President's Perspective

I’ve been talking a lot about the importance of working together—as pilots, as aviation organizations, as members of the general aviation community. That spirit of cooperation has characterized the General Aviation Serves America campaign since it was launched back in April. And it’s a spirit that seems to be contagious.

From the beginning, one of the underlying premises of GA Serves America has been that we can achieve far more together than we could hope to accomplish separately. And that’s never been more important than it is now, when we are facing so many challenges, from the threat of user fees to urban encroachment on airports to strained budgets that have states and cities looking to save money by cutting airport funding or increase revenue by redeveloping airport property.

We need all the help we can get, and we need to speak consistently, with one voice, about the issues that are most important to our shared future.

And so we have welcomed other organizations that have expressed interest in becoming part of the GA Serves America campaign to educate decision makers and the public about the true value of GA. We have partnered with groups representing just about every facet of general aviation, from pilots to avionics technicians, from flight schools to fuel providers, from women in every aviation-related endeavor to corporate pilots, and many more. Our partner organizations include the National Air Transportation Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association, Women in Aviation International, and others. And together, we are accomplishing a great deal.

Even better, it seems that spirit of cooperation is contagious. It has even reached the halls of government. These days, lawmakers themselves are coming together to learn more about general aviation, get input from the GA industry, and find ways to keep general aviation strong.

A few weeks ago, the Senate followed the House of Representatives in creating a General Aviation Caucus. The body, co-chaired by Sens. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), was created with the stated purpose to “work with pilots, aircraft owners, the aviation industry, and relevant government agencies to ensure a safe and vibrant environment exists for GA in our country.”

Very quickly, a number of influential senators, led by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), joined the group.

The House of Representatives made a similar move back in April, and now more than 70 members of Congress have joined the caucus, which has invited the general aviation community in to talk about issues ranging from NextGen to airspace restrictions in the New York area.

These two caucus groups have great potential to positively influence legislation affecting general aviation by ensuring that the GA perspective is understood and included in the legislative process. Having that seat at the table has never been more important than now, as we prepare for an election year, gear up for NextGen implementation, and continue to seek an acceptable long-term resolution to the question of FAA funding.

Meanwhile, members of the House Aviation Subcommittee have taken their own steps to work cooperatively to get in front of key issues—especially user fees. In a bipartisan letter, Chairman Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) and Ranking Member Thomas Petri (R-Wis.) have reportedly asked President Obama not to include user fees in his fiscal year 2011 budget proposal, as he earlier indicated he planned to do. The letter, which urges the president to move forward on a long-term FAA funding package and calls user fees a “non-starter” in the House, is receiving support from both sides of the aisle.

And there are other promising signs that the notion of cooperation is gaining traction. Support for the General Aviation Serves America campaign is growing —both among individuals and aviation groups. The list of GA organizations that have partnered with AOPA to support the campaign is getting longer and more varied all the time. And the number of individual contributors and participants also continues to grow.

It’s great to see the GA community working through so many avenues, and with such single-minded purpose, to protect and promote what we love. Of course, challenges remain, and they are monumental.

I’ve said from the beginning that General Aviation Serves America is a long-term effort. There simply is no quick fix. Changing long-held opinions and correcting pervasive misunderstandings is the work of years, not weeks. But the cooperative approach, enthusiasm, and dedication of those who have stepped forward to help is extremely encouraging as we get ready to move this campaign into an election year and up to the next level.

E-mail AOPA President Craig Fuller.