'General Aviation Manufacturers Have Continued To Innovate'

At this morning's General Aviation Manufacturers Association's (GAMA) annual "State of the Industry" press conference, President and CEO Pete Bunce called for a more efficient, streamlined industry-government partnership to continue economic growth and job creation in general aviation manufacturing given new fiscal realities.

"We recognize that all government spending is being highly scrutinized at this time. Given the degree of government regulation of our industry, reductions to programs and activities critical to aviation safety must be carefully thought out to prevent unintended consequences that could derail our industry," said Bunce.

Despite the tremendous economic downturn experienced over the past few years, general aviation manufacturers have continued to innovate and invest in new products, looking to take advantage of global market opportunities as the recession ends.

"As our industry builds back to growth and prosperity, we will need to work in industry-government partnerships where there is tremendous pressure to do much more with much less," said Bunce. "Our manufacturers face unique circumstances since their ability to deliver any product to market is dependent upon government regulators certifying their work. Additionally, our customers cannot fly the products we produce unless continued investment is made in critical infrastructure like the air traffic control system."

To meet these new challenges, Bunce said that international aviation safety agreements must be leveraged in order to promote safety and reduce regulatory burden. In addition to certification and air traffic modernization, he also cited the need for better cooperation between industry and government in aviation security and the environment.

"The changes needed in policy and regulation in these areas are great," concluded Bunce. "We must capitalize on this opportunity to develop added efficiencies in government policies and procedures to increase safety and keep pace with industry growth."

FMI: www.gama.aero