General aviation’s economic impact tops $246.8 billion

A new study shows that general aviation supports more than 1.1 million jobs in the United States, creating $246.8 billion in total economic output.

“This report confirms that general aviation is an economic powerhouse in America,” said Jack J. Pelton, CEO and chairman of the board for the Experimental Aircraft Association, one of the general aviation advocacy groups that sponsored the study. “More than the impressive numbers, however, general aviation represents the best of our country: Innovation, freedom, and a continuing reach toward progress that is encompassed by individuals pursuing their own dreams of flight.”

Also sponsoring the study by PricewaterhouseCoopers was the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Aircraft Electronics Association (EAA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), with support from JETNET and Conklin & de Decker.

“As this important study reminds us, general aviation remains an essential and powerful contributor to our nation’s economy, providing critical services to citizens, companies and communities across the country,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Hundreds of lawmakers at the federal, state and local level have recognized the industry’s vital role in America’s economy and transportation system — a role that will only grow more important as the industry continues to innovate and evolve in the years to come.”

“Studies and industry collaborations like these are invaluable to our efforts to demonstrate to policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels the impact of general aviation to communities. Our membership uses these tools nationwide to support initiatives that create workforce opportunities, build on responsible environmental stewardship, and grow commerce,” added NATA President and CEO Timothy Obitts. 

To determine the total U.S. economic impact of general aviation, the study calculated the direct, indirect, induced, and enabled economic impacts, based on the most recent data available from 2018. 

1. Direct impact is economic activity within the general aviation industry,
2. Indirect impact is economic activity occurring throughout the supply chain associated with general aviation,
3. Induced impact is economic activity resulting from household spending of labor and proprietor’s income earned directly or indirectly from general aviation-related activities, and
4. Enabled impact is economic activity resulting from the visitors’ destination expenditures associated with general aviation flights.

Nationwide 273,500 full- and part-time workers were directly employed in general aviation in 2018.

Including indirect, induced, and enabled impacts, general aviation, in total, supported 1.2 million jobs and $247 billion in output.

General aviation also generated $77 billion in labor income (including wages and salaries and benefits, as well as proprietors’ income) and contributed $128 billion to US gross domestic product (GDP).

Overall, total GDP impact attributable to general aviation amounted to approximately $393 per person in the United States in 2018. At the national level, each direct job in the general aviation industry supported 3.3 jobs elsewhere in the economy.

The economic impact of general aviation reaches all 50 states and the District of Columbia. At 148,300 jobs, California has the largest number of jobs directly or indirectly attributable to the general aviation industry. The top 10 states ranked by the total number of jobs attributable to general aviation (from the direct, indirect, induced, and enabled impacts) in 2018 were California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Ohio, New York, Illinois, Arizona, Kansas, and Pennsylvania.

Combined, these 10 states accounted for 53% of the total jobs attributable to general aviation in the US in 2018.

You can read the entire study here.