends aviation excise taxes and programs through the end of March 2009. The other temporarily funds DOT and other federal agencies through March 6, 2009.
The continuing resolution is expected to provide FAA with approximately $1.5 billion in AIP funds. FAA officials said that the stop-gap measure, coupled with the FAA extension, will allow the agency to distribute AIP funds to airports early next year.
In terms of entitlement funding, airports should be eligible to receive slightly less than 50 percent of their entitlements since the continuing resolution funds FAA from Oct. 1, 2008 through March 6, 2009 - or less than half of the fiscal year. FAA also plans to distribute some discretionary funding to meets its LOI obligations. AAAE Airport Legislative Alliance (ALA) staff said that it is unclear exactly how FAA will pro-rate the AIP apportionments, but said ALA will provide information as it becomes available.
The remaining AIP funds for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) should be made available after Congress appropriates a full year's funding for FAA and passes a multi-year FAA reauthorization bill or another FAA extension.
