Washington, DC, January 7, 2005 – The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) expressed gratitude to Congress today for recent legislation that increased Fiscal Year 2005 funding for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Congress appropriated $2 million above the requested budget for the NTSB and directed the agency to use these funds to hire additional accident investigators for the NTSB’s regional offices. GAMA’s legislative staff worked closely with the House and Senate appropriations committees to ensure that this funding increase took place for FY 2005.

"Ensuring the NTSB has sufficient regional staffing to send an investigator to the site of every fatal general aviation accident results in a more timely, orderly and thorough investigation,” stated Ron Swanda, GAMA’s Interim President. “Unfortunately, many NTSB regional offices have been understaffed for some time. This modest increase in the NTSB’s budget should improve the quality of NTSB’s field investigations, ensuring we have a thorough record of all the facts that led to a tragic fatality — allowing us to prevent future ones.”

“It is reassuring to know that Congress recognizes that the NTSB is the world’s premier agency for investigating transportation accidents and has chosen to provide additional funding to help keep it that way.” GAMA will continue to work closely with Congress, the NTSB and GAMA members to ensure that all general aviation fatal accidents are fully investigated.