why is a flat percentage more fair than a flat rate? x dollars, not x%. i don’t use more road than a poorer person.

It has to do with intent. If you are operating for profit it assumes you are profiting and taxing fuel is fair because it integrates with the cost of operations. The ATC system is structured around commerce. The benefit to everyone else is shared continuity and safety. The interstate system is operated the same way. This is the common good principle interstate commerce is founded on. Fuel tax will eventually transition to include whatever energy source is used to "fuel" vehicles.

I can see the argument for user fees for government services (sort of like HOA fees that have nothing to do with income) instead of income-based taxation. But that would never pass political muster. For now we'll stick with the top 1% paying 50% of the taxes.

airports do not fund themselves on landing fees alone. They receive millions in FAA funding which gets a lot of money from fuel taxes, fines, income tax, etc.

Airlines are not subsidizing GA at all. The overwhelming majority of ATC system would be *almost* completely unnecessary if all airlines ceased to exist, got replaced by trains, and GA was the only thing left.

again I don’t know why you keep advocating for user fees when we already are taxed more enough to fund ATC. The issue is that not even close to 100% of that tax money isn’t going back into aviation. Aviation is a cash cow for politicians to fund their social programs and other bridges to nowhere.

I see citations manage their own separation just fine at busy non-towered airports, can’t say the same for 777s

In a perfect world there would be only user/consumption fees, no flat tax, and no inflation, but we abandoned all of that in 1913 and we don’t stand a chance of getting back. Too many people and companies enjoy living off the government now.

I agree that a lot of aviation taxes are siphoned off for other interests. That's why we should eliminate fuel taxes and charge a service fee (those theoretically couldn't be siphoned off.) Give that Freaknomics podcast a listen. In the case of the Citation at non-towered airports, they wouldn't be charged a fee, the 777 at a major airport would. See how it works?

On this we agree.

The citation at the major airport would, though.

But while you have some good points, the reality is that even if user fees are ushered in, the fuel tax is not going away. Therefore user fees should not even be floated as an idea.