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."