In an unusual display of harmony, leaders of 18 aviation associations signed a letter to President Bush asking that he appoint a new FAA Administrator to the normal five-year term instead of a recess appointment that the Senate might not approve by the end of the next session. “Our nation cannot afford a recess appointee as we face the time-critical challenge of modernizing our nation’s aviation infrastructure,” the letter stated. Despite the ongoing battle over FAA reauthorization funding between general aviation and airline interests, the Air Transport Association as well as general aviation groups signed the letter, agreeing, “We are united in our belief that modernization is absolutely necessary and that critical decisions impacting the entire aviation infrastructure will need to be made in the next two years.”