Message To Washington: "General Aviation Is About Jobs"
The top executives of many of the industries leading trade and
advocacy organizations gathered to open the AOPA Aviation Summit
Thursday morning, with a message of brining the industries issues
to Washington and the general public with one voice.
AOPA President Craig Fuller opened the session by accepting a
proclamation from the Tampa City Council welcoming the convention
to the city, and introducing the panel he would moderate.
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said it was clear that one
reason the industry was gaining some traction in Washington was, in
this recession, jobs are the number one issue. "Creating jobs is
critically important to every member of congress, it's on the mind
of all their constituents. I think what we've been able to do as a
collective community is get the message to capitol hill that
General Aviation means jobs. It means jobs for pilots, it means
jobs for people in manufacturing facilities, it means jobs at FBO's
it means jobs for controllers it means jobs in education ... and I
think they're really beginning to see that this really is a
critical U.S. industry."
National Air Transportation Association President Jim Coyne
pointed to Tuesday's elections as an example of the nervousness
felt on the part of elected officials in Washington. "They know
that the electorate is very disappointed in the economy worrying
about job loss, and other things." Coyne said it is his sense that
the electorate is looking for positive performance and change, and
that they're not seeing it. While the average member of Congress
sitting in a secure seat might not be as nervous, "...there are
about 100 members of the house and senate who are very nervous
right now, and they're afraid that if they offend some important
constituency it can end up to their defeat." Coyne said the
aviation community represents a united constituency. "All of us
together know what is so terribly important. We depend on
government making the right decisions. and I think now is a time of
tremendous leverage for us all. We can go to them with just the
reality of who we are and say to them we are very concerned that
congress has come very close to making some bad decisions, user
fees and other things, and we want to know where you stand."
If they have the wrong answer, Coyne said, "This is the year for
us to make sure they get punished for having the wrong answer."
GAMA President Pete Bunce said he was encouraged by the number
of members that have joined aviation caucuses in the U.S. Senate
and House, and the letter that was sent to President Obama signed
by every member the Aviation subcommittee which said "Do not come
forward with a user fee, it'll be dead on arrival." But Bunce said
the aviation industry is going to need some help this year as well.
"The aviation trust fund is down, there's tremendous economic
pressure on the administration to find ways to cut the deficit, the
airlines are relentless in their attacks ... the pressure
continues. On the environmental front the challenges are tremendous
for our entire industry, both turbine and piston, so we're going to
need Congress's help in the years ahead."
Dr. Peggy Chabrain, President of Women in Aviation
International, continued on the job theme by highlighting the
number of women going into aviation careers. She said there are
many more women involved in aviation than there had been in just
the recent past. "And I think as women going into aviation,
particularly young people, particularly young girls, will see these
women in these roles and say 'oh, that's something I can do to' and
encourage them to go into aviation." Cabrain said her organization
is working extensively with youth groups like scouting to encourage
young people to consider careers in aviation.
Craig Fuller
GAMA President Bunce wrapped the session by saying the
organizations need to work at the "grass tops" level with local
decision makers and media. He said GAMA is trying to replicate the
event they held recently in Arkansas, which featured with both the
state's Senators and the Governor, in other states. He said the
message to local and national representatives needs to be "...we
not only contribute $150 billion to the U.S. economy, but lets talk
about where each one of those jobs are." Bunce said when the
message gets through that it is their constituents, "that's when
they'll start to listen."