Jan. 20, 2022
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen joined Mark Baker, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) for a Jan. 20 NBAA News Hour discussion about a new year offering many encouraging signs for the industry, but which has also brought two significant challenges already for general aviation (GA) operators.
For example, Baker termed the recent ban of 100 low-lead aviation fuel at California’s Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV) and San Martin Airport (E16) “a watershed moment” for an industry already working to eliminate lead additives from aviation gasoline, but which must balance that goal against flying safety.
“We’ve been challenging Santa Clara County’s position on this because there’s a real safety issue,” he said. “Detonation could occur with misfueling with 94 [unleaded fuel] in airplanes that require 100LL,” which is currently any piston aircraft with an engine producing more than 200 horsepower.
“This is an airport issue. It’s an economic issue. It’s a sustainability issue [and] first and foremost, it’s a safety issue,” added Bolen. “There is not a clear path for a fleetwide, nationwide transition [to unleaded avgas] here.”
Deployment this week of new 5G telecommunications networks that may cause interference with radar altimeters is another area of shared concern for both associations. “All the aviation industry groups have spoken clearly to Congress, the FCC and others and said, ‘Hey, we need to work together to make sure safety isn’t compromised in any way,’” Baker said.
Looking to the months ahead, both leaders expect workforce development to remain a key priority throughout the industry. Bolen noted NBAA’s work throughout the business aviation community, and applauded AOPA’s outreach to high school students.
“There couldn’t be a better time for a young person to get involved in aviation,” Baker said. “It’s not just a dream anymore. The careers are just so extraordinary, significant and rewarding.”
The two leaders also pointed to other exciting developments ahead in 2022, from continued work to bring advanced air mobility vehicles to market and the emerging commercial spaceflight industry, to widespread efforts to improve the industry’s sustainability.
Those advances come as new entrants continue to discover the benefits of GA and business aircraft travel, which in turn has driven up aircraft purchases and flying activity. “I’ve never seen it this busy in my 40 years [in aviation],” Baker said, noting GA traffic increases of up to 60% over pre-pandemic levels in some regions.
“Business aviation and general aviation have gotten a fresh look” throughout the COVID era, Bolen added. “This is a real opportunity for us to create a foundation that can last for decades.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.