McCain in '08

The Flyer: Last year you blocked AOPA President Phil Boyer’s nomination to
the FAA Management Advisory Council, leaving GA pilots and aircraft owners
without a voice on the council. Why did you do that?

"Senator McCain: As head of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
Mr. Boyer and I have had several spirited debates regarding my position
that corporate aircraft, along with airlines, should pay user fees to
reflect their use of the air traffic control system. Although I do not
understand it in this case, I certainly respect a genuine disagreement on
the merits of this issue. What I cannot respect, and the kind of attitude
that I believe would be a disservice to the FAA administrator, is Mr.
Boyer’s unwillingness to characterize my position correctly or to
acknowledge that he misrepresented my position in the past.

For example, an AOPA press release issued after Mr. Boyer’s nomination
hearing was misleading on its face. It said, “McCain pushed the user fees
proposal.” Nowhere did this press release clarify that I was not referring
to the vast majority of AOPA members, who do not own corporate jets. The
distinction is obviously critical to our exchange at the hearing. The
press release and certain Internet postings have left many AOPA members in
the dark regarding key aspects of my views. I think that it is the
responsibility of the head of an organization such as AOPA to fully inform
its members when it comes to an important aviation policy matter.

In answering a post-hearing question, Mr. Boyer said that he, and I quote,
“regret(s) the chairman feels as though I have misrepresented his
position.” Yet his answer again refused to acknowledge that there is a
difference between corporate user fees and general aviation user fees.
Other sectors of the industry — who are as adamantly opposed to fees as
AOPA is — will admit that my position has been misrepresented. Mr. Boyer
will not. Consequently, I question his qualification to be a productive
participant on the Management Advisory Council because such a position
calls for someone who would be able to consider even unpopular issues in
an honest and fair fashion."


Well done, Senator!!! Out the liar!