No Plane, No Gain

General aviation took it on the chin earlier this year. First there was the unseemly spectacle last fall of the Big Three automakers’ CEOs flying to Washington in private jets looking for billion-dollar bailouts, creating a backlash in public opinion toward bizjet users. Then the economy tanked, with deliveries of general aviation airplanes down 41 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2008 and more than 12,000 GA manufacturing jobs lost. Adding insult to injury, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) imposed strict new regulations on all GA airports offering commercial air service—including air charter and business flights—requiring employees and pilots to undergo background checks and wear security badges to access air operations areas, a costly measure that many small airports can ill afford.

GA-related groups are fighting back with a venge­ance. Leading the charge, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association launched a $1.5 million campaign, “General Aviation Serves America,” to promote the benefits of general aviation, which it points out provides 1.2 million jobs and generates $150 billion annually. Well-known actor Harrison Ford, a longtime pilot and AOPA member, volunteered to help get the message across via TV and print ads, noting, “General aviation provides an economic lifeline for communities across America.” The campaign complements a program dubbed “No Plane, No Gain” launched earlier this year by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and National Business Aviation Association to combat the perception that bizjets are only for corporate fat cats. Oprah Winfrey even got in on the act, telling students at the Duke University commencement ceremony, “Anyone who tells you that having your own private jet isn’t great is lying to you.”

General aviation is much more than an economic driving force and an efficient means of business travel. It serves the public interest in a variety of ways, from the Angel Flight network providing free travel to people in need of medical care, to the key role it plays in disaster relief and search and rescue efforts. It’s one of the few remaining industries that the United States dominates, with American manufacturers holding more than 70 percent of the world market, and it helps spur technological innovation.

Some hopeful signs are emerging. In late May, responding to the public outcry from private pilots and small-airport operators, the TSA softened its security directive, dropping the background check and badging requirement for transient pilots visiting “non home-base” airports. Onerous GA user fees originally proposed in the Obama administration’s budget appear to have at least been forestalled. And AOPA helped build the House General Aviation Caucus, chaired by Reps. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) and Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.), which now boasts about 50 members. “As a pilot, I have seen firsthand the critical role that general aviation plays in creating jobs and bolstering the local economy of rural communities across America,” said Boyd. “This bipartisan caucus is an important tool for raising awareness of general aviation, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to keep general aviation strong.”

Despite these positive developments, much more needs to be done to ensure America maintains its century-old tradition of leadership in general aviation. To get involved, visit gaservesamerica.com or nbaa.org.

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