Access to airports Legislation - Federal Government

Backcountry Landing Strip Access Act - Prohibits the Secretaries of the Interior or Agriculture from taking any action that would permanently close, restrict, or render or declare unserviceable any aircraft landing strip located on land under their jurisdiction unless: (1) the head of the aviation department of the state in which the landing strip is located approves the action; (2) the Secretary publishes notice of the proposed action and allows for a 90-day public comment thereafter; and (3) the Secretary and appropriate state aviation department head have taken into consideration any comments received.

Requires the Secretaries to: (1) adopt a nationwide policy for governing backcountry aviation issues relating to the management of federal land under their jurisdiction; and (2) require regional managers to adhere to such policy.

Essential Air Service Preservation Act of 2007 - Repeals the mandate for the Essential Air Service local participation program (a pilot program under which up to 10 designated essential air service communities located near hub airports shall assume 10% of their essential air service subsidy costs for a four-year period).

Fallen Servicemember Respectful Return Act - Requires that, when transportation of the remains of a deceased member of the Armed Forces who dies during active duty or inactive-duty training includes transportation by aircraft, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall provide for the delivery of such remains to the commercial, general aviation, or military airport nearest to the place selected by the deceased's designee, or if such a selection is not made, nearest to the cemetery selected by the Secretary.

Mapping Airport Proximity Act or the MAP Act - Requires the Secretary of Transportation, in determining compensation or eligibility for compensation for essential air service to a small community based on highway mileage, to use the highway mileage of the most commonly used route between an eligible place and the nearest medium hub airport or large hub airport.

Requires that, when transportation of the remains of a deceased member of the Armed Forces who dies during active duty or inactive-duty training includes transportation by aircraft, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall provide for the delivery of such remains to the commercial, general aviation, or military airport nearest to the place selected by the deceased's designee, or if such a selection is not made, nearest to the cemetery selected by the Secretary.

Amends provisions under the airport noise and access restriction review program for stage two and stage three aircraft to exempt from review under such program local restrictions limiting the hours of operation of an airport provided the airport owner had maintained such a restriction which was disallowed by a court before 1985 and certain other requirements are met.

Amends the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act to extend the effective period of final orders of the Secretary of Transportation regarding the eligibility of small communities for essential air service subsidies through September 30, 2012.

Requires an air carrier that has a contract for the provision of essential air service to an eligible small community that expires on September 30, 2007, to continue the service until at least the earlier of: (1) January 1, 2008; or (2) the date on which the Secretary identifies a new air carrier to provide such service.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act to extend through FY2008 the effectiveness of any final order of the Secretary of Transportation, including exisitng final orders, with respect to the eligibility for essential air service subsidies of any place in the United States based on highway mileage between it and the nearest medium hub airport or large hub airport.

Amends federal transportation law to encourage airport sponsors and state and local officials in the development of their airport master plans to take into account as additional goals: (1) customer convenience and access to airport facilities; and (2) threats of a terrorist attack, including the need to continually adjust plans to address new terrorist threats.

Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2007 - Amends federal transportation law to provide funding for airport planning and development and noise compatibility planning programs for the six-month period beginning October 1, 2007. Extends until March 31, 2008: (1) the authority of the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to incur obligations to make grants under such programs; and (2) the 95% temporary increase in the federal government's share of certain airport improvement program costs.

Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to calculate funding apportionments for airport development programs in FY2008 in accordance with a specified formula.

Extends through FY2008 the period for final orders issued by the Secretary with respect to eligibility for essential air service compensation.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act to extend through FY2008 the effectiveness of any final order of the Secretary of Transportation, including exisitng final orders, with respect to the eligibility for essential air service subsidies of any place in the United States based on highway mileage between it and the nearest medium hub airport or large hub airport.

Amends the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act to extend the effective period of final orders of the Secretary of Transportation regarding the eligibility of small communities for essential air service subsidies through September 30, 2012.

Requires an air carrier that has a contract for the provision of essential air service to an eligible small community that expires on September 30, 2007, to continue the service until at least the earlier of: (1) January 1, 2008; or (2) the date on which the Secretary identifies a new air carrier to provide such service.

Amends provisions under the airport noise and access restriction review program for stage two and stage three aircraft to exempt from review under such program local restrictions limiting the hours of operation of an airport provided the airport owner had maintained such a restriction which was disallowed by a court before 1985 and certain other requirements are met.

Requires that, when transportation of the remains of a deceased member of the Armed Forces who dies during active duty or inactive-duty training includes transportation by aircraft, the Secretary of the military department concerned shall provide for the delivery of such remains to the commercial, general aviation, or military airport nearest to the place selected by the deceased's designee, or if such a selection is not made, nearest to the cemetery selected by the Secretary.