Plane Conversations

In a survey commissioned by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the National Business Aviation Association and conducted by Harris Interactive findings show that the use of business aircraft is not reserved for the “fat cats” riding on big luxury jets. In fact, the profile of the business aircraft user is entirely different than many members of the press have portrayed.

Here are some interesting statistics from the survey based on interviews with pilots and passengers of business aircraft:

• 1.  59% of the companies operating business aircraft are small businesses with fewer than 500 employees.   In fact, 70% of them have fewer than 1000 employees.
• 2.  A large majority of flights (80%) involve secondary airports or airports with infrequent or no scheduled airline service. 

Small businesses around the country create jobs - even the politicians in Washington, DC, admit this.  In numerous speeches and interviews, our President has said that new jobs will come though small businesses.  The number quoted by President Obama are that small business will create 70% of the new jobs in this country moving forward. 

In this country and around the world, every day small businesses use business aviation to get to their markets and to their vendors. They use business aircraft because they are conducting business in cities and towns that have airports – airports that have insufficient or no airline service. They also use business aircraft because it makes sense economically, it makes them money by saving time. Unlike big government, small businesses do not have the luxury of being inefficient; so, if using business aircraft did not save money, small businesses would stop flying in them.  In addition to small businesses being the primary customers of general aviation, we are the primary suppliers, as well.  Of course, there are the industry heavy weights like Net Jets and Landmark Aviation,but for the most part, it’s small businesses like mine who provide services in the general aviation sector.

So the story is this - small businesses create jobs. Some small companies use business aircaft to grow their business.  Business and general aviation service providers are primarily small businesses.  Those of us who run small businesses have not gotten a bail out from the  government and we don’t ride around in the big luxury jets the media include in their reports.  We are not “fat cats”. We are the businesses putting people to work and paying our taxes. All of those taxes go into the big fund that pays for the salaries of those in Washington who represent us.  Additionally, those funds pay for the US transportation infrastructure, which includes highways and, yes, airports - including those 5000 airports the airlines choose not to serve.

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