§47146 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

Creates a pilot program that gives grants to general aviation airports so they can lengthen a primary runway by up to 1,000 feet. The goal is to let larger turboprop or turbojet planes use those airports and to help the airports stay economically viable. The Secretary of Transportation may award grants to no more than 2 airport sponsors each fiscal year. Grants can pay for planning, design, or building the runway extension. Airports must apply in the form the Secretary requires. The Secretary will favor projects that show the runway is currently too short for near-term business operations, that this short runway hurts the airport’s economic health or jobs, and that the airport is not within 20 miles of another NPIAS airport with a similar runway. Projects meeting these tests are treated as justified even if a usual benefit-cost review or FAA project-justification rule would apply. The federal share of costs follows section 47109. Within 5 years of starting the pilot, the Secretary must report to Congress about interest in the grants, how many large aircraft used each funded airport compared to before the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (using data sponsors give no later than 6 months before the report), and the economic opportunities from the runway lengthening. For fiscal years 2025–2028, the Secretary may use funds under section 47116(b)(2) to run the program.

Title 49, §47146

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(a)The Secretary of Transportation shall establish and carry out a pilot program to provide grants to general aviation airports to increase the usable runway length capability at such airports in order to—

(1)expand access to such airports for larger aircraft; and

(2)support the development and economic viability of such airports.

(b)(1)For the purpose of carrying out the pilot program established in subsection (a), the Secretary shall make grants to not more than 2 sponsors of general aviation airports per fiscal year.

(2)A sponsor of a general aviation airport shall use a grant awarded under this section to plan, design, or construct a project to extend an existing primary runway by not greater than 1,000 feet in order to accommodate large turboprop or turbojet aircraft that cannot be accommodated with the existing runway length.

(3)To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a sponsor of a general aviation airport shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(4)In selecting an applicant for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize projects that demonstrate that the existing runway length at the airport is—

(A)inadequate to support the near-term operations of 1 or more business entities operating at the airport as of the date of submission of such application;

(B)a direct aircraft operational impediment to airport economic viability, job creation or retention, or local economic development; and

(C)not located within 20 miles of another National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems airport with comparable runway length.

(c)A project that demonstrates the criteria described in subsection (b) shall be considered a justified cost with respect to the pilot program, notwithstanding—

(1)any benefit-cost analysis required under section 47115(d); or

(2)a project justification determination described in section 3 of chapter 3 of FAA Order 5100.38D, Airport Improvement Program Handbook (dated September 30, 2014) (or any successor document).

(d)The Government’s share of allowable project costs for a project carried out with a grant under this section shall be the Government’s share of allowable project costs specified under section 47109.

(e)Not later than 5 years after the establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that evaluates the pilot program, including—

(1)information regarding the level of applicant interest in grants for increasing runway length;

(2)the number of large aircraft that accessed each general aviation airport that received a grant under the pilot program in comparison to the number of such aircraft that accessed the airport prior to the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, based on data provided to the Secretary by the airport sponsor not later than 6 months before the submission date described in this subsection; and

(3)a description, provided to the Secretary by the airport sponsor not later than 6 months before the submission date described in this subsection, of the economic development opportunities supported by increasing the runway length at general aviation airports.

(f)For each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028, the Secretary may use funds under section 47116(b)(2) to carry out this section.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 118–63, which was approved May 16, 2024.

§47146 General Aviation Program Runway Extension Pilot Program

Summary

Title 49, §47146

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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