Contacts: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Patrick Dunne, (202) 783-9263, pdunne@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, September 28, 2010 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today applauded Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s designation of September 2010 as “General Aviation and Community Airport Month,” affirming the value of business aviation in that state.
“A great many businesses and communities depend on general aviation (GA) aircraft….for access to medical treatment, mobility, economic opportunity, disaster relief, and a wide range of critical resources,” O’Malley’s proclamation states. “[They are] a vital part of the future prosperity of the state.”
Maryland is home to 36 public airports, which contribute millions of dollars annually to local economies. Additionally, businesses using aircraft depend on these airports to reach customers in the state. For example, the town of McHenry, in western Maryland, is about 200 miles from Baltimore, a three- or four-hour drive, while Garrett County Airport is three miles from McHenry, about eight minutes, making airports like Garrett County’s a valuable asset.
In welcoming the governor’s proclamation, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen noted that general aviation (GA), of which business aviation is a part, contributes more than $2 billion to the economy of communities throughout Maryland. The economic benefits of business aviation in Maryland that are detailed in the governor’s proclamation parallel those identified in the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign www.noplanenogain.org, which is sponsored jointly by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
Maryland has a proud aviation history. Wilbur Wright instructed Army flyers at College Park, which is the oldest airport in continuous operation in the U.S., and the Navy made its pioneer flights at Annapolis. Martin-Marietta company, now the largest U.S. defense contractor, got its start in eastern Maryland with Glenn L. Martin, who produced award-winning aircraft for both commercial airlines and the military through the 1930s and 1940s. In the western part of the state, Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation in Hagerstown created the legendary C-119 Flying Boxcar in 1947, a military design for carriage of cargo, personnel, litter patients and mechanized equipment, and with the ability to make “para-drops” of cargo and troops. The C-119 is still used today in Alaska, hauling everything from building materials, dump trucks and other cargo to 260 villages in Alaska that have no road access.
Maryland is the 16th state to issue a proclamation recognizing the industry’s value in recent months. Governors in Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia have also recognized the value of business aviation.
View a copy of the Maryland proclamation at www.nbaa.org/advocacy/regional/20100901-maryland-GA-community-airport-month.pdf” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(http://www.nbaa.org/advocacy/regional/20100901-maryland-GA-community-airpo”>www.nbaa.org/advocacy/regional/20100901-maryland-GA-community-airport-month.pdf);”.pdf
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (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.