And getting our message heard.
Research can tell you a lot, and that's never more true than when you are trying to communicate complex ideas. I am a big believer in research-based communications programs, so you can bet that we've done our homework in developing and crafting the General Aviation Serves America campaign.
We're also doing our homework when it comes to determining whether our message is being heard and understood. And the good news is that we are beginning to get through.
The message of the General Aviation Serves America campaign is that GA serves all Americans, whether they fly or not. So you may have wondered why we are featuring famous actors, in addition to ordinary Americans, in our advertisements and campaign materials.
The truth is that few people grab attention like celebrities, and we've been fortunate to have some famous AOPA members and avid pilots--notably actors Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman--volunteer to use their celebrity to draw attention to our good cause. They have helped our message be heard against the background "noise" of hundreds of issues that policymakers must consider each day.
While these famous faces are drawing attention to this effort, the campaign also features ordinary pilots telling the true stories of how they use GA to serve their communities every day--such as a doctor who uses his airplane to provide medical care to patients living on an island.
You can find all of our ads and a lot more information about the program on the General Aviation Serves America Web site. I encourage you to visit regularly to check on our progress.
The numbers show us that the advertising campaign is working. In fact, in just the first few weeks, our ads have brought nearly 100,000 different people to the General Aviation Serves America Web site. And hundreds of people are signing up to support the campaign every day.
Another way we can tell that our message is getting noticed is the action in Congress. The recent formation of a General Aviation Caucus in the House of Representatives is one indicator that policymakers are taking an interest in the issues that affect GA. At the same time we have seen some real progress on legislative and security issues that affect our freedom and ability to fly.
The House recently approved a bill that would fund the FAA for two years, without the user fees proposed by the Obama administration. It's a good start, but we're a long way from being able to claim victory on this issue. The Senate must complete its bill, and then the two versions must be reconciled. Even if the final legislation does not include user fees, it is likely to extend only two years--and then the user fee issue is sure to be back on the table.
We've also made some progress on security issues, working closely with TSA and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that GA's needs are considered, but there is much, much more to do.
All of this work centers around a carefully considered message--one that was based on research begun before we launched the campaign.
To decide on the right approach, we needed to really understand what opinion leaders and policymakers think about general aviation. First, let me define "opinion leaders." These are people who read newspapers, vote, join organizations, and make political contributions as well as charitable contributions--in short, they are people who influence others.
Perhaps the most encouraging finding for me was that among this group, more than six out of 10 report they have flown in a general aviation aircraft--and those who have flown in a general aviation aircraft have a more favorable view of GA.
It was also encouraging to find high levels of support for general aviation. However, the appreciation for the value of general aviation's contribution to communities and the economy is a little abstract, and not nearly as strong as we would like.
We learned, however, that opinion leaders and policy- makers are open to learning more about the value of general aviation. And, in our surveys, the more information we provided about GA, the more respondents appreciated it.
On the subject of user fees, opinion leaders generally felt that added expenses are not appropriate for general aviation. Approximately 60 percent of those surveyed agreed that the airlines place the larger burden on the aviation system and should not be allowed to shift that cost to GA through user fees.
Our research has helped us get off to a solid start, but this is a long-term effort, and we know our approach will need to reflect a shifting environment. So we will continue to do our homework, adjust as needed, and keep you informed as we bring General Aviation Serves America to an ever wider audience.
E-mail AOPA President Craig Fuller at [email protected]
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