NBAA has hailed the arrival of the first general aviation flight
at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) since September
2001.
“NBAA is pleased to welcome the arrival of the first
general aviation flight into Washington National Airport in more
than four years,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
“We have always believed that effective security measures
can coexist with normal economic activity and freedom of mobility
at the airport, and today’s flight marks a good step in that
direction.”
Bolen (right) noted
that, over the last four years, the closure of DCA to general
aviation has taken a heavy economic toll on the Washington region.
According to a study commissioned by NBAA, the ban on general
aviation at DCA produced economic losses of $6 million per month
from 2001 through March 2004 as a result of lost jobs, wages,
business volume to local aviation firms and their suppliers, and
lost tax revenue to the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth
of Virginia. Today, the total figure stands at well over $200
million in losses.
“The impact of the ban on general aviation flights at DCA
has been felt at all levels,” Bolen said. “The airport
and the businesses located there have been adversely impacted. But
just as importantly, businesses that support the airport, including
hoteliers, restaurants, taxi companies and other service providers
have been impacted by the ban. We commend officials at the
Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security
Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration for working
with Congressional leaders to produce a plan to restore full access
at the airport, and the economic activity that comes with
it.”
While the arrival of the first flight is a significant milestone
for business aviation, the plan for general aviation at DCA remains
prohibitive, and even unworkable for many businesses. NBAA
anticipates that as time goes on and security organizations gain
more experience with renewed operations, onerous requirements can
be phased out and replaced with more practicable security measures,
as was the case following the return of commercial airline flights
to DCA. Over time, many security requirements for commercial
flights were phased out and airline operations at DCA now look much
like those elsewhere.
“Our industry will continue to work with federal security
officials to strike a balance between freedom of mobility and
America’s homeland security needs,” Bolen concluded.
“But NBAA views this day as cause for celebration. The
nation’s business aviation community is grateful for the end
of the prolonged closure of DCA to general aviation.”