Contact: Patrick Dunne (202) 783-9263, pdunne@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, April 27, 2009 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes the formation of the General Aviation Caucus. The caucus is co-chaired by Representative Vernon J. Ehlers (R-3-MI) and Representative Allen Boyd (D-2-FL).
The representatives formed the caucus to inform members of Congress and their staff about the value of general aviation (GA) to the nation’s economy and transportation system.
“NBAA and the business aviation community thank Representatives Ehlers and Boyd for spearheading the caucus, and promoting the value of all general aviation, including business aviation” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “The formation of the caucus demonstrates a recognition in Congress that general aviation plays a critical role in serving citizens and communities in every state.”
In an invitation letter to colleagues to join the caucus, Ehlers and Boyd noted that of the 19,000 small and regional airports across the country only 500 have commercial service, making GA the only travel option for many communities.
“The GA industry contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy annually, and it employs nearly 1.3 million workers,” Ehlers and Boyd wrote. “In 2008, U.S. general aviation airplane manufacturers delivered over 3,079 airplanes to customers in the United States and abroad. The total value of these aircraft was nearly $13 billion of which 44 percent were exports. The GA industry is one of the few remaining U.S. industries that actually maintains a positive foreign trade balance.”
“We look forward to working with members of the GA Caucus to highlight the many ways general aviation serves the nation’s interests,” Bolen concluded.
The formation of the caucus comes as NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association continue to advocate for the business aviation community through the No Plane No Gain initiative, which underscores the essential role of business aviation in America today. For more information, visit www.noplanenogain.org.
Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association, Inc. (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.
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International Business Aviation Council Ltd.