§ 48101. Air navigation facilities and equipment
(a)
General Authorization of Appropriations.—
Not more than a total of the following amounts may be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund established under section 9502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 9502) to acquire, establish, and improve air navigation facilities under section
44502
(a)(1)(A) of this title:
(b)
Availability of Amounts.—
Amounts appropriated under this section remain available until expended.
(c)
Enhanced Safety and Security for Aircraft Operations in the Gulf of Mexico.—
Of amounts appropriated under subsection (a), such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2004 through 2007 may be used to expand and improve the safety, efficiency, and security of air traffic control, navigation, low altitude communications and surveillance, and weather services in the Gulf of Mexico.
(d)
Operational Benefits of Wake Vortex Advisory System.—
Of amounts appropriated under subsection (a), such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2007 may be used for the development and analysis of wake vortex advisory systems.
(e)
Ground-Based Precision Navigational Aids.—
Of amounts appropriated under subsection (a), such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2004 to 2007 may be used to establish a program for the installation of a precision approach aid designed to improve aircraft accessibility at mountainous airports with limited land if the approach aid is able to provide curved and segmented approach guidance for noise abatement purposes and other such approach aids and is certified or approved by the Administrator.
(f)
Automated Surface Observation System/Automated Weather Observing System Upgrade.—
Of the amounts appropriated under subsection (a), such sums as may be necessary may be used for the implementation and use of upgrades to the current automated surface observation system/automated weather observing system, if the upgrade is successfully demonstrated.
(g)
Life-Cycle Cost Estimates.—
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish life-cycle cost estimates for any air traffic control modernization project the total life-cycle costs of which equal or exceed $50,000,000.
(h)
Standby Power Efficiency Program.—
Of amounts appropriated under subsection (a), such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2007 may be used by the Secretary of Transportation, in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy and, where applicable, the Secretary of Defense, to establish a program to improve the efficiency, cost effectiveness, and environmental performance of standby power systems at Federal Aviation Administration sites, including the implementation of fuel cell technology.
(i)
Pilot Program To Provide Incentives for Development of New Technologies.—
Of amounts appropriated under subsection (a), $500,000 for fiscal year 2004 may be used for the conduct of a pilot program to provide operating incentives to users of the airspace for the deployment of new technologies, including technologies to facilitate expedited flight routing and sequencing of takeoffs and landings.