House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to Hold Hearing on Connecting Rural America to the National Airspace System
- HYSKY Society
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Congressional Hearing to Focus on Challenges Facing Small Communities and Rural Airports
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Aviation Subcommittee will hold the Connecting Rural America to the National Airspace System hearing on June 4, 2026, to examine the state of air travel in rural America and the challenges facing small community airports.
Witnesses include:
Gregory Pecoraro, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO)
Faye Malarkey Black, President and Chief Executive Officer, Regional Airlines Association (RAA)
Shawn Dobberstein, Executive Director, Fargo Airport Authority; on behalf of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)
Derrick Collins, Director, Physical Infrastructure, United States Government Accountability Office
More information, including witness testimony and a link to the live webcast, will be posted here as it becomes available.
Rural America Connectivity Remains Critical to Local Economies
Rural America's connectivity plays a vital role in connecting communities to the broader National Airspace System. For many regions, local airports support economic development, tourism, healthcare access, emergency services, business travel, and cargo transportation.
However, many smaller airports continue to face challenges related to airline service levels, workforce shortages, infrastructure funding, pilot availability, and changing travel demand. Policymakers have increasingly focused on these issues as airlines continue to adjust route networks and fleet strategies.
