Boulder Launches Airport Closure Constitutional Challenge
Civic leaders of Boulder, Colorado, have a new tack to close their airport (in favor of housing), with potentially far-reaching consequences. The city sued the FAA alleging its power over the destiny of the city’s airport is constitutional overreach that impedes the city’s ability to carry out its business. At issue is a clause giving the FAA final say on airport closure if grant money is used for property acquisition. “The FAA’s position is not only inconsistent with the express terms of its grant agreements with the City,” the complaint reads. “But is also an unconstitutional overreach—in violation of the separation of powers doctrine, the Spending Clause, and the Fifth and Tenth Amendments—that wrests from the City its ability to provide for the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens, and clouds the City’s fee-simple title to the property comprising the Airport.”
Boeing Predicts Need For 2.4 Million Aviation Professionals
In its annual predictions at AirVenture 2024 Boeing says the world will need 674,000 pilots, 716,000 maintenance technicians and 980,000 cabin crew members by 2043 to meet the demands of commercial aviation. “Driven by aviation traffic trending above pre-pandemic levels, personnel attrition and commercial fleet growth, the demand for aviation personnel continues to rise,” said Chris Broom, vice president, Commercial Training Solutions, Boeing Global Services. “We are focused on being a reliable and innovative partner in the lifecycle of aviation training.” Boeing also said there will be a three percent increase in aircraft deliveries for a total of 44,000 new airframes, 71 percent of which will be single-aisle airliners.
