General Aviation Means ‘Made in America’

Think of a manufacturing industry that brings 1 million good jobs to America, leads the world in innovation and production, makes a substantial positive contribution to our balance of trade, and injects $150 billion into the economy every year.

General aviation was probably not your first thought.

Apparently it was not what many others were thinking when they disparaged business use of airplanes without having any facts to guide them. The result is a vibrant American industry that is reeling from a double blow - the global economic downturn and public flogging at home.

General aviation is one of the few U.S. manufacturing sectors that can still lay claim to global leadership. The majority of general aviation aircraft are manufactured here in America, and many of the airframes produced elsewhere are completed here by American workers installing advanced avionics, engines, subsystems and interiors.

It is American ingenuity in general aviation that is driving development of the next generation of lighter, more fuel-efficient, safer aircraft.

There is another important aspect to general aviation that our elected leaders should keep in mind. It is a vital link in the nation’s transportation network, providing the lifeline for thousands of smaller communities and rural areas with little or no commercial airline service.

America has 5,000 public airports, but fewer than 500 are served by the airlines, and of those, only about 70 get three-fourths of the traffic. This means the general aviation owners and operators at community airports also provide air transportation in times of medical emergency, natural disasters such as fires and floods, and search and rescue missions.

Finally, thousands of well-managed U.S. companies use business airplanes because they have proven their value in multiplying the productivity and efficiency of their business operations.

Instead of discouraging companies from using business airplanes or any other strategic business asset, America’s policymakers should be looking for ways to restore U.S. general aviation jobs, and encourage economic development in communities without commercial airline service.