Originally published in 1994
Next year will be the fiftieth year that the State of Texas has been involved in aviation promotion and development. In 1945, the Texas legislature passed the Texas Aeronautics Act which established the first Texas agency dedicated to aviation- the Texas Aeronautics Commission. The early days of the Commission were spent in providing assistance to agricultural aviation, helping communities obtain airline service, and conducting safety meetings. The Commission’s first annual report issued December 31, 1946 stated, “Texas is now the leading state in Aviation, having 592 designated airports…and 8750 civilian aircraft.” In 1994, Texas remains a leader in aviation nationally, with over 50,000 pilots and more than 22,000 aircraft based within our state. However, there remains a great deal of work ahead to ensure that an adequate statewide system of aviation facilities is available to support our aviation industry. The celebration of “Fifty Years of Texas Aviation” will take place during the annual Texas Airport Operators Conference which will be held in Austin next April 26-28. Be sure to attend.
Regional Planning Meetings Scheduled
One of the most important responsibilities of the Aviation Division each year is conducting 21 regional planning meetings across the state to discuss individual airport needs. Each meeting involves about five communities, with each airport being visited by Aviation Division staff prior to the meeting. Communities are afforded an opportunity to meet with TxDOT Aviation Division staff to discuss airport needs, funding opportunities, and other matters of interest. The visits to local communities give our staff an opportunity to personally meet and get to know the people who are our partners in air transportation improvement. The next round of meetings will begin in March of next year and end the latter part of September. These meetings offer an excellent opportunity to learn more about what is planned for your individual airport. If you are interested in attending one of these meetings, please contact our office for a schedule.
And Finally: Cuts In Federal Funding For Airports Continue
Federal funding for general aviation airport development in Texas has declined from a high of almost $16 million during FY 92 to a low of $10.4 million for FY 95. The largest decrease was from FY 94 to FY 95 with federal entitlements for general aviation airports in Texas being reduced almost $4 million. Unfortunately, the outlook for FY 96 doesn’t appear to be much brighter. As a result, some airport projects scheduled for this year and next year will have to be postponed.