WASHINGTON, DC, September 16, 2003 – The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is calling the Federal Aviation Administration’s new rule on fractional ownership, which will be published in tomorrow’s Federal Register, an important milestone in the evolution of business aviation.
According to GAMA President and CEO Ed Bolen, “Over the past decade, fractional ownership programs have grown to become a very important part of the general aviation industry. This rule treats them as such.”

According to GAMA, the most positive aspect of the new rule is that it recognizes fractional programs as private rather than commercial operations. The association also praised the new rule for clearly defining fractional ownership, clarifying and assigning operational control responsibilities, and codifying many of the “best practices” now being voluntarily used by fractional ownership programs.

GAMA’s enthusiasm for the new rule was tempered by restrictions on fractional programs in areas related to required runway lengths and aircrew flight and duty times that differed from the rule the FAA initially proposed in 2001.

GAMA served on the FAA Fractional Ownership Aviation Rulemaking Committee that established the philosophical and regulatory framework of the new rule. GAMA is continuing its technical review of the rule.