Letter to The Charlotte Observer

Letter as Published

The Charlotte Observer

November 16, 2006

Personal flights are rare aboard business aircraft

The writer is president, National Business Aviation Association.

“Carolinas execs’ personal flights often on shareholders’ tab” (Nov. 12) focuses on the tiny percentage of personal flights aboard business aircraft.

The vast majority of such flights are made strictly for business purposes by diverse businesses. Some boards of directors, acting in full compliance with federal requirements, permit personal use of company aircraft to hire and retain top business talent, to efficiently manage employees’ time or to provide non-cash compensation as part of a retirement package.

Business aircraft are productivity multipliers. Itineraries can be changed instantly, aircraft can reach thousands more destinations and employees can work en route.

Ed Bolen
Washington, D.C.

Letter as Submitted

November 14, 2006

Letters to the Editor
The Charlotte Observer
P.O. Box 30308
Charlotte, NC 28230-0308

Sent via email (opinion@charlotteobserver.com) and fax (704) 358-5022.

Dear Editor:

Your recent article, Carolinas Execs’ Personal Flights Often on Shareholders’ Tab, Nov. 12, distorted the true picture of business aviation by focusing on the tiny percentage of personal flights aboard business aircraft.

The vast majority of such flights are made strictly for business purposes by a diverse group of small and medium-sized businesses. Some boards of directors, acting in full compliance with federal requirements, permit personal use of company aircraft for a variety of reasons: to hire and retain top business talent; to efficiently manage employees’ time; or to provide non-cash compensation as part of a retirement package.

The story also failed to mention that business aircraft are productivity multipliers. Itineraries can be changed instantly, aircraft can reach thousands more destinations, and employees can work en route.

In short, by only cataloging instances of personal use, you ignored the value of business aviation recognized by thousands of U.S. businesses.

Sincerely,

Ed Bolen
President and CEO
National Business Aviation Association