The Alliance for Aviation Across America recently reached the milestone of 5,500 members. The alliance launched in early 2007 with just over 100 individual and organization members, including the Air Care Alliance (ACA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the National Grange, and the League of Rural Voters, among many others.
In the last several years, the coalition has grown to over 5,500 members, including new groups and individuals such as Mayor Cathy Noon, Centennial, Colo., Patient AirLift Services (PALS), the City of LaGrange, Ga., the Washington Airport Management Association (WAMA), Mayor Mike Bush, Hot Springs, Ark., Air Medical Operators Association (AMOA), American Air Campers Association (AACA), New Mexico Pilots Association, Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Mayor Scott Padgett, Concord, N.C., Walker Municipal Airport, Minn, and the Recreational Aviation Foundation.
“We are pleased with this milestone and excited that the alliance has become a vital resource for educating the general public on the value of general aviation,” said Selena Shilad, Executive Director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America. “General aviation is a literal lifeline to many communities around the country for business resources and services such as medical care, law enforcement, disaster relief, agriculture, a host of other important resources. We look forward to continuing to work with businesses, organizations and individuals around the country to advance our mission of raising awareness and protecting these smaller airports and this critical form of transportation.”
Over the last several years, the alliance has worked with hundreds of members and local partners to raise awareness about general aviation through a host of media and outreach efforts. In addition, as part of this mission, the alliance last year released a letter on behalf of over 60 mayors to President Obama highlighting the importance of general aviation, and the alliance recently launched an Economic Impact Survey, which compiles economic data into an interactive web tool that highlights the economic importance of general aviation nationally and in all 50 states.
As a follow up to the release of that survey, the alliance has, along with coalition founding partners, encouraged state and local officials all over the country to pass resolutions and proclamations highlighting the importance of general aviation. So far, Georgia, Nebraska, West Virginia, New Jersey, Tennessee, New Mexico, Vermont, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Maryland, Kansas, Alaska, North Dakota, and Washington, among others, have all signed proclamations recognizing the impact aviation has on jobs and local economies in their states. Additionally, local city and county resolutions have been passed.
For more information: AviationAcrossAmerica.org
