COLUMBUS, Ohio , Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) applauds Congress for advancing essential investments in aviation safety, stabilizing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations and reinforcing the integrity of the National Airspace System (NAS) as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, H.R. 7148.

The act includes several provisions of note to the 3,700-plus pilots who fly in the service of NetJets Aviation, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) subsidiary:

• The passage of H.R. 7148 supports critical functions of the Air Traffic Organization and aviation safety with $13.71 billion allotted to FAA operations.
  
  
• The act provides funding to hire roughly 2,500 new air traffic controllers (ATC) and 54 aviation safety inspectors to address the persistent staffing shortages threatening safety margins and NAS performance.
  
  
• H.R. 7148 allocates $4 billion to the Airport Improvement Program to improve facilities and equipment, enabling the replacement of aging radar and telecom infrastructure, upgrades to navigation and surveillance systems and the modernization of facilities.
  
  
• In addition to facilities, the act funds the modernization of FAA aeromedical technology systems to reduce medical certification backlogs with approximately $100 million routed to the Office of Aerospace Medicine.

On behalf of the NJASAP Membership, NJASAP President Capt. Pedro Leroux praised lawmakers for delivering the long-term funding stability needed to sustain the world's most complex airspace system:

"Congress has taken a decisive step to protect the safety and continuity of the National Airspace System by passing a full-year appropriation that prioritizes modernization, staffing and FAA readiness. As professional aviators who rely on these systems every day, we commend lawmakers for recognizing that airspace safety and stability are not optional, but are fundamental to the U.S. aviation industry and to public safety."

Another critical provision that NJASAP strongly supports is the bill's explicit prohibition on privatizing U.S. air traffic control services, ensuring that America's airspace remains a public asset governed by safety‑centric decision-making.

"We thank Congress for safeguarding the public interest by investing in Air Traffic Control and for keeping it under federal oversight," Leroux continued. "The NAS is a complex, interdependent system that must remain accountable to the American people; H.R. 7148 protects that principle."

NJASAP urges federal leaders to continue prioritizing long-term aviation safety funding, ensuring future government shutdowns do not undermine the readiness of ATC, inspectors, TSA and other critical aviation personnel.

ABOUT NJASAP Founded in 2008 as an independent labor advocate, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) represents the professional interests of the 3,700-plus pilots who fly in the service of NetJets Aviation, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) subsidiary. For more information, please visit our website, www.njasap.com, or find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/njasap, Instagram, www.instagram.com/njasap, and X, @njasap.

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SOURCE NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP)