To lift what NBAA and the National Air Transportation Association call “confusing” and “burdensome” requirements from FBOs and fuel companies, Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) introduced the Aviation Fuel Tax Simplification Act. The act would temporarily suspend part of last year’s Transportation Equity Act, which requires all aviation jet fuel taxes to be deposited into the Highway Trust Fund. The 21.9 cents that is supposed to end up in the Aviation Trust Fund isn’t transferred until the “ultimate registered vendor” of the fuel applies for a refund of the 2.5-cent difference between jet fuel and road diesel taxes. NBAA and NATA are unhappy that the entire tax stays in the Highway Trust Fund if the fuel vendor doesn’t apply for the refund even though aviation customers are paying the levy. The Burns Act calls for suspending the provision until Oct. 1, 2007, when all aviation taxes expire and must be reauthorized. “We are just beginning discussions with the Finance Committee,” a spokesman for Burns told AIN yesterday.