Aviation Coalition Opposes FCC Waiver to LightSquared Company

Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP
Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity
In 2012, U.S. airlines moved more than 48,000 tons of cargo per day
In 2012, the value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air averaged 121 times the value exported by sea
For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry
Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket
In 2011, U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo using 10 percent less fuel than in 2000
Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions
From 2000-2011, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 11% while transporting 16% more passengers and cargo
From 1975-2011, U.S. airlines and their partners reduced significant noise exposure by 99%
Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States
In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 81.9%
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines reduced the flight cancellation rate sharply from 3.30% to 1.29%
Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2012, U.S. CPI rose 33% while average domestic fare rose just 14%
Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic airfare fell 15% from 2000
2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion
In 2012, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $427B
In 2012, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $39.5B, driving a $5.1B trade surplus
In 2012, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent more than $50B on fuel, averaging 36% of operating expenses
In 2012, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded
FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2027
In 2012, US airlines flew 83.4 million passengers in scheduled international service - a record high
In 2012, the total value of merchandise exported from or imported to the United States by air exceeded $927 billion
In 2012, 7.15 teragrams of merchandise was exported from or imported to the United States by air

	Aviation Coalition Opposes FCC Waiver to LightSquared Company
	PubZone1 May 10, 2011 Dear Congressman: We the undersigned are writing to bring to your attention a decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant a conditional waiver to allow a company called LightSquared to build tens of thousands of ground stations operating in spectrum immediately adjoining that of the US GPS system that may cause widespread interference. This is a matter of serious concern to the aviation industry and much of US commerce and we respectfully request that you require the FCC to take all steps necessary to protect the GPS. As you know, GPS was first launched more than 30 years ago and is now a critical and extremely reliable part of our aviation and national infrastructure. Millions use it routinely every day and federal investment in these systems totals over $35 billion. If GPS is interfered with, not only will aviation be adversely impacted, critical private and public sector activity will be adversely affected as well. This includes public safety, homeland security, consumers, marine, transportation, agriculture, forestry, engineering, time transfer and construction, to name but a few applications. Thousands of aircraft use GPS receivers for navigation, including approach and landing and it is central to the Federal Aviation Administration’s ADS-B-based Next Generation Air Transportation System. GPS is used for the cellular telephone E-911 program and helps first responders locate people in emergencies. We are extremely concerned that these receivers could be jammed within miles of LightSquared’s transmitters and the consequences of disruption to the GPS signals are far reaching, creating 40,000 “dead spots” each miles in diameter through U.S. cities. Attached is a detailed backgrounder. The FCC’s conditional waiver is highly unusual and LightSquared’s planned use of the L-Band is fundamentally different from the “ancillary terrestrial component” of satellite based services that the FCC’s rules permit and by every indication to date, is incompatible with existing GPS use. To safeguard GPS, the Coalition to Save Our GPS has been formed and to date, more than 200 members have joined the Coalition. The DOT, DOD and U.S. Senate have expressed serious concern and we urge you to join the DOT, DOD and several Members of the U.S. Senate in sending a letter to the FCC requiring that they take all necessary steps to protect GPS. Sincerely, Aircraft Operators and Pilots Association Air Transport Association Experimental Aircraft Association General Aviation Manufacturers Association National Air Transportation Association National Business Aviation Association PubZone2	A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.