Speech Will Focus On Current State Of General Aviation

AOPA President Phil Boyer will be the keynote speaker at this year's Great Lakes Aviation Conference, being held February 6-8 in Lansing (MI). Boyer's address at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, will look at the current state of general aviation, as well as some of the challenges and opportunities GA faces on Capitol Hill and in statehouses, and county and city council chambers around the country.

And if he shows up in a bright red Waco biplane, someone else at the conference might — just might — be going home with the AOPA Centennial of Flight Sweepstakes grand prize.

"On the whole, general aviation is alive and well, compared to the problems in the airline industry, no matter what the airspace news of the moment might indicate," said Boyer. "Our members continue to tell us they're optimistic about the future of GA. Pilots across the vast majority of the United States are able to fly pretty much as they did before September 11, 2001, barring selected areas and all of the nation's capital. Sales of new single-engine piston aircraft continue to hold their own, and the rest of the industry is beginning to forecast an upturn — and all this without a dime of federal assistance for GA businesses hit hard after the terrorist attacks. And every now and then, there are hints that government officials recognize that they overreacted to the GA 'threat' after those attacks.

"I'll take a look at some of the legislative issues facing GA pilots in this Presidential election year. And I'll talk about some of what AOPA is doing to help protect and preserve our nation's airports ... and what individual pilots can do to help as well."

FMI: www.greatlakesaviationconference.com