Oregon Aviation Policies – Special Privilege for the Few

Miki Barnes
August 13, 2020

As Oregonians engage in the difficult but necessary task of identifying and rooting out longstanding institutional biases that concentrate power in the hands of a privileged few at the expense of the many, a good place to begin is with the state's aviation policies. The Oregon Legislature has a reputation for favoring programs that benefit the wealthy while underfunding and/or eliminating those that protect the environment, public health, human services, education and the arts.

As reported in a 4-part award winning series by Rob Davis, Polluted by Money: How Corporate Cash Corrupted one of the Greenest States in America,

"Oregon's failure to regulate campaign cash has made it one of the biggest money states in American politics. The flood of money created an easy regulatory climate where industry gets what it wants, again and again."[1]

This unsavory situation has contributed to an increase in corporate control with a corresponding weakening of environmental regulations and a commensurate degradation of livability and quality of life. "On a long list of environmental protections, Oregon is dead last among West Coast states."[2]

Though not directly addressed in the Polluted by Money series, the aviation industry, one of the biggest polluters in the state, is a frequent recipient of lavish government funding. Some legislators exhibit a pattern of using public office to promote their own personal agenda and financial gain while others are beholden to aviation business interests and wealthy donors.

Since Oregon's aviation policy reflects, in large part, the skewed values of the federal government, this posting will start with a review of national aviation statistics before focusing more specifically on Oregon.

Glut of Airports in the U.S.

The U.S. has more than 21,000 airports, including 500 commercial passenger facilities and 20,000 general aviation airports.[3] Europe, by contrast, with a population more than twice that of the U.S., has 2,323,[4] one-tenth as many as the U.S. As is the case with Oregon, many U.S. general aviation airports are publicly subsidized. General aviation, which includes instructional training, corporate and recreational jets and aircraft, air taxis, and private recreational pilots, refers to all non-military and non-commercial aviation

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) statistics reveal that in 2019 there were 624,065 certified pilots nationwide.[5] This figure, which includes flight instructors and student pilots (many recruited from overseas), represents less than one-quarter of one percent of the entire population.[6] The 20,000 general aviation airports in this country exist primarily to serve this privileged, self-entitled few, a small minority that is responsible for pumping 456 or more tons of lead, a pernicious neurotoxin that disproportionately impacts children, minorities, and lower socioeconomic groups, into the environment each year.[7]

Like the Port of Portland and the Oregon Department of Aviation, the FAA uses public funds to promote private, for-profit aviation business interests. These agencies set policies that essentially enable the aviation sector to profit by exploiting U.S. citizens, compromising national security, degrading livability, and ruthlessly poisoning local communities with lead, PM2.5 and a host of other toxins. There is now such an over-abundance of airports in this country that many flight training schools, such as Hillsboro Aero Academy (HAA), which is owned by out of state investors, heavily recruit students from overseas. HAA's website lays claim to being "one of the largest combined helicopter and airplane flight training schools in the U.S., with students from over 75 countries..."[8] "We're even approved by the Chinese government for airplane and helicopter training."[9]

The U.S. Congress has historically demonstrated its loyalty to aviation business profiteers by gutting the EPA Noise office, weakening environmental laws pertaining to aviation, and denying local communities a democratic voice in the process. In so doing, federal legislators have intentionally and systematically disempowered their own constituents, choosing instead to promote a small group of predominantly affluent white people. Even with the increase of women and minorities in elected office, no significant legislation has emerged to address this unfair, unjust, abusive, and toxic assault on democracy.

The funding of U.S. airports is an example of the top down approach the U.S. and many state governments, including Oregon, practice in disbursing public funds. Instead of investing prudently, wisely and humanely in programs that serve the greater good, all too many elected officials routinely use their positions to funnel money into the hands of their aviation business cronies.

Oregon Pilots – Less than One-Quarter of One Percent of the Population

Oregon's aviation policies in many ways mirror those promoted on a federal level by generations of predominantly white, privileged senators and congressional representatives who equate airports with status.

According to Federal Aviation Administration Airman Statistics, there were a total of 9,997 certified pilots in Oregon in 2019, roughly one quarter of one percent of the population. 885 (approximately 9 percent) were women, the remaining 91 percent (9,112) were men. Of the total number of Oregon pilots, 29% (2,876) were student pilots and 17% (1,728) were flight instructors. These numbers reveal that based on a statewide population count of 4.218 million, the number of certified pilots in Oregon translates into approximately one-quarter of one percent of the population.[10]

Both the FAA and the State of Oregon spend millions of dollars on airports that serve this exceedingly small minority. Significantly, both of these government institutions invest next to nothing into protecting Oregon residents from the negative effects -- noise, pollution, lead emissions, global warming, property devaluation, safety and national security risks, etc. -- generated by these facilities.

420 Airports in Oregon – One for Every 24 Certified Pilots

Oregon has 420 airports[11] in place to cater to the select few, an average of one airport for every 24 certified pilots. By contrast there are 7 commercial airports in the state, a ratio of 602,571 residents per airport. It is important to bear in mind that some of the airports included in the commercial category, such as Roberts Field in Redmond, log far more general aviation operations annually than commercial flights. A review of the FAA Terminal Area Forecast revealed that in 2018, more than 80% of the annual operations at this facility were categorized as general aviation.[12]

Like Hillsboro and Troutdale Airports, the Redmond Airport serves as yet another Hillsboro Aero Academy international flight training hub. Clearly this situation represents a huge economic and social disparity, one that largely enshrines and institutionalizes the values of white privilege and out-of-state corporations over the greater good.

In Oregon, student pilots training through Hillsboro Aero Academy have been given free rein to run roughshod over the rights of residents living in multiple jurisdictions including, but not limited to, Washington, Yamhill, Multnomah, Columbia, Deschutes and Crook Counties. Sadly, Oregon's legislators have proven all too willing to fling money at airports that pander to the flight training industry while ignoring the legitimate concerns of everyone else.

Oregon Has More Airports than Every European Country

It is noteworthy that not a single country in Europe has as many airports as Oregon does.

• Germany – population of 83.8 million, more than 20 times that of Oregon, has 318 airports.
• France – population 65.2 million, more than 16 times that of Oregon, has 294 airports.
• United Kingdom – population 67.8 million, more than 16 times that of Oregon, has 271 airports.
• Spain – population 46.7 million, more than 11 times that of Oregon has 99 airports.
• Italy – population 60.4 million, more than 14 times that of Oregon, has 98.[13]

Though the population in each of these countries exceeds that of Oregon anywhere from 11 to 21 times over, they all manage to get by on far fewer airports.

What many of these countries do have are high speed rail options, a mode of transportation that serves the broader population and is far less polluting than aviation. Oregon, by contrast, lacks vision and leadership when it comes to investing in this more egalitarian and environmentally sustainable mode of transportation.

Senator Betsy Johnson – Vocal Advocate for One Quarter of One Percent

Oregon State Senator Betsy Johnson, along with her husband John Helm, owns Transwestern Aviation Inc. This business, which operates out of the Scappoose Airpark and attracts Hillsboro Aero Academy flight instructors and student pilots, profits from the sale of leaded aviation fuel. Senator Johnson has long been an advocate for the less than one-quarter of one percent that comprise the pilot community in Oregon. In 1999, while serving as Vice-President for Legislative Affairs for the Oregon Pilot's Association, she and her husband successfully championed the establishment of the Department of Aviation (ODA) as separate from the Department of Transportation,[14] thereby insuring that this privileged few had their own government board to promote their agenda.

The Oregon Department of Aviation funnels public money into the hands of affluent airport owners and operators while conveniently ignoring the noise disruptions and environmental pollutants released by aviation activity. Not surprisingly the Scappoose Airpark, where Senator Johnson does business, benefits from federal and state handouts, including a 2017-2018 Critical Oregon Airport Relief (COAR) grant awarded by the Department of Aviation for a taxiway relocation project - $3.7 Million from the FAA and another $150,000 from the state.[15] It is important to bear in mind that Oregon aviation businesses often label government cash infusions that increase their profit margin as "critical."

Not a single grant disbursement listed on the ODA site addresses noise mitigation, lead monitoring, global warming impacts, or decreasing PM2.5 and other pollutants.[16]

Johnson and her colleagues have also been instrumental in passing legislation specifically designed to disempower local communities in an effort to clear the way for the aviation sector to exploit the entire area.

Senator Johnson is one of the Co-chairs of the Joint Ways and Means subcommittee. In the recent budget cuts put forward by this committee for the second special 2020 legislative session, convened to address budget shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, aviation programs did not even warrant a mention. Instead the proposed cuts were aimed at human service programs affecting the elderly, people with disabilities, family support, rental assistance, housing, and the environment.[17]

Other than noise, pollution and self-serving arrogance, the aviation community has little to offer. The tax money brought in through aviation fuel taxes is invested back into various airport programs. Meanwhile, impacted communities are subjected to excess pollution and frequent noise disruptions – the sound of the aviation industry's pervasive disdain for livability, the environment, public health, quality of life and democratic values.

Cut Aviation, Protect the Environment and Public Health

In light of major financial losses due to COVID 19, a good place for the state to start making substantial budget cuts is to aviation. General aviation airports, in particular, exemplify the systematic, oppressive and unjust social disparities that permeate national and state funding policies.

• In the interest of developing a balanced multi-modal approach to transportation, the Department of Aviation should be eliminated. Aviation and airports can be better, and hopefully more equitably, managed by the Department of Transportation.
• Due to conflict of interest, people who expect to profit from aviation projects should not be allowed to serve on aviation-related decision making committees.
• End state and federal subsidies for general aviation airports and operations. Establish landing and user fees at Oregon airports to insure that the users of these airports pay their own way. The American people should not be required to subsidize flight training on behalf of private aviation businesses, investment corporations, foreign governments and totalitarian regimes.
• Invest the Critical Oregon Airport Relief (COAR), Rural Oregon Airport Aviation Relief (ROAR) and State Owned Airport Reserve (SOAR) funds garnered from aviation fuel taxes into noise mitigation, pollution reduction and other crucial public services.
• Terminate the policy of accepting grants from the FAA. Establish a program to pay back the ones currently in place. The FAA uses these grants as an excuse to silence local communities and dismiss their legitimate concerns regarding the negative impacts of airport activity. Money garnered from avgas fuel taxes should also be directed towards paying off these grants.
• Dismantle the FAA. Replace it with a transportation division that serves the people rather than corporations, flight training schools, affluent pilots, and self-dealing politicians.
• Change FAA policy to insure that FAA AIP funds can be invested in high speed rail projects. The U.S. currently lags behind every other major country in providing passenger rail options.
• Fund the Department of Environmental Quality Noise Office and direct this agency to aggressively enforce aviation noise laws. Also reinstate and generously fund the EPA Noise office.
• Develop incentives to encourage county and city jurisdictions to establish noise ordinances that regulate aviation noise disruptions.
• Terminate the Portland Community College Aviation Sciences program and establish policies that prohibit publicly funded educational institutions from investing taxpayer dollars into programs that disempower local communities, undermine democracy, diminish livability, poison the air, and cause frequent noise disruptions.

Concluding Remarks

In many ways, general aviation airports, especially those that pander to flight training schools, act as colonial oppressors. They invade local communities, engage in widespread exploitation, and contribute to environmental destruction while ignoring and dismissing the degradation to livability and public health caused by these activities. This needs to stop!

Allowing a privileged few to foist their self-dealing values onto others is a glaring example of institutionally sanctioned aggression and abuse, essentially an orchestrated assault on the rights of impacted residents. The time has come for Oregon's political leaders to establish a just and equitable approach – one that demonstrates respect for the constituents they were elected to serve.

Sources

[1] Davis, Rob. Polluted by Money. Oregonian/OregonLive. (2/22/2019). Last accessed on-line on 08-10-2020.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Model-Extrapolated Estimates of Airborne Lead Concentrations at U.S. Airports. EPA. (February 2020). Pg. 6. Last accessed on-line on 8/10/2020.

[4] General Aviation Manufacturer's Association 2019 Databook. Pg. 41. Last accessed on-line on 8/10/2020.

[5] U.S. Civil Airmen 2019 Statistics. FAA website. Last accessed on-line on 8-06-20.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Model-Extrapolated Estimates of Airborne Lead Concentrations at U.S. Airports. EPA. (February 2020). Pg. 6. Last accessed on-line on 8/10/2020.

[8] History. Hillsboro Aero Academy website. Last accessed on-line on 8/11/2020.

[9] About. Hillsboro Aero Academy website. Last accessed on-line on 8/11/2020.

[10] U.S. Civil Airmen 2019 Statistics. FAA website. Last accessed on-line on 8-06-20.

[11] General Aviation Manufacturer's Association 2019 Databook. Pg. 37. Last accessed on-line on 8/10/2020.

[12] Roberts Field. FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) Detail Report. (January 2020). Last accessed on-line on 8/12/2020.

[13] General Aviation Manufacturer's Association 2019 Databook. Pg. 41. Last accessed on-line on 8/10/2020.

[14] About Senator Johnson. State Senator Betsy Johnson website. Last accessed on-line on 06/05/20.

[15] 2017-2018 COAR Grant Cycle. Oregon Department of Aviation. Last accessed on-line on 8/10/2020.

[16] Aviation System Action Plan. Oregon Department of Aviation. Last accessed on-line on 8/11/2020.

[17] Ways and Means Co-Chair Principles for the Second Special Session of 2020. Oregon Legislature. Last accessed on-line on 8/12/2020.