“General aviation – everything except airlines and military – is a tremendous economic engine that creates $150 billion in economic activity each year, but it is under threat because so many people do not understand its true value,” said Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Craig Fuller on April 15.
To increase that understanding, and address the many misunderstandings, AOPA plans to launch a nationwide campaign called General Aviation Serves America on April 20, at a National Press Club news conference.
The campaign will “tell the stories of real people who depend on general aviation for the health of their businesses and communities,” Fuller said. In addition, actor Harrison Ford, himself a passionate pilot, will be featured prominently in the campaign.
For information: www.aopa.org
I would like to compare General aviation to Commerical Aviaion. I am a Landscape contractor (based in Utah) who has crews all over the Western U.S. I share an office with a General Contractor whom I occationally do work for. Our company was landscaping a project in California. zit is a 12 to 14 hour drive to the project, a 5 hour flight in my Cessna 182,(Where I could land in walking distance of the construction project), or 1.5 hour flight to San Jose by commerical airline. The General Contractor and I left the office at the same time. He had to travel 45 minutes to Salt Lake to catch a flight, stand in line, check his bags, stand in line, undress, go through security, get dressed, go to the gate, wait an hour for the flight, get aboard, fly to San Jose, get off of the plane, wait for his bags, rent a car, drive 2.5 hours to the little town where I had landed an hour before, checked into the motel, and was taking care of what business I needed to when he arrived. The next morning, having taken care of what business I needed to, I got back into the plane, flew to another small town, took care of business, then on to another project to do the same thing. In those two days, I visited 5 projects in 3 States. If I did not have a small airplane I would not have been able to do that. Even when I am not spread out so far and am just working around the State of Utah, I use the airplane. I can be anywhere in the State in under 2 hours (Especially now that I am flying a Bonanza). Yes, it does cost money, but the cost is much less than if we ended up re-doing something on our projects because I was unable to get there to answer questions or to catch a mistake. The airplane is making our company more productive than if we didn’t have it. We also make it a point to purchase goods and services from the FBO’s while we are there, because we want them to be around for General Aviaion, and us, in the future. I know that they appreciate it. We always get great service when we land. There seems to always be someone with a smiling face and a willing hand at many of these airports.
I started flying in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1973 for the sheer joy of flying. It as not a live long ambition but has become a passioon to share with others.
In 1977 I became a flight instructor and the rewards I have gained from seeing people start with no knowledge but a deep desire and determination to gain their pilot certificate, has been more than worth the time and effort. I have trained students for the military, police enforcement, FBI, airline pilots and those just for the satisfaction of gaining a goal for their own desire.
I have also picked up blood in remote area to transport back to the central bank in Las Vegas, saving hours of time and precious parts of blood. I have also flown blood (in the middle of the night) to remote areas in California in an emergency. There have been flight for the Candlelighters to California for young patients for their cancer treatment. These trips would have taken at least two-three days travel for the patients and I did it in one day total.
Being able to use my talents as a GA pilot and flight instructor has given me immeasurable pleasure and satisfaction. With over 11,000 hours of flight time, I have flown across this magnificant country three times and have seen unbelievable sights not possible traveling any other way.
RRomaine:
Good points all. A wise entrepreneur, manager, corporate exec will hopefully choose the best tool for each event, whether it be a virtual meeting, or a GA flight, or other.
Brad Frederick:
Now THAT is what I would call REAL “Economic Stimulus”!
I’m a retired NFO and current commercial pilot working on USG IT systems for a contractor. I’d like to address FRNash’s comment about electronic meetings. Agree that many meetings can (and are) conducted virtually either via web or plain old telcon, but the fact remains that much of the offline personal networking and one on one that it takes to close a deal or work out thorny issues is best done in person, whether it be in military ops or business. It also allows folks to meet and assess whether the person on the other end is really trying to be difficult or doesn’t realize it (kind of like how email threads can spin out of control). Being near a hub, the airlines are effective enough for me and our budget, but for those not so lucky, GA time efficiency would be critical to making, keeping or coordinating business.
I’m 57 years young and became a pilot 2/27/08. Something I’ve dreamed about since I was about6. My son was my instructor.
A few years ago I bought an Airport that the State had closed.
The town’s business’s had dwindled away to almost nothing.
This year will be the 4th Annual Fly In for our reopened Airfield, we have generated a spark of interest and a renewed town spirit.
We have outside interests coming in and we believe it’s only a matter of time before these develop into positive growth for the area.
Until we develop time travel,General Aviation will still be the quickest most efficient mode of travel for business. With Commercial aviation being dragged down by long check-ins,x-ray machines,scanning portal’s taking your belts off,shoes off,hat’s off, coats off,etc ,you can see the tremedous loss of time and efficiency lost.Throw in the hub system ,waiting for luggage, airport ground transit, the ball and chain get’s heavier.
Small business requires flexibility and quick response times to be competitive,General Aviation delivers that.
I certainly agree that GA is a business asset, offering great efficiency gains over flying with the air carriers. Yet as a private pilot and retired software engineer, I have to wonder why these corporate execs don’t employ secure virtual, electronic meetings to a greater extent, for even more efficient use of their time? The technology is there today, and dare I say at a far more economical cost than flying around the country in a corporate aircraft. Why not use it?
I just wanted to mention a part a GA that is has a more important economic impact, and that is the air ambulance. My father was hospitalized in 1997. He was flown from our local hospital in Faulkton, SD to Sioux Falls, SD. His situation was bad enough that the Dr Started before my mother was there to sign him in and autherize the proceedure. Needless to say he would not have survived, if they’d driven him there.
It is about time we start working in the image of aviation. We have sat quiet for far to long.
Attention: Craig Fuller
I am a one of the fortunate Persons that was a Pilot first and a Manufacturing Manager second and became an FAA licensed Commercial Pilot to improve my skills as a Pilot.
I worked for a company from 1966 through 1978 whose sales rose from
one million anually to 50 million by 1978.
The growth in manufacturing started with one location and grew to five in the United States.
My flight experience. as a Private Pilot started in a Cessna 172 and grew in progressive experience with Cessnas: 182, 210, T210, P210, 337 7 finally to a Cessna 310Q Twin Engine.
The 9,000 hrs in 12 years included my staff flying with me from our base location in Ohio to visit four other manufacturing plants in: Georgia, Arkansas, Texas & Denver. Our trip started on Monday after lunch and ended Friday evening back in Ohio.
This orgaization structure & plan resulted in improved profitablility in manufcturing costs.
Three of the 5 plants were located in towns with a General Aviation Airport with a Runway of 3,000 feet.
There was no other transportation system more efficient in the utilization of our time.
Al Beckwith
AOPA Member since 1952
PS: I never experienced an emergency or an incident. I agree with the plan to improve the education of the General Public and Politicans as to the importance of being a pilot and utilizing General Aviation airports which allows you to get closer to your destination
ACB