USC - General facilities and personnel authority

View all text of Chapter 445 [§ 44502 - § 44520]

§ 44502. General facilities and personnel authority

(a)General Authority.—

(1) The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may—

(A) acquire, establish, improve, operate, and maintain air navigation facilities; and

(B) provide facilities and personnel to regulate and protect air traffic.

(2) The cost of site preparation work associated with acquiring, establishing, or improving an air navigation facility under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall be charged to amounts available for that purpose appropriated under section 48101(a) of this title. The Secretary of Transportation may make an agreement with an airport owner or sponsor (as defined in section 47102 of this title) so that the owner or sponsor will provide the work and be paid or reimbursed by the Secretary from the appropriated amounts.

(3) The Secretary of Transportation may authorize a department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government to carry out any duty or power under this subsection with the consent of the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality.

(4)Purchase of instrument landing system.—

(A)Establishment of program.—The Secretary shall purchase precision approach instrument landing system equipment for installation at airports on an expedited basis.

(B)Authorization.—No less than $30,000,000 of the amounts appropriated under section 48101(a) for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2002 shall be used for the purpose of carrying out this paragraph, including acquisition under new or existing contracts, site preparation work, installation, and related expenditures.

(5)Improvements on leased properties.—The Administrator may make improvements to real property leased for no or nominal consideration for an air navigation facility, regardless of whether the cost of making the improvements exceeds the cost of leasing the real property, if—

(A) the improvements primarily benefit the Government;

(B) the improvements are essential for accomplishment of the mission of the Federal Aviation Administration; and

(b)Certification of Necessity.—Except for Government money expended under this part or for a military purpose, Government money may be expended to acquire, establish, construct, operate, repair, alter, or maintain an air navigation facility only if the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration certifies in writing that the facility is reasonably necessary for use in air commerce or for the national defense. An interested person may apply for a certificate for a facility to be acquired, established, constructed, operated, repaired, altered, or maintained by or for the person.

(c)Ensuring Conformity With Plans and Policies.—

(1) To ensure conformity with plans and policies for, and allocation of, airspace by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under section 40103(b)(1) of this title, a military airport, military landing area, or missile or rocket site may be acquired, established, or constructed, or a runway may be altered substantially, only if the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration is given reasonable prior notice so that the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may advise the appropriate committees of Congress and interested departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government on the effect of the acquisition, establishment, construction, or alteration on the use of airspace by aircraft. A disagreement between the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Secretary of Defense or the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may be appealed to the President for a final decision.

(2) To ensure conformity, an airport or landing area not involving the expenditure of Government money may be established or constructed, or a runway may be altered substantially, only if the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration is given reasonable prior notice so that the Administrator may provide advice on the effects of the establishment, construction, or alteration on the use of airspace by aircraft.

(d)Public Use and Emergency Assistance.—

(1) The head of a department, agency, or instrumentality of the Government having jurisdiction over an air navigation facility owned or operated by the Government may provide, under regulations the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality prescribes, for public use of the facility.

(2) The head of a department, agency, or instrumentality of the Government having jurisdiction over an airport or emergency landing field owned or operated by the Government may provide, under regulations the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality prescribes, for assistance, and the sale of fuel, oil, equipment, and supplies, to an aircraft, but only when necessary, because of an emergency, to allow the aircraft to continue to the nearest airport operated by private enterprise. The head of the department, agency, or instrumentality shall provide for the assistance and sale at the prevailing local fair market value as determined by the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality. An amount that the head decides is equal to the cost of the assistance provided and the fuel, oil, equipment, and supplies sold shall be credited to the appropriation from which the cost was paid. The balance shall be credited to miscellaneous receipts.

(e)Transfers of Air Traffic Systems.—

(1)In general.—Subject to paragraph (4), an airport in a non-contiguous State may transfer, without consideration, to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, an eligible air traffic system or equipment that conforms to performance specifications of the Administrator if a Government airport aid program, airport development aid program, or airport improvement project grant was used to assist in purchasing the system or equipment.

(2)Acceptance.—The Administrator shall accept the eligible air traffic system or equipment and operate and maintain it under criteria of the Administrator.

(3)Definition.—In this subsection, the term “eligible air traffic system or equipment” means—

(A) an instrument landing system consisting of a glide slope and localizer (if the Administrator has determined that a satellite navigation system cannot provide a suitable approach to an airport);

(B) an Automated Weather Observing System weather observation system;

(D) a Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights.

(4)Exception.—The requirement under paragraph (1) that an eligible air traffic system or equipment be purchased in part using a Government airport aid program, airport development aid program, or airport improvement project grant shall not apply if the air traffic system or equipment is installed at an airport that is categorized as a basic or local general aviation airport under the most recently published national plan of integrated airport systems under section 47103.

(f)Airport Space.—

(1)Restriction.—The Administrator may not require an airport owner or sponsor (as defined in section 47102) to provide to the Federal Aviation Administration without cost any of the following:

(A) Building construction, maintenance, utilities, or expenses for services relating to air traffic control, air navigation, or weather reporting.

(B) Space in a facility owned by the airport owner or sponsor for services relating to air traffic control, air navigation, or weather reporting.

(2)Rule of construction.—Nothing in this subsection may be construed to affect—

(A) any agreement the Secretary may have or make with an airport owner or sponsor for the airport owner or sponsor to provide any of the items described in paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(B) at below-market rates; or

(B) any grant assurance that requires an airport owner or sponsor to provide land to the Administration without cost for an air traffic control facility.

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1175; Pub. L. 103–305, title I, § 120(a), Aug. 23, 1994, 108 Stat. 1581; Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(54), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4385; Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(75), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3396; Pub. L. 106–181, title I, § 153, title VII, § 712, Apr. 5, 2000, 114 Stat. 87, 160; Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title I, § 147, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3213; Pub. L. 118–63, title VII, § 728(a), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1271.)