The FAA has launched the 46th general aviation survey, which is the only source of information on the GA fleet, number of hours flown, and the ways people use general aviation aircraft.
Data from the annual survey is used to:
- Anticipate and meet demand for National Airspace System facilities and services
- Evaluate the impact of safety initiatives and regulatory changes
- Build more accurate measures of the safety of the general aviation community
The data collected also is used by other government agencies, the general aviation industry, trade associations, and private businesses to pinpoint safety problems and to form the basis for critical research and analysis of general aviation issues, according to FAA officials.
Only about 30% of aircraft owners are sampled annually. Aircraft owners will receive requests from the FAA to complete the survey via mail or email.
GA advocates say that if you are contacted, you are “strongly encouraged to respond to the survey so that GA activity may be more accurately represented.”
Survey results from previous years can be found here.