These new taxes, including a tax on Aviation Fuels, a tax placed on tickets sold to passengers on domestic and international flights, a tax on waybills, and a new tax on aircraft registration, were expected to provide the anticipated $11 billion trust fund.  

These taxes would feed into the Airport Trust Fund in order to pay for airport development, as well as "acquiring, establishing, and improving air navigational facilities." The fund was authorized to pay for these improvements using $280 million a year grants over a five year period.  

It is believed that this user fee system would be advantageous compared to a flat tax, because it provided a predictable level of funding, allowed for the trust to plan far ahead, and assured fees meant for aviation related improvements would not be divided amongst unrelated fields. 

Six years after the act became law, The Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970 was augmented by the Airport and Airway Development Act Amendments of 1976. The Act of 1976 was signed into law by President Gerald Ford in order to "make possible the continuing modernization of our airways, airports, and related facilities in communities throughout the 50 States." Ford stated these amendments would combat inflation and referred to the system as creating a "'pay-as-you-fly' program".  

Murphy, Robert P. (1999-02-19). Whether the Airport and Airway Trust Fund was created solely to finance aviation infrastructure (PDF). Letter to The Honorable Frank R. Wolf Chairman, Subcommittee on Transportation and Related Agencies United States General Accounting Office. Retrieved July 2007.

The Need For Federal Aviation Regulation The Air Mail Act Of 1925 The Air Mail Act 1926 The Air Mail Act Of 1930 The Air Mail Act Of 1934 The Civil Aeronautics Act Of 1938 The Federal Airport Act Of 1946 The Federal Aviation Act Of 1958 Airport and Airway Development Act 1970 Airline Deregulation Legislation 1978 Airport and Airway Improvement Act 1982 General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994