I'm a ten-year member of AOPA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Both I (as an aspiring private pilot) and AOPA (which serves over 400,000 members) have a vested interest in hearing accurate news coverage of political and fiscal news which affect us. There are "news" organizations like Fox News and USA Today which are really editorial forums for right-wing fringe elements whose agenda is both transparent and twisted.
Recently, in response to deceptive and distorted comments published in USA Today on congressional appropriations for smaller, general aviation (GA) airports, AOPA President and CEO Craig Fuller issued a clarifying statement. To assist in setting the record straight, I quote directly from his statement here --
"Surveys tell us people view general aviation as an important part of our national transportation system. But we also know GA is not well understood. It comprises all flying except scheduled airlines and the military. That means law enforcement, firefighting, air ambulance, search and rescue, traffic reporting, package delivery, and more fit under the "general aviation" banner. In short, GA provides services that millions of Americans and thousands of American businesses rely on every day.
"Just as highways crisscross the nation, serving small towns and big cities, so the nation's more than 5000 public-use airports link communities of all sizes. Commercial air carriers serve fewer than 150 of those airports -- that's like having a highway system that connects only the country's 150 largest cities.
"Just as every driver pays taxes that fund road maintenance and development, so every person who flies pays taxes to maintain the airport and air traffic control system. You may never drive to the tens of thousands of small communities served by our national highway system, and you may never visit thousands of small airports that make up our aviation system. But because these roads, and airports, serve the public good, we all pay a share for their maintenance.
"Many public-use airports, large and small, are eligible to receive federal funding for infrastructure maintenance and improvement. In FY 2007, GA airports that received federal funds got an average of $750,000 each. That same year, commercial air carrier airports that received funding got an average of $5.5 million each -- more than seven times the amount awarded to smaller fields.
"Small airports create jobs and development opportunities, attract businesses and allow them to grow. In fact, GA is responsible for creating some 1.2 million jobs and contributing $150 billion annually to America's economy.
"And general aviation airports relieve congestion and reduce delays at the big air carrier airports. Without them, thousands more flights would crowd into already overburdened airports each day, slowing traffic, increasing delays, and adding to security lines.
"A robust general aviation system is a valuable national asset and vital transportation link serving millions of Americans every day. Let's keep it that way."
AOPA sponsors a campaign called GA Serves America, to educate citizens and policy makers about the economic role general aviation serves in our communities and in our nation. If you would like to learn the truth about general aviation in america, please visit the website. If you are so inclined, you can contribute to our educational outreach.
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