Yesterday, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen told members of the House subcommittee on aviation that general aviation “remains steadfast in its support of modernization of the nation’s air traffic control system.” Bolen–who also serves as chairman of the RTCA, an organization that provides consensus-based aviation policy guidance–testified in support of the recommendations included in a recent report from RTCA’s NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force. “We commend the subcommittee for conducting a thorough examination of all of the issues related to system modernization,” while noting that NBAA members have long been committed to system transformation by being early adopters of GPS and supporting the transition to reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSM) in 2005, among others. “NBAA members remain supportive of these and other efficiency investments,” Bolen noted, “even at a time when the people and businesses in general aviation are weathering one of the worst economic storms anyone has ever seen.” He also pointed out that the recommendations made by the RTCA would help accelerate the transition to NextGen by streamlining the operations approval process and establishing effective government-industry collaboration.