Aviation And Politics Are Strange But Necessary Bedfellows...

Congressman Tom Petri was a toddler when his birth father, a Navy flyer and Lieutenant during World War II, was lost during a mission over the Atlantic. Obviously, aviation has had an impact on his life from the moment it started... and, since then, he has cast his mark on the industry as well -- and usually in a very good way.

Tom Petri represents Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District and is serving his 17th term in the U.S. House of Representatives. First elected in April 1979, Petri has been returned to office every two years since.

He is a current member of both the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Committee on Education and the Workforce (formerly Education and Labor). Petri is the Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Subcommittee on Aviation has jurisdiction over aviation issues, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

ANN had the chance to get caught up with the Congressman at Oshkosh 2012 and we thought you might find his remarks interesting...

FMI: http://petri.house.gov, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews