March 10, 2011
North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple has proclaimed “Aviation Week” in his state, coinciding with the yearly Upper Midwest Aviation Symposium in Minot. He said the week of March 6 to 12 was dedicated to appreciation of aviation’s value, including business aviation value.
“Last year, air travel tourism contributed $500 million to the state’s economy,” said Dalrymple. “Aerial applicators sprayed more than four million acres of crops, there were two million packages delivered as a result of air delivery service, and 500 air emergency ambulance flights were deployed.”
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen expressed appreciation for the proclamation. “Governor Dalrymple understands that aviation is crucial to supporting jobs, helping businesses to reach their customer base and beyond, and providing resources and services to communities in need,” he said. “We look forward to continuing work with him to raise awareness of aviation’s value to the communities of North Dakota.”
The proclamation makes North Dakota the first state in 2011 to issue an aviation appreciation statement. Last year, 19 states did so, all carrying through themes of the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, online at www.noplanenogain.org. The No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign is co-sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
Business aviation is particularly valuable in North Dakota, which covers nearly 71,000 square miles but is thinly populated, averaging only 9.3 people per square mile. Major airlines serve four communities in the state, but there are 89 well-distributed small public-use airports, 220 private airports and 51 hospital heliports serving the 1,755 aircraft based there.
“Many North Dakota businesses use aviation as a tool for conducting daily operations, including the transportation of personnel and freight, air emergency service, aerial crop spraying, wildlife control and law enforcement operations,” the governor said. “[It] supports thousands of jobs and contributes more than a billion dollars in annual economic activity.”
To honor its aviation heritage, North Dakota has three aviation museums, including one of the most unusual, the Not Plane Jane Museum in Mandan, which focuses solely on aircraft propellers.
View a copy of the North Dakota proclamation. (531 KB, PDF)
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.