Urge Government To Take Strong Role In Issues That Negatively
Impact GA
Testifying Wednesday at
a field hearing in Wichita before the US House of
Representative’s Subcommittee on Aviation, the General
Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) current and past chairmen
-- as well as its current President -- urged the Subcommittee to
take a strong and proactive role in the issues that could
negatively impact the general aviation industry and its future
growth and vitality.
Jack Pelton, GAMA's Chairman as well as Chairman, President and
CEO of Cessna Aircraft Company, joined Jim Schuster, GAMA immediate
past Chairman and current Chairman and CEO of Raytheon Aircraft
Company, and GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce in testifying before
the subcommittee at Wednesday's field hearing, held at the request
of Congressman Todd Tiahrt.
All three outlined the current state of the general aviation
industry as healthy and growing. While they also demonstrated how
GA continues to have an increasingly important role in our
nation’s economy, each presented issues that could have a
direct impact on the future growth and vitality of the
industry.
"Regulatory changes that put an undue financial burden on
general aviation, inconsistencies in rule interpretations, and
illogical regulatory priorities will eventually cripple our
industry," said Pelton (file photo below, with Pete Bunce at
right).
He went on to describe how current delays regarding Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft certification is a leading
concern, and how it threatens Cessna's business plan.
Schuster emphasized the importance of ensuring that FAA funding
and resources are allocated in the way that Congress intended.
"If the certification of new aviation products becomes onerous
or subject to delays in the US, the general aviation industry will
be severely disadvantaged in the global marketplace. The result
will be the loss of our technical leadership, international
competitiveness, and ultimately, jobs," said Schuster (below,
right).
In his testimony, Bunce
added that modernization of the nation’s air traffic control
system, tax policy, export controls, and liability reform are
additional areas of concern.
"We thank the Subcommittee for once again taking a personal
interest in the health and vitality of aviation manufacturing, and
especially to Congressman Tiahrt for spearheading this hearing and
his leadership on the issues so important to the general aviation
industry," said in his closing.
"We were very honored the Transportation Subcommittee wanted to
come to Wichita, to find out firsthand the challenges facing
manufacturers," Bunce told Aero-News Wednesday evening. "I thought
it was very useful during the hearing to hear from all segments,
and to hear themes echoed from all nine panelists that reflected
the importance of, especially in the certification realm, things
we've already talked about. We had some great discussions about tax
policy, as well."
"Anytime you get the chairman of the aviation subcommittee out
to be around the general aviation segment, I think it is a very,
very positive thing, Bunce added. "I think that this was one of
those hearings that was a good-news story for general aviation all
around."
GAMA is an international trade association headquartered in
Washington, DC representing over 50 of the world's leading
manufacturers of general aviation aircraft, engines, avionics and
related equipment. GAMA's members also operate fleets of aircraft,
fixed based operations, and pilot training and maintenance training
facilities.