As the US Congress prepares to finalize its funding allocations for fiscal year 2022, six aviation associations, including Helicopter Association International (HAI), came together yesterday to write the leaders of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to increase funding for the Alternative Fuels for General Aviation program.

“We believe the fuels testing program is at a critical juncture, and we request the final conference agreement contain a funding level of $10 million,” the group wrote. “The funding level is consistent with the spirit of the recent White House announcement on sustainable aviation fuels, where the work on alternative fuels for general aviation was highlighted. There is still considerable work to be done to address the environmental and regulatory challenges associated with piston aviation fuels, and your support is key to addressing them in a way that does not compromise aviation safety.”

The Alternative Fuels for General Aviation program enables the engineering, technical, and management support of fuel research and safety certification activities necessary to identify and secure a fleetwide authorization approval and deployment of an unleaded aviation gas consistent with aviation safety.

The aviation associations signing on to the letter to Congress include the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), HAI, National Air Transportation Association (NATA), and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).