No Plane No Gain Responds to Negative Small-Airport News Coverage

Contacts: Dan Hubbard, NBAA, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org Katie Pribyl, GAMA, (202) 393-1500, kpribyl@gama.aero

Washington, DC, September 18, 2009 –In light of recent news coverage maligning small airports and general aviation, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today issued the following statement.

“The recent news reports in USA Today and on NBC’s Today show completely ignored the essential benefits provided by general aviation, including business aviation, for citizens, companies and communities across the United States. Business aviation operates out of small community airports like those maligned by the news organizations, and those flights help generate jobs and local economic activity. In fact, business aviation has a presence in every state in the country; it generates over a million jobs, provides a lifeline to communities with little or no airline service, helps companies be more efficient and productive and provides relief to neighbors and communities in times of crisis. Because the news coverage said nothing about the many ways business aviation provides value, viewers were unfortunately left with a distorted view of the industry. We had hoped for a more balanced approach to such an important story.”

NBAA and GAMA issued this statement as part of the two association’s No Plane No Gain advocacy effort, which educates policymakers and opinion leaders about the essential role of business aviation in America today.

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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