Groups Celebrate General Aviation's Value in Alaska

Washington, D.C. - The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) recently joined with general aviation (GA) advocacy group leaders, U.S. senator Mark Begich, state aviation policymakers and local aviation supporters to highlight the importance of all GA, including business aviation, in Alaska.

The event, titled “A Celebration of General Aviation,” was held Sept. 17 at the Signature Flight Support Center on Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) organized the event with support from NBAA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the National Air Transportation Association.

“The scale of many things in Alaska can be difficult to imagine, and that’s the case for general aviation, an essential industry in the state,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen to the crowd of nearly 200 event attendees. “The industry’s size, its diversity and the many ways it is valued cannot be overstated, and that’s the central message of the No Plane No Gain program.”

 Bolen noted that the NBAA's and GAMA’s campaign highlights the industry’s role in supporting jobs, providing a transportation lifeline for communities, helping companies succeed and supporting humanitarian outreach – all critical services in Alaska. That message was conveyed throughout the event, which began with a video highlighting the many ways general aviation serves Alaska; as one example, the video included compelling footage showing GA aircraft delivering food and mail to towns across the state, more than 80 percent of which are not accessible by road.

Begich also championed aviation, calling it “the lifeblood of Alaska,” which is home to more pilots per capita than anywhere else in the United States. He added that the industry’s importance in his state, and a host of others across the country, was the central reason for the formation of the Senate General Aviation Caucus, which Begich co-chairs. He reported that the caucus today includes 39 senators, making it one of the largest, most active and most effective caucuses in the Senate.

Also speaking was Marc Luiken, a commissioner with the Alaska Department of Transportation, who unveiled a new proclamation by Alaska Governor Sean Parnell proclaiming September 2012 as General Aviation Appreciation Month in the state.