---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 47116"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "47116"
heading: "Small airport fund"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/47116"
units:
  - "Subtitle VII — Aviation Programs"
  - "Part B — Airport Development and Noise"
  - "Chapter 471 — Airport Development"
  - "Subchapter I — Airport Improvement"
---

# §47116. Small airport fund

- (a) **Existence and Amounts in Fund.—** The Secretary of Transportation has a small [airport](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-9) fund. The fund consists of 87.5 percent of amounts not apportioned under [section 47114 of this title](/usc/49/47114.md) because of [section 47114(f)](/usc/49/47114.md?p=f).
- (b) **Distribution of Amounts.—** The Secretary may distribute amounts in the fund in each fiscal year for any purpose for which amounts are made available under [section 48103 of this title](/usc/49/48103.md) as follows:
  - (1) Not more than 25 percent for grants for [projects](/usc/49/47102.md?p=17) at [small hub airports](/usc/49/47102.md?p=25).
  - (2) Not less than 25 percent for grants to [sponsors](/usc/49/47102.md?p=26) of [public-use airports](/usc/49/47102.md?p=22) (except [commercial service airports](/usc/49/47102.md?p=7)).
  - (3) Not less than 50 percent for grants to [sponsors](/usc/49/47102.md?p=26) of [commercial service airports](/usc/49/47102.md?p=7) that are not larger than a [nonhub airport](/usc/49/47102.md?p=14).
- (c) **Authority To Receive Grant Not Dependent on Participation in Block Grant Pilot Program.—** An [airport](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-9) in a [State](/usc/49/47102.md?p=27) participating in the [State](/usc/49/47102.md?p=27) block grant pilot program under [section 47128 of this title](/usc/49/47128.md) may receive a grant under this section to the same extent the [airport](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-9) may receive a grant if the [State](/usc/49/47102.md?p=27) were not participating in the program.
- (d) **Priority Consideration for Certain Projects.—**
  - (1) **Construction of new runways.—** In making grants to [sponsors](/usc/49/47102.md?p=26) described in [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2), the Secretary shall give priority consideration to multi-year proj­ects for construction of new runways that the Secretary finds are cost beneficial and would increase capacity in a region of the [United States](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-46).
  - (2) **Control tower construction.—** Notwithstanding [section 47124(b)(4)(A)](/usc/49/47124.md?p=b-4-A), the Secretary may provide grants under this section to an [airport](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-9) [sponsor](/usc/49/47102.md?p=26) participating in the contract tower program under [section 47124](/usc/49/47124.md) for the construction or improvement of a nonapproach control tower, as defined by the Secretary, and for the acquisition and installation of air traffic control, communications, and related equipment to be used in that tower. Such grants shall be subject to the distribution requirements of [subsection (b)](#b) and the eligibility requirements of [section 47124(b)(4)(B)](/usc/49/47124.md?p=b-4-B).
- (e) **General Aviation Transient Aprons.—** In distributing amounts from the fund described in [subsection (a)](#a) to [sponsors](/usc/49/47102.md?p=26) described in subsection[^1] (b)(2) and[^1] (b)(3), 5 percent of each amount shall be used for [projects](/usc/49/47102.md?p=17) to construct or rehabilitate aprons intended to be used for itinerant general aviation [aircraft](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-6) parking.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1271; Pub. L. 104–264, title I, § 146, Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3223; Pub. L. 106–6, § 8(b), Mar. 31, 1999, 113 Stat. 11; Pub. L. 106–181, title I, § 128, Apr. 5, 2000, 114 Stat. 76; Pub. L. 108–176, title VIII, § 801(b), Dec. 12, 2003, 117 Stat. 2587; Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title I, §§ 152, 154, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3216, 3217; Pub. L. 118–63, title VII, § 716, May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1259.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 47116(a) | 49 App.:2206(d)(1) (words before “to be distributed”). | Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, 96 Stat. 324, § 507(d); added Nov. 5, 1990, Pub. L. 101–508, § 9112(b), 104 Stat. 1388–362. |
| 47116(b) | 49 App.:2206(d)(1) (words after “small airport fund”), (2), (3). |  |
| 47116(c) | 49 App.:2206(d)(4). |  |

In subsection (a), the words “The Secretary of Transportation has a small airport fund” are added for clarity.

In subsection (b), before clause (1), the words “under this subsection” are omitted as surplus. In clauses (1) and (2), the words “used” and “making” are omitted as surplus.

In subsection (c), the word “pilot” is added for consistency with section 47128 of the revised title.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 118–63, § 716(1), added pars. (1) to (3) and struck out former pars. (1) and (2) which read as follows:

“(1) one-seventh for grants for projects at small hub airports; and

“(2) the remaining amounts based on the following:

“(A) one-third for grants to sponsors of public-use airports (except commercial service airports).

“(B) two-thirds for grants to sponsors of each commercial service airport that each year has less than .05 percent of the total boardings in the United States in that year.”

Subsec. (d)(2), (3). Pub. L. 118–63, § 716(2), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text of par. (2) read as follows: “In making grants to sponsors described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall give priority consideration to mass grading and associated structural support (including access road, duct banks, and other related infrastructure) at mountaintop airports, provided that the airport would not otherwise have sufficient surface area for—

“(A) eligible and justified airport development projects; or

“(B) additional hangar space.”

Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 118–63, § 716(3), added subsec. (e) and struck out former subsecs. (e) and (f) which read as follows:

“(e) Set-Aside for Meeting Safety Terms in Airport Operating Certificates.—In the first fiscal year beginning after the effective date of regulations issued to carry out section 44706(b) with respect to airports described in section 44706(a)(2), and in each of the next 4 fiscal years, the lesser of $15,000,000 or 20 percent of the amounts that would otherwise be distributed to sponsors of airports under subsection (b)(2) shall be used to assist the airports in meeting the terms established by the regulations. If the Secretary publishes in the Federal Register a finding that all the terms established by the regulations have been met, this subsection shall cease to be effective as of the date of such publication.

“(f) Notification of Source of Grant.—Whenever the Secretary makes a grant under this section, the Secretary shall notify the recipient of the grant, in writing, that the source of the grant is from the small airport fund.”

2018—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 115–254, § 154, amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “In making grants to sponsors described in subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall give priority consideration to airport development projects to support operations by turbine powered aircraft if the non-Federal share of the project is at least 40 percent.”

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 115–254, § 152, added par. (3).

2003—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–176 struck out “(as defined in section 41731 of this title)” after “small hub airports”.

2000—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106–181, § 128(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, realigned margins, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 106–181, § 128(a), added subsec. (e).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–181, § 128(b), added subsec. (f).

1999—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–6, § 8(b)(1), substituted “87.5” for “75”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–6, § 8(b)(2), added pars. (1) and (2) and redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, of par. (2).

1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–264 added subsec. (d).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–176 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 2003, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 3 of Pub. L. 108–176, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

### Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 106–181 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1999, see section 3 of Pub. L. 106–181, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Except as otherwise specifically provided, amendment by Pub. L. 104–264 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1996, and not to be construed as affecting funds made available for a fiscal year ending before Oct. 1, 1996, see section 3 of Pub. L. 104–264, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.