Funding Discrepancy Between Commercial Airlines and Space Companies

SOURCE www.npr.org
Commercial space companies are not currently required to pay into a fund that commercial airlines contribute to for safety inspections, despite their increasing use of FAA resources.

Key Points

  • Commercial airlines pay into a fund for safety inspections.
  • Commercial space companies do not currently contribute to this fund despite using FAA resources.
  • Regulations may need to be updated to address this funding discrepancy.

Pros

  • Commercial space companies can save on costs by not contributing to the fund.
  • This issue highlights a gap in regulations that may need to be addressed.

Cons

  • Commercial space companies may be benefiting from safety inspections without contributing to their funding.
  • This could lead to unfairness and potential strain on resources for safety inspections.