How the Trust Fund is Spent

• Print

Currently, the Trust Fund may cover both capital and operating costs. In FY 2010 and FY 2011 it provided all of the funding for three of FAA's four accounts, including:

1. the Facilities and Equipment (F&E) account, which funds technological improvements to the air traffic control system;
2. the Research, Engineering, and Development (RE&D) account, which funds research on issues related to aviation safety, mobility, and the environment, and
3. the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants for construction and safety projects at airports.

The Trust Fund has also provided a portion of the funding for FAA's Operations account; it provided about 48 percent in FY 2011 and 43 percent in FY 2010. The remaining portion of FAA's Operations account is funded through the General Fund.