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."

FMI: www.aopa.org