Says Lawmaker's Comments Put "The Real Face Of Business Aviation"

National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen commended Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) Wednesday for taking to the floor of the Senate to remind his colleagues of the value of business aviation for citizens, communities and companies across the US.

"The people of the business aviation community applaud Senator Brownback for explaining what business aviation is all about, and correcting some of the misstatements and mischaracterizations about business aviation that have recently been made," Bolen said.

In his remarks, Brownback told his colleagues: "Some federal officials have recently been making the use of business aviation a matter of derision. Well, there is a lot of good that this business -- A US-dominated business -- does, and we ought to support it, not hurt it."

To illustrate his point, Brownback noted that business aviation employs more than one million people in manufacturing and support services; that many companies rely on an airplane to conduct business across a number of different locations, which are often located in areas without robust airline service; and that of the nation's 5,000 public-use airports, only 500 are served by the commercial airlines, making business aviation the only option for accessing most airports.

Furthermore, Brownback noted that 86 percent of people aboard business aircraft are not a company’s senior officials, but are mid-level employees, including salespeople, engineers or other technical specialists.

"Whether it's a piston or a jet, it [a business aircraft] is often what ends up connecting a lot of people on a rapid basis throughout the country," Brownback said. "Without the use of business aircraft, you're going to have a lot more inefficiencies in companies; you’re going to have a lot more difficulty getting people from point A to point B."

Those are the kind of statements more lawmakers need to hear, and espouse, Bolen said.

"Business aviation is an essential tool for many companies to be productive and efficient, which is especially critical in this economic climate," he said. "But as the senator also pointed out, business aviation means jobs for more than a million people. It provides a critical lifeline for communities across the country, many of which have lost some or all of their airline service in the past year. And, it supports humanitarian initiatives, including medical transport for people in need and delivery of relief and supplies for victims of natural disasters.

"We thank Senator Brownback for recognizing these facts in highlighting the essential role of business aviation in America today."

FMI: www.nbaa.org, www.noplanenogain.org