House and Senate conferees working on the 2007 defense authorization bill have agreed to include money for the Army-Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft program, reports the Congressional newspaper The Hill. The Senate had voted to cut the funds, sparking dismay within the Army, which says it needs the aircraft sooner than does the Air Force. The funds were cut from the Army accounts, but sources told The Hill that conferees had put JCA dollars in the Air Force line. However, nothing is final yet.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
