Washington’s Governor Affirms Business Aviation’s Value

June 8, 2012

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire declared June 2012 as General Aviation (GA) Appreciation Month in the state.

Her proclamation was the second such recognition of general aviation by state officials since the start of the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, which is the joint effort launched by the NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) in early 2009.

“Gov. Gregoire is the CEO of a state that covers 71,300 square miles, so she understands the necessity of business aviation for keeping smaller communities connected,” said Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO. “We appreciate her support.”

Review the Washington proclamation (191 KB)

The governor’s proclamation notes that the 135 public-use airports in Washington are home to more than 20,000 pilots, more than 7,500 aircraft and generate nearly 250,000 jobs worth about $15.3 billion annually. Public-use airports support $50.9 billion in total economic activity within the state, noted Gregoire. “GA and community airports play critical roles in the lives of our citizens, as well as the operation of businesses, industry, ranches and farms,” she said. Figures over the last decade show that the number of jobs generated by Washington state’s airports grew by 45 percent, generated 283 percent more in wages and contributed to a 57 percent increase in total economic activity for the state.

State legislators in Washington demonstrated their understanding of business aviation value in 2010, when the state Senate voted down a proposed tax increase on aircraft owners in the state.

“It was that jobs number, an increase of 77,200 jobs in just a little over a decade, that really helped convince the legislators,” said Kristi Ivey, NBAA Northwest regional representative. “It’s clear our message has been heard in the last few years.”

In addition to Washington, 40 other states have now officially recognized the value of business flying for their state, including Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Review the list of state proclamations.