GA Serves America
April 17, 2009 by GAServesAmericaWe’ve kicked off the GA Serves America campaign in Washington, DC and online throughout the country. From pilots to business leaders, and from community leaders to folks who use General Aviation to save lives and keep us safe, we’re reaching out to gather stories about the important role GA plays in our economy and our communities. I hope you’ll share your story too.
Over the next weeks and months, we’ll be recruiting advocates from all across America. We’ll be providing up-to-the-minute updates through this blog and via Twitter and Facebook. After signing up for the campaign here on the site, please join the conversation on Twitter and become a Fan of the campaign on Facebook.
We’re just lifting off on this flight, and while campaigns can be unpredictable, with your help, I’m confident we can prevail in keeping General Aviation serving America. Thanks for coming along on this adventure.
April 20th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Very compelling! We’ll follow the campaign!
April 20th, 2009 at 11:57 am
How about some comments from patients served by Angel Flight and the like?
April 20th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
The user-fee drive by the FAA, the Department of Transportation, and airline companies is tragically misguided. It may not seem so in an age when user-fees are trendy in a variety of areas, so it is a clever attempt.
I have lived for extended periods in European countries (Germany and Ireland) where user fees killed off general aviation infrastructure. Some people will suggest that user fees on “corporate” aircraft aren’t such a bad thing because “those people” can afford it. My response is twofold:
First, by all means, tax progressively. But choose the tax mechanisms wisely, not foolishly. A user tax on aviation operations is foolish because it leads to sacrifices of safety and it throws away solid infrastructure.
Second: A story to illustrate the (near-)tragic consequences of foolish user-fee policy. One fall morning in 1998, I was at the brave but struggling flying club in Galway, Ireland. My wife and I watched as a couple of aircraft approached to land. It was evident from the outset that the pilot was really struggling with the approach. He just couldn’t get the plane in the proper configuration or attitude for landing. In California if I saw that, I would think the pilot was impaired. In the European environment, one immediately thinks about lack of training. The pilot aborted the approach and went around for a new approach. We were all relieved. The next attempt was just as terrifying to watch. He went around again. By this time, we were just beside ourselves. The third approach was worse yet. But this poor bloke was so desperate, he just forcibly dove the plane into the runway. The first point of contact was the propeller of the left engine, followed by the propeller of the right engine. Finally, the wheels contacted the ground in some haphazard order and stayed upright and on the runway. The aircraft taxied up. We were wondering what to expect. The tips of the propellers were curled over an inch and a half, and there were cracks throughout the tips. We thought some overeager owner-pilot who didn’t take the time to train would step out. I was shocked. It was a commercial charter flight operated by commercially-licensed pilots!! As if that wasn’t enough: the pilots were seriously intending to fly the plane in that handicapped condition back across Ireland and the Irish Sea to their home base in England. THAT is the fruit of a user-fee culture that considers general aviation just a toy.
Is general aviation important infrastructure? Absolutely.
General aviation is how the cities serve their surrounding areas.
General aviation is how lightly-populated areas serve each other.
General aviation is how lightly populated areas access urban infrastructure.
How does FedEx deliver in Mendocino County?
How does UPS deliver in Monterey County?
How does 3-year-old Joshua from Mt. Shasta get to Packard Children’s Hospital for cancer treatments? (Volunteer donated flights by Angel Flight.)
How do wounded returning servicemen get home to their families? (Angel Flight.)
How does a service business get meaningful face time with customers (business, government, etc) across Northern or Southern California?
How does a society foster vital rural communities (slowing overcrowding of urban areas, building communities of hope)?
Is general aviation important infrastructure? Absolutely. Let’s fund it in a way that makes sense.
The US airlines are in for a shaking up, but it is not because of the FAA fee structure. Let’s not sacrifice our solid infrastructure, the envy of the world, where pilots from all over the world come to learn and train (spending a lot of money here to do so), to a small group of companies that are barely managing their own affairs.
April 20th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I am a 747 International Flight Officer for United Airlines. I have worked at five airlines so far in my career, making Captain at four (including United) and Instructor/Check Airman at one.
I started flying in what is considered the golden age of aviation, the 1970s. I first soloed a glider in the summer of 1971, and a power plane in 1975. I never intended to have a career as a pilot; it was always to be a hobby. Yet by 1981, I had earned my first CFI rating and continued to work on ratings for the next few years. From 1978 through 1981, I lived in an apartment over a garage (2 car), had an occasional date (not married in those days), and never did anything that cost money. All that disposable income went into flying light planes. I went places with friends sharing expenses, in good weather and bad. I towed gliders on weekends, and after 1981, taught flying to pilot members of the club of which I am still a member. In the 1980s, my club had three planes (we still do), and 45 members (we still do), and 1/3 of those members were student pilots, going after their Private pilot’s license. We had teenagers as students, many of them, all looking to a career in aviation. Today, exactly one member is under the age of 20. Most members are 50 years and older. The one teenager is the only club member that intends to be an airline pilot. We have two or three primary students, all middle age, with their own non-aviation careers.
In my career as an airline pilot, I have flown a turboprop, and a variety of jets (DC-9s, 727, 747, 757, 767). I look back now at when I started my first airline job, in the right seat of a Shorts 3-60, at the princely sum of $400 per week, and am thankful I had that opportunity. But, that opportunity came because I had 3300 hours of flight time, much of it as an instructor, but about 1000 hours just as a pilot going somewhere, maybe to the next airport to practice landings. When I got my first airline job, I had over 100 hours of actual IFR time, in the clouds, shooting approaches, and departing into the scud; not under the hood, but the real thing. Those hours, about 1/3 of them at night, are the most valuable hours I ever earned. The interviewer for that first airline job commented on those 100 IFR hours. He asked me if those hours were all for real, that 100 hard IFR hour total. Yes, of course it was. Furthermore, all of that cost a great deal of money. Had I not had the Flying Club, or not had good 9 to5 jobs, or the frugal lifestyle, I would not have obtained the experience, which now, at just about 15,000 hours of flight time, has saved my life and my passenger’s lives more than a few times. I have never had a close call, because I had enough experience to avoid getting myself into those situations. The fact that in my 22 year airline career, I have never had an incident or accident I credit to that first 1000 hours I bought, before I was a CFI, before I was able to make flying pay me. Many of those experiences I use today when I am crossing Mongolia at 11,600 meters altitude, dodging a thunderstorm, or making an approach into Narita, Japan, with a nasty crosswind (happened just a month ago).
Had the cost of flying been any higher, even by a little bit, I would not be an airline pilot today. Over the years, I have had perhaps 150 different students, each for a short period, a few lessons, as a substitute for their own instructor. But I have taught somewhere on the order of 75 students, each to a first or additional license level or type rating. To teach properly those students, I relied on my own first 1000 hours of flight, the time I bought with my own paychecks, where the majority of my experience was learned and earned. When I teach now, I cannot relate a Polar crossing to a Primary Flight Student; I go back to my own early days of flying, and teach from that source.
In recent years, the cost of flying has become so high, that there are no new pilots in the airline pipeline. Regional Airlines are hiring pilots with a little as 350 hours to co-pilot regional jets, and Captains, in the left seat of that same jet, might have 2000 hours, many have less. But the worse part of this situation is the lack of experience. These pilots, despite excellent training, simply have not seen enough situations to have the judgment to do the right thing. And teaching judgment is a nearly impossible task. It must be experienced.
The current Administrations plan to add user fees (user taxes) to our current General Aviation System, will kill an industry already in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). And we will see the results, with more airline accidents of undetermined causes, mysteries, when finally solved, will leave the investigators with the nagging question, “Why did they do that?” It will be traced back to this period in aviation history, when flying for fun, for the love of it, was killed off and made extinct by government taxes. The USA is the only country left in the world where just about anybody can still learn to fly. Europeans come here to earn their licenses, because it simply is out of financial reach to fly at home. And if we become like Europe, with User Taxes, this industry, this career, this lifestyle, this art, that I love so much, will end. We will all loose so much more than the loose change that these User Taxes will generate. The Tax income will be so small, and the lose so large.
There is such a thing as cost/benefit, and aviation is one of those that have long return times. Pilots that train, learn, fly on their own, fly to places they need or want to go; learn lessons that cannot be learned any other way. These pilots pay out of their own pocket to fly, and those who fly enough, become remarkably skilled and safe. But when user taxes are added, the safety part will be a direct trade off with the user tax part. Pilots will skip using the system that costs and increase the risk of their flight, so save enough money to afford the flight. It is a foolish system that penalizes those who wish to improve their skills at essentially no increase in marginal cost to the taxpayer. And the revenue generated by these user taxes, will quickly be lost by the increase in accidents, and those accidents costs (if there is any way to measure such a thing). Furthermore, the revenue generated will be much smaller than just the current usage of the US airspace system. The additional costs will drive a huge number of amateur pilots out of the market, permanently. Having flown in Europe (for United Airlines), there is no General Aviation. And that is sad, and stupid. The airspace is empty. That is what is in store for the USA.
April 20th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I began my official flight training in August of 1998. At that time, it cost me about $4,000 to earn my private certificate, and that was at the John Wayne Airport here in Orange County, CA. The same rating at the same airport today costs three times as much. General aviation activity at the airport is down by something like 50% just since this time last year. There is a point after which there simply won’t be a necessary “critical mass” of FBOs, instructors, manufacturers, insurers, and viable airports to keep general aviation alive, and I fear we are rapidly approaching that point.
The previous post (from the United captain) brings to mind someone else: me. I’ve got 4000 hours and have never set foot in the cockpit of an airliner, it’s all been GA flying. Aerobatics, formation flying, actual IMC (more than 100 hours), cross country, gliders, sea planes, flight instructing, experimentals, and more. Yet if I were to start the process today, I wouldn’t be able to do it. There’s just no way. $4,000 was hard enough. If it had cost five figures just for the private certificate, I never would have started.
I don’t know why we’d want to make the U.S. more like Europe. I’ve taught many pilots from around the world, and they always come HERE to train. What does that tell you?
They always say the same thing: don’t let the U.S. become like Europe. If they own a plane back home, it probably has a U.S. registration rather than their home country. Even halfway around the world, the general aviation system we built in this country is protecting their ability to fly.
One of the pilots who flies aerobatics with us comes from Japan several times a year just for that purpose. I asked him how many aerobatic aircraft are in Japan. The answer: zero.
If we allow our general aviation infrastructure to be destroyed, it will be one of the great tragedies of my lifetime. But it won’t be the last. I hope everyone — even those who are not part of the aviation community — will fight this. Because today they are coming after my livelihood, my avocation. But tomorrow they will come after yours.
April 20th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I have a great idea. How about a 45 billion dollar amtrack high speed rail line that nobody will ride and take all the money from GA. Ok Obama!….. This is rediculous. Keep GA Flying!
April 20th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
When you speak of GA Serving America, Please do not forget to include all the GA pilots and mechanics who fly and maintain the nations fleet of Warbirds from the Beginning of aviation to today. It is not big corporations that pay for the History the public is able to see at Airshows and Flyovers accross the Nation and the world. It is those Pilots and everyday people that want to keep history alive.
April 20th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I think that AOPA has a credible opportunity to help in the defense of America’a southwest border with Mexico. I envision a civil volunteer corps, not greatly unlike the “gound observer corps” of the 1950’s. This citizen border patrol would help our government patrol the border with Mexico, primarily through visual reconnaissance. (VR). After an orientation and certification course general aviation pilots would take assignments inthe southwest to help the ICE and border Patrol. Maybe some pilots would do this for a week of their vacation. Or maybe a long weekend. The idea has several advantages to the country, GA, and the individual pilots.
1. The tight budget restrictions forced on the government now would be lessened by the addition of an all-volunteer force.
2. The general aviation fleet costs far less to operate than the military and government fleets of aircraft.
3. General aviation pilots would feel that they are contributing to the solution of a huge problem that has occupied the public limelight for the last three years. They might have more hope for the future and feel less helpless.
4. With the high cost of aviation gasoline, may piliots are flying much less, if at all. Proficiency across the industry must surely be in decline. A tour of duty with the all-volunteer force would help pilots regain higher levels of currency and proficiency.
5. This kind of mission lends meaning and important to owning an aircraft. Flying in support of the country is something worth talking about: far more than just boring holes in the sky and going to Aunt Betty’s at Thanksgiving.
6. The public appreciates when the citizens try to help out. Look at all the good will, for example, that went to the hundreeds of volunteers from North Carolina who went to help in New Orleans after Katrina.
7. The government would be able to purchase avgas at a far better privce than individual pilots. Under the plan, the pilots volunteer their time and their aircraft. ICE/ Border Patrol would pay for fuel on missions, and one planeload of fuel to help get you there, and one tankful to help you get home. (e.g. 50-100 gallons each way).
Challenges:
1. There would have to be training, orientation, and supervision. ( 1 day on site or via internet)
2. There will have to be standards of performance, both by the volunteers and standards for their aircraft. Risks must be fully explained.
3. Legalities and liability need exploration. Covenants not to sue??
Finally, I know that general aviation played a role in post Hurricaine Katrina. WE need to get a cadre of a few thousand GA pilots nationwide who will respond to disasters, and situtations like our border with Mexico that require far more surveillance than is currently available.
Cordially,
Peter Dunn
April 20th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
We have a seriously GA-wise (or aviation in general for that matter) uneducated congress.
Last year I listened to Harry Reid address students at (I think it was) The University of Kentucky.
One of the students asked a question on behalf of a friend who is a GA pilot, regarding GA user fees.
Reid’s response was “If people can afford to won airplanes, they can afford user fees”. Considering
the size and scope of GA (GA also includes on-demand part 135), it is simply amazing a person who holds
Reid’s position is so ignorant about the subject. He said it in almost a belligerent manner. Nearly the
entire state of Alaska depends on GA as well as many Midwestern sparsely populated states, not to
mention large urban areas that depend on corporate operations.
When the mid-term elections roll around in 2010, we need to actually “vet” these people who claim the
want to “serve” the American people. So far the score for who is being served is:
Congress - 535
American People - 0
April 21st, 2009 at 1:23 am
What the heck does “General Aviation” mean to the non-flying public? It’s about as useful as the term “Experimental Aircraft”, which scares the daylights out of most of the public. These terms need to be better defined for the laymen to get any kind of support from them.
April 21st, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I don’t disagree with any of you. In fact, I agree that fees on GA should be minimal. But I think there is a bigger problem here.
The bigger problem is that the Government can simply vote on what fees should exist based on — well, whatever pressures are brought to bear. There is no sense of fair exchange. So AOPA feels it needs to bring pressure to correct an obvious unfairness. That might succeed, but Government will simply try to gouge somewhere else to get money.
I propose the following solution. The amount a person or corporation owes the Government should equal, as well as can practically be determined, the amount the Government contributed to that person or corporation. The fees charged to a pilot or aircraft owner should be based on the service provided by the Government to him. The taxes on a landowner should equal the portion the Government spends to defend that land, etc. This is fair. This automatically balances the budget. The only thing left to determine are accurate methods of calculating who has received what portions of Government service. But that can be answered in a relatively methodical manner.
In other words, simply demand fair exchange. This is not a General Aviation problem. This is a general problem.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:59 am
As a “civilian”, I have a love and respect for aviation that’s existed since early childhood. I clicked through to the site, intrigued by the Harrison Ford link, interested in learning more about any potential threat to localized aviation.
I’ve got to admit, however, after perusing the site, I’m still at a loss as to what the problem is beyond some kind of user fee tax that’s being threatened. I’m not sure how this tax cripples general aviation. Not because I’m on the other side, but because I genuinely have no idea about what the proposed legislation is and how it directly impacts your industry.
The site does a good job explaining the industry, but it’s a little short on explaining what kind of threat this legislation is. Don’t be afraid to expose the issue beyond talking up GAs positives. I’m interested and want to help, but I’m still in the dark.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Yes we have a general problem in the federal government using ‘taxes’ to control and restrict the freedom of the people. The role of the government is to maintain the peace, safegaurd the opportunity any citizen has to participate in free trade, provide for a common defense of all the states, etc… . What the government certainly should not be doing is ’selling’ services to anyone. The entire tax structure needs to be reworked. The faritax would solve our general problem (www.fairtax.org). A general aviation user fee is just another ‘control tax’ by the government to force big commercial air travel down the throats of the American People. The few rich and powerful that control the airlines have lobbied the few rich and all too powerful politicians to satisfy their own greed. Instituting a user fee for general aviation would be like adding a toll booth to every interstate on and off ramp. Does anyone use an interstate road to commute to work, visit their grandmother, go on vacation? Would it be fair to just charge every driver that enters any interstate road to pay a $25 or $50 fee EVERY time they enter or leave an interstate? The government is becoming an oligarchy looking to enslave a modern day people with an economic whip.
You have to ask a few questions: Why would government leaders propose a program that would devastate a general aviation program that is the envy of the world and in the process decimate millions of jobs? Why don’t government leaders embrace general aviation which has the potential to create millions of more jobs?
Every citizen of the United States that is not directly served by General Aviation is indirectly served by General Aviation. This battle is about more than Airplanes, this battle is about freedom.
April 24th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Pilot training is an area of GA that plays a vital role to the continued strength of aviation in the US. Before falling victim to “down sizing” in a major US air carrier, I served as a pilot instructor, teaching initial and recurrent training. When I began, the initial (new hire pilot) classes were composed of a clear majority of ex-military pilots, with a very few civilian - GA - pilots. When that carrier stopped hiring pilots (BEFORE 9/11 - airlines were going down financially before 9/11.) The ratio had reversed; the majority of pilots came from the civilian route - GA training and experience. Without the foundation of GA training and flight operations, the source of qualified heavy transport pilots may well dry up. Or we may find ourselves like some many other countries, seeking qualified pilots and affordable training elsewhere.
Today people come literally from around the world to the US for initial and advance flight training because of the quality and the affordability. The affordability factor stems from the exorbidant user fees and restrictions found in so many other countries. I recently spoke to two men from Sweden here for advanced pilot training. They said even with the travel and boarding expense of coming the the US, the training they were receiving is much more affordable here. Foreign pilots seeking training in the US positively impacts our economy by not only creating jobs, but bringing outside revenue; not to mention the international good will it produces as a result of men and women living and training in the US for extended periods.
On a personal note, after losing my job with the airlines, I hoped to build a small aviation training business to replace my lost income and provide a source of “working retirement.” The prospects of success seem to be growing dimmer by the day.
April 24th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I recently read the article on the Santa Monica Mirror website on restrictions for class C and D aircraft into SMO.
http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=10038
When I tried to enter my comment (below) the website rejected it for the following reason: “The text you entetered contains characters or words that are not allowed”. Closed ears are not the exclusive property of people.
Aircraft serve the same purpose as automobiles, transportation of goods and personnel. A person who owns or has access to a private vehicle makes a decision every time they go to work, the local store, a sporting event or the beach. Do they drive their private vehicle or take a public bus?
When the owner of a private aircraft travels they also have a decision to make, use their private plane or take a public airline.
Private cars have no restrictions on use of public roads. Public roads are funded, in part, by the automobile operators in the form of fuel taxes. Public airports are funded, in part, by the aircraft operators in the form of fuel taxes. Private aircraft should have no restrictions on use of public airports. Adding user fees for services such as landing an aircraft at a public airport is like charging a person money every time their car leaves their driveway or subdivision and enters a public road.
Once you start regulating use of private aircraft the next step is regulating private vehicles. Who likes the idea of notifying the local police of your car make, model and license plate number, who is driving, who are your passengers, what route you intend to take and when you intend to make the trip every time you take your kids to local soccer practice or drive your motorhome on vacation?
Tim
April 26th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Mr. Ford can start helping by calling the “fees” by the proper name. Increasing TAXES on anything is not what we need to get this econimy going. We were promised “no taxes on people making less than $250,000.00 per year”. The new fees Congress is passing on everything from GA to Cap and Trade charges on feul and food will cost everyone more TAXES. ets all e-mail our representatives and let them know what we think. NO MORE NEW FEES (TAXES). Only by letting us keep what we make can we get out of this current crisis.
God bless America
April 28th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
When 9/11 occurred, the US Airspace was closed. When it reopened, it reopened to the Airlines. It was a bit later that GA (which includes the air taxi, tour operators, corporate, crop dusters, etc.) was allowed to fly, and then, ONLY if they were flying on an Instrument Flight Plan.
If you ask the FAA how many people they had to add to support the workload of all that GA traffic flying IFR, the non-flying public is rather shocked to learn that the controllers didn’t really have much work load added. So when the Airlines start telling people that the costs of the FAA (ATC - Atir Traffic Control) needs to be better shared by GA, it needs to be pointed out that ATC is basically there to support the Airlines.
For a few years, I was a corporate pilot flying a Piper Cherokee for a small woman owned business. In all those years I only landed at three Airline type airports (not anything like DFW or O’hare), because they were closest to where my boss needed to go. Once or twice we had to go to a different airport, because the closest to what we were doing didn’t have rental cars. But the point is, where we were going and what we were doing didn’t match with any Airline served airports (with those three exceptions).
I had the chance to fly in Germany. Another poster pointed out the dearth of GA in Germany. They weren’t kidding.
If user fees come, or TSA gets its way with LASP, businesses will be forced to sell off their aircraft because it will become cost prohibitive to fly. FBO after FBO will be forced to close. Flight school after flight school will close.
And then, the FAA will have to raise its fees, because there will be fewer and fewer aircraft flying to pay those fees. And you will see airport after airport close. This has happened in Europe, Australia and Canada (the user fee increases — the primary reason being a recession, where there aren’t enough aircraft flying to cover the costs)
The IRONY of all this will be when the Airlines go whining to Congress about needing Tax Credits for teaching people to become pilots, including having to start with single engine, and moving up until that student has enough time to become a Commercial level Pilot, where they can then fly revenue flights.
One last point: The problem that we have today is, our laws are made by politicians. This means our laws are made via bribe taking — Uh, campaign contributions. The GA world tends to be rather quiet and doesn’t make much noise, from a political stand point. This is why the ADIZ around DC is there, to keep out the very aircraft that can’t do the damage and allow in the ones that can (B737 and larger).
Unless the non-flying public learns the truth about aircraft, AOPA, EAA, and the rest of the alphabetical soup groups, will not be able to bring enough pressure to bear, and bribes [uh, campaign contributions].
April 28th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
As a business project, I’m involved in an effort to revitalize the general aviation FBO at a large commercial airport that is served predominately by the major airlines.
I’ve checked several websites including the FAA’s, DOT’s, and NBAA’s for specific information regarding the amount of air traffic generated (and profits) by corporate aviation into specific airports. But I’ve yet to find any current data that could be used to make our case. I’ve also checked the campaign, “No Plane, No Gain” being run in conjunction with GAMA and the NBAA, but again - nothing specific enough to the particular airports we need.
Any suggestions?
May 1st, 2009 at 8:15 pm
It’s time to promote small general aviation airports as large green spaces protecting the environment from urban sprawl. “Residents Express Pride for Local Airport” is a headline we could begin to read just by changing the way we build airport facilities.
In the same way that a single aviation incident will attract negative media attention while thousands of uneventful landings are never mentioned, any green improvement to a GA airport could attract positive media attention. Instead of “Airplane Lands in Cornfield” in our local papers, we could read “Local Airport Goes Green”.
I would invite anyone interested in this to read my article in Aircraft Owner magazine.
http://www.aircraftowneronline.com/50/lg_display.cfm?page_number=12&catalog=090139
May 1st, 2009 at 11:36 pm
To Dan, or anyone else who would like a small sampling of why GA is hopping mad, please start by reading the federal register notice on LASP (Large Aircraft Security Program) issued 10-30-08 under TSA’s direction.
It can be found at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-23685.pdf
Napolitano pulled the LASP rule because GA voiced loud, coordinated discontent (more than 2,000 public comments on the docket at the time she pulled it). And for good reason.
The sad part is, despite the “stay” as TSA conducts their new review, a select number of airports and GA facilities were issued a very secretive “DIRECTIVE” that is suspiciously similar to the LASP rule and TSA says is secret due to “national security” reasons.
I take great exception to the government ruling without regulatory authority. I hope most of you share this opinion and VOICE IT.
Thanks.
May 4th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
The importance of General aviation has not been widely recognized till now, it is imperative that one does what one can to support the efforts of this campaign to forward the knowledge of GA’s contribution to mankind and the devastating effects of it’s taxations and fees. Overburdened pilots in Europe have become a dying breed. It is painful for me to see how in Sweden the flying clubs and GA are but a relic of what once was. Let’s not allow this to happen here, in the greatest of nations. If we all do our part we can stay this latest effort, but more importantly to reach out to others not part of the GA community, so as to bring about an understanding of its true value and to open the door for those who dream of some day becoming a part of our vibrant group.
Niklas Rahkonen
May 5th, 2009 at 2:07 am
Let’s not forget that flying is a great recreation business. People spend millions in this country pursuing hobbies, sports and entertainment, adding billions to the GNP. GA is right there with boating, travel, horseback riding, woodworking and bowling. Let’s hear it for the folks who give us something challenging, educational and entertaining when we’re not at work!
- Mark Fryburg, CFI, member Hillsboro (Ore.) Flying Cub, Oregon Pilots Assoc, AOPA, NAFI
May 5th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
As a general aviation pilot I would like to thank the AOPA for serving aviation and this country by keeping pilots informed and safe as well as keeping general aviation open and easier to afford. Thank You AOPA!
It has been my dream since I was a child was to be a pilot. Becoming a pilot, flying and instructing others to fly has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Aviation has served America in countless ways, from inspiring young children to follow their dreams, or delivering supplies to needy families in places so remote they can only be accessed by small aircraft. The convenience of being able to travel from coast to coast safely and affordably with commercial airlines is also maintained by the GA pilots ability to train affordably ,and pursue commercial careers.
I am a CFI, and times are tougher than ever right now for students, instructors, private and commercial pilots alike. The economy has hit aviation hard, from the airlines to the crop dusters. User fees will not only eliminate jobs for pilots and others in the aviation field, but it will also put a strain on those trying to pursue their dreams of becoming a professional pilot. With the rising cost of fuel, maintenance, insurance and now these possible user fees, the cost of flight training will drastically increase.
As all pilots know, the price of flying and flight training has gone up dramatically since the early 90’s, and the dream of owning your own plane is seeming farther and farther away for more and more people. It is important for the general population to understand that owning your own aircraft and flying is not just something for the super rich, and that some communities rely entirely on the use of small aircraft. These new user fees will threaten those communities, damage the economy, and make flight training harder to attain.
In my experience as a flight instructor, I have seen that as costs of training go up, students are forced to cut corners and the quality of training goes down. Flight instructors will be paid less, and as a result, experienced instructors will be forced to move on sooner than normal, leaving a void in the training industry. These new user fees are not only detrimental to flight training, they can be dangerous to the industry.
I hope that you will join myself in supporting the AOPA by either donating or just getting the word out about the important role that general aviation plays in serving and supporting America.
Sincerely,
Alex Pfand
May 5th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I am a professional pilot with 30 years of experience, who is currently flying corporate in citations after being furloughed from an intenational airline where I flew worldwide for the past 10 yrs…I have also flown GA overseas in England,Germany, France,Spain,Lithuania,Poland, the Philippines, and Japan. I am telling you all this to relate my first hand knowledge and personal experiences of what user fees will cost.
1. I have seen 100 dollar landing fees for every landing.
2.12 dollars or more per gallon for 100ll, most of which is fuel tax. Europe pays the same as we do per barrel of oil.
3.The inability to fly safely VFR cross country, because of airspace restrictions and lack of services for GA> including Charts.
4.Radar control in most countries is for montoring your flight, absolutely no services provided in most countries VFR.
5.Unable to fly VFR in controlled airspace which randomly interspersed, poorly charted, and most airspace os controlled.
6.Required to get prior permission to T/O and land from all airports regardles of size and you may have to give 2hrs. notice. before flight.
7.The only service the airports provide is the collection of user fees.
Most countries where these user fees exist, GA basically does not. That is why these countries send their entry level pilots to the US to get their training.
Examples are :Lufthansa, JAL, KAL
Lufthansa hires their pilots like many others with no flight time.
Basically our freedom is at stake. The only reason for user fees is to force everyone to fly for state subsidized airlines. Every one pays, fuel costs in Europe and Japan are 6-8 dollars a gal. mostly from the Taxes their countries Impose. to force people to public transportation. England has a commute tax.
The only people that can afford to GA are the very wealthy. I started to fly in 79 at the age of 16 by paying my way working for min. wage. I have not been, nor have I ever been wealthy.
If the US adopts user fees, most GA businesses will cease to exist. Including: flight schools,A/C rentals,air ambulances, FBO’s,fire rescue,charter operators,Maintenance, and A/C sales.
I own a small aerbatic a/c and for me to continue to fly GA, I will be forced as they do in Germany, England, France, and Spain to join a flight clubwith a ratio of 30 or more pilots to 1 a/c.
Instead of the cost of 40-60 dollars an hr. it will be more like 300-400 an hr. not including the landing fees.
The US has been the envy of the world in GA and if I was born in any other country, I would not have been able to pursue my passion, dreams, and profession.
Having the opportunity to represent my country in the Advanced World Aerobatic championships in poland and being in aerobatic competitionfor 11 yrs. I have made many friends from all over the world, who wish they had the freedom we have in the US to fly.
I hope we dont let our freedom slip away.
Sincerely,
Robbie Gibbs
May 6th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
I just recieved a plea for money from Craig Fuller in the mail. I can’t understand why he needs $5 million dollars from us to “fight” the Obama adminstration against user fees while holding up Harrson Ford as our spokesman. Didn’t Harrison Ford campaign for and give the Obama Victory Fund over 30,000 dollars to get elected. http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Harrison_Ford.php Harrison Ford stayed at the White House while Obama was in Europe last month. He has the President’s ear. When its all said and done, Harrison will still be flying. The little guy won’t.
Alan Krysl
May 12th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I have watched and fought against implementation of user fees for years. The AOPA has been at the forefront in defending GA from what I know would be a death blow. I have lived in Europe for decades as a civil service tech defending America and flown all over. The user service fees have made GA nearly unaffordable in the UK. Here in Germany, you have to pay for each touch and go landing. No 1-hour landing practice runs, you would pay more in landing fees than aircraft rental !! I love flying in the USA and here in Europe and know the differences well. I urge anyone considering donating to do just that DONATE, Please, get involved ! The future of GA and the flexability and freedom we now enjoy is at stake. This is no joke, the results would be permanent and devastating. GA is and should be for all Americans, but the price of this is constant vigilance, the kind the AOPA provides. Please, please give what you can, every little bit helps. We must not let these fees become law, they would NEVER be repealed, ever. Don’t forget all those small FBO’s that are the lifeblood and make America and GA heritage. They are struggling now in these hard times and these fees would finish them. Jobs and livelyhoods are at stake too. Please, support this program, its for YOUR benefit, directly and indirectly. So show the advocates of these fees what you think. Thanks for reading this.
Sincerely,
Ken Taber
May 16th, 2009 at 11:17 am
There are people alive today in New Mexico who would be dead if it were not for treatment made possible by free Angel Flights.
There are New Mexicans who would suffer today, and go without life-saving treatment, if not for Angel Flight transportation between outlying areas and central medical facilities.
A breast cancer victim in Las Cruces who told me that, without Angel Flight transportation to MD Anderson in Houston, she would have to skip her chemo treatment. She had no other option.
Another breast cancer victim who we fly back and forth between Roswell and Santa Fe for her weekly chemo.
A medically-retired US Navy Seal - disabled by a bomb in Afghanistan - on a medical pump in Truth or Consequences, who skipped his treatments and service for his drug dispensing pump because ue could not get to the hospital in Albuquerque. Once he got to the hospital courtesy of Angel Flight, he was told that the condition of his pump was life-threatening.
A little girl with a malformed hand who needs to travel repeatedly between Las Cruces and Albuquerque for corrective surgery.
A man blinded in an work accident who travels between Alamogordo and Albuquerque for treatment in an attempt to restore his sight.
A wheel chair-bound Veteran who has to make monthly trips between Carlsbad and Albuquerque for treatment to reduce chronic pain.
These are the people who will be affected by any decremant in our ability to continue flying our Angel Flight missions. Our pilots are already stretched to their financial limits, trying to serve all the people in New Mexico who need free air transportaion. Every dollar taken out of a pilot’s pocket for user fees will be one less dollar he or she can spend flying those in need.
Our law-makers need to consider how little flying is recreation for pilots, and how much is dedicated to meeting compelling human needs. Insofar as Angel Flight is concerned, a user fee might just as well be charged directly to the patients we fly. They are the ones who will suffer the consequences of any fees levied against our pilots.
May 20th, 2009 at 8:47 am
With regard to Peter Dunn’s post, I would like to point out that the Civil Air Patrol is very involved in supplementing governmental agencies already. They are trained in emergency services to deal with disasters and even assist with DEA efforts. Border monitoring might be a future role if the UAVs are inadequate. Individual pilots use their own time and resources for much of their ongoing training and to maintain proficiency. Imposition of user fees, as we all know, will greatly degrade or even destroy GA.
May 21st, 2009 at 4:37 pm
As a VFR pilot I take the family on vacations that are different. Do you know how “cool” my 11 year old sounds when she tells her friends that we went flying over the weekend. I only fly a few hours a month - but what a blast…what freedom……and I’m sorry - can any critic tell me where or what the threat GA poses?
They can’t and they go into possible theories. Only theories. As if a 172 can do real harm to any building. My F150 can deliver a bigger punch.
Blogging, Comments and writing your congressman is great - but money counts. Donate! Donate $20, $40, $60…..You do not have to donate $1000 to make a difference.
Fly safe!
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:14 pm
This is another fine example of people trying to help the aviation community. It’s great to see people going out on their own to solve problems the government won’t. In some cases the gov’t actually hurt the industry. I don’t think they will ask for a bail out, not that they don’t need it, but Pres. Obama kind of stuck his foot in his mouth and bad talked the business jet world. Another reason for not taking the bailout is having to follow strict regulations like, “no big bonuses or golden parachutes.” Anyway, please visit acftinwichita.yolasite.com to find out about how to keep the aviation sector growing. I have posted links to this site to help braw other to this cause. Thanks!
May 30th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Bashing Harrison Ford for first voting for Obama and then criticizing one of the thousands of measures to be proposed by the Congress under his administration is just silly. That said I definitely agree with Dan above, who wrote
“after perusing the site, I’m still at a loss as to what the problem is beyond some kind of user fee tax that’s being threatened. I’m not sure how this tax cripples general aviation. Not because I’m on the other side, but because I genuinely have no idea about what the proposed legislation is and how it directly impacts your industry.”
Please include a link early in your presentation where we can see how significant this is, who is proposing it, etc. Example — a user fee of $50 a year is trivial, its what I pay in fishing licenses for my state and a neighboring state. A user fee of $5000 would be another matter.
June 4th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Thanks for letting the average American know just how important small airports are to local communities. I used to think they were playgrounds to upper middle class folks who could afford the luxury of a personal plane. I have forwarded links to my friends on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for the great campaign.
Fly safe and fly often,
TS
June 4th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
What is going to happen ???????
first lets NATIONALIZE all airplane and helicopter companies ! then we can restrict the number of new pilots and active ones also the military pilots are in this number. all airports would be the property of HOMELAND SECURITY, ha they can barely keep up now.
so what I just laid out seem familiar (SOCIALISM). Deemed by so many of our past presidents as despotic and cruel. So is this new
way of flying from place to place simple or cheap. you do the numbers.
sincerely
US ARMY 1981-1984
June 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
This guy has it right! # Tghanks to him for dredging up Harrison Ford’s credentials on this matter…he has no business speaking fo GA if he is holding hands with GA’s enemies. So, he drives airplanes, just like the rest of GA pilots. If he flies as soft as he makes a videos I’m less than impressed with anything he has to say, and I sure wouldn’t get in an airplane with him. Craig Fuller at AOPA! You picked to wrong guy; if you want me to send you money. John Davis
# Alan Krysl Says:
May 6th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
I just recieved a plea for money from Craig Fuller in the mail. I can’t understand why he needs $5 million dollars from us to “fight” the Obama adminstration against user fees while holding up Harrson Ford as our spokesman. Didn’t Harrison Ford campaign for and give the Obama Victory Fund over 30,000 dollars to get elected. http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Harrison_Ford.php Harrison Ford stayed at the White House while Obama was in Europe last month. He has the President’s ear. When its all said and done, Harrison will still be flying. The little guy won’t.
Alan Krysl
June 4th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
My apologies: Not for the rant; but for being so incensed that my typing and spelling sucks! John
June 4th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Who’s got our back now?
If you look at it from a political stance, General Aviation is in for some trouble. Democrats in this election cycle are spending mega amounts of money to bail out and support the needy. That money comes from only some of the citizens (Tax Paying ) and anyone with an extra penny will see the federal government ask for it in any means possible, for GA it is to begin with user fees but will soon escalate as every tax does. I am a believer that we should all pay for ourselves so I am not opposed to user fees as long as the next guys pays his own way also. That is not going to happen so be prepared to either stop flying so you can pay more of your hard earned money for the indigent in this country.
Read with more criticisms. Our government is moving forward briskly to socialize everything in the top brackets. Remember the finical help went to airline giants a few years back, now the government states that they will have a hand in any organization that has ever (retroactive) taken monies from the government. So assume that will mean aviation. Second were the Bank bailouts. Third and currently are the Car companies. Next is planned to be Medical. It is only a reasonable expectation to assume that transportation will be next on the block which includes General Aviation. So what are you going to do? Oh and the non flying population think your rich so you can afford it.
Who’s got our Back now - Drink Tea…Throw the Politicians in the Harbor -Boston Tea Party
June 4th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I will support AOPA, but excuse me if I note that Harrison Ford was an outspoken and enthusiastic supporter of Obama and the Democratic Party. So suddenly that Hope and change isn’t workin out so well is it , Harrison?? They are Marxists and they fear the free people of the world. And GA represents that freedom in the most auspicious way.
June 5th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Hey team,
can you give us an embeddable link to the harrison ford video, in the current size it is on this web site, so we can embed it into our blogs, web sites, etc?
Thanks!
Bryan
June 5th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Absolutely. To view all of our current TV spots, please visit our commercials page.
Here you will find the necessary code to post the videos to your own blogs and web sites.
Thanks,
The GA Serves America Team
June 5th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
This is how the campaign is being received by the general public
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/06/05/video-han-solo-takes-on-the-emperor/
“The reason this is so ineffective is that they are trying to take down a brick wall with a nerf gun…they clearly don’t want to name names or identify the parties involved (Democrats), so they generate this super-fluff commercial assuming the members will figure out who the guilty parties are and do ’something’ so they don’t have to…
And yeah, Harrison Ford isn’t about to knock the Dems, no matter what they do. He doesn’t need a job anyway.
June 6th, 2009 at 11:53 am
truly, you need a new spokesman………..try one of the little guys, not the rich one who has himself and the hollywood community to thank for the democrats in washington. He doesn’t like his ox gored…….it’s okay to gore everyone else. NOw all of a sudden he cares for the little guy. Pleazeeeeeeee.
June 6th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Let me tell you except for the the issues you take with Harrison Ford’s political affiliations. I do respect Harrison Ford for his involvement in GA and he does have credibility for GA because of EAA Young Eagles. http://www.youngeagles.org/programs/youngeagles/harrisonford.asp . This site can clarify him as a concerned GA advocate. Lets not knock someone willing to get involved on our behalf.
We all need to post our thoughts of alternative ways to avoid what is coming instead of fighting this because Lobbyists in general are the route of most of the problems in this country and if not this year, soon the fees are coming because not enough people understand it will effect everyone even non GA users. Once the major airlines have little or no GA competitors their prices will skyrocket.
Privately Owned Airports that do not require Federal monies maybe free of the landing fees, so lets Focus on getting more Privately Owned Airports, maybe even buying up existing airports from the towns that think of them as burdens. I will donate to AOPA for a fund for buying Airports.
What is your suggestion?
June 7th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
My Dear Fellow Aviators, General Aviation in USA is a concept of money saving, time saving, career building and even life saving comprehensive services and much more.. This is time to think and time to protect our great heritage, our great pride & honor, our feeling of being free to fly, freedom of flying with our family from one small strip to another. Renting or buying a small airplane made as simple as buying a car and even easier to maintain with so many facilities and so many little airports and so many jobs which cannot be deserted. Thanks to General aviation, we have cherished aviation freedom & accomplishments like no other country in the world. Thanks to our general aviation that small airplanes receive the same respect by air traffic and other airport functionaries as airliners at all airports. Our General aviation has been one of the greatest hallmarks of incomparable distinction that we as Americans are proud of. and known for. Worldwide aviation development today is due to some major challenging activities and advancements of American general aviation, without which all that brave action we see today by our general aviation pilots would not be possible. Aviators or not we as Americans must all relate to this and join hands on this call of general aviation to save and support every effort to promote the general aviation, its wings, workers and its environment which at this point all around the USA are screaming out for. This moment in time also seems as a blessing in disguise for all aviators to strengthen voice and strongly support general aviation which has not been accorded its due placement as a distinguished industry as much as it deserves with the passage of time, tests & challenges that it has so bravely endured to valiantly survive. Let’s not go into meaningless bickering Lets rise to the occasion. I believe we owe it our support.
June 9th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Aviation is in the toilet as is America and its all Obama’s doing. Obama said something on the lines of “the days of people flying to Vegas are over”. Didn’t Harrison Ford vote for the Narcissist.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:50 am
I just found this website tonight. I work at Cessna Aircraft in Wichita Kansas. Many of my friends have been layed off. We were at about 12,000 employees in Wichita last December, after 6-19-09 we will have somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000. This is a cause that is very personal to me. I am fortunate to work in the Service Parts Center which distributes parts for Cessna propeller powered aircraft all over the world. Right now we have more international customers thanwe do domestic customers.
That says it all about this industry in this country right now. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what I can do via this website to help the cause.
Matt
June 12th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Along with a few others here, I, for the life of me couldn’t figure out what this campaign is exactly for or against. You spent a lot of dough advertising it, but there is no link to any detail about the exact problem and exactly why the “thing” is bad. After wading through this blog, I can glean that there’s a fee proposed by the US Government that you don’t like. I’m generally anti-tax, so I might be willing to sign the petition, but I can’t in good conscience.
Here’s what I got from the add and the petition site: “We don’t like something, we have something to do with aviation, here’s some spin and fluff that makes it sound like we’re for America and the other guys are not, and Harrison Ford is cool, right? Please sign.”
In fact if you send that signed petition to a legislator they’re going to shrug and toss it in the heap, unable to decipher it.
June 13th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Like everybody else I strongly support this campaign against General Aviation. I work for Citation Service Center at MCO and we’re suffering LAY OFFS/FURLUGHS, ETC. Also, we see the % of incoming business declining, due, GA owners have been reducing their operations. On top of that we see that the short and even long term business scheduled visists are also declining.
At this point we’re facing very serious problems that could lead us to experience very high number of man power reductions, and, as domino effect, we’ll all be forced to do work for those that have been let go.
LET’S MAKE THIS OUR NON STOP DAILY BATTLE FOR THIS GENERAL AVIATION, WHICH IS OUR LIFE !!!!
JUAN
June 14th, 2009 at 9:12 am
My grandfather was a GA pilot until shortly after he passed away. As he was passing to the next world he had many concerns but his only regret was that he would leave flying behind. The freedom it represented and the experiences he was able to acquire throughout his life were invaluable to him. Many of our friends and family have obtained their pilots licenses and served the skies and needs of people in innumerable ways. I do not want this opportunity stricken as a possibility from my young son’s future!
General avaiation provides services to every citizen of these United States - whether they know it or not. The pilots and support staff are the unseen heroes. I always supported our government, even if I did not agree with some of their principles. However, I am sick of surprise bills and taxes springing up. We, the people, are working towards supporting our families and these United States. We cannot constantly monitor the government to see what the latest trick up their sleeve is. We shouldn’t be put into a constant position of crisis management, always fighting/petitioning for those liberties that were given to us at the inception of the Constitution and fought for by our forefathers. Enough is enough!
This latest proposal regarding General Aviation is no different than most regulatory fees - it is equiviocal to double taxation - which has been occuring for decades. It is illegal and diametrically opposed to what our founding fathers wanted for this country. Now it is time for us to ask ourselves….is this the legacy that we want to leave for our children? Do we want to tell them that we approved of their imminent financial slavery or just did nothing to oppose it? Or do we want to say that we, at least, made our voices heard to those who are constantly proposing more taxation, regulation and limitation on each and everyone’s personal freedom? That is a question that each of us has to answer as an individual.
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I have been flying since around 1964. Wow time goes fast. Well it does not seem that fast looking back.
I know one thing that is also going fast. That is our freedoms. That is all including flying. The present administration does not care about any of our freedoms that our founding fathers fought very hard for.
If there is anything I can help with let me know. It is not hard to set up a blog and get people attracted to it. Happy flying to all while it last.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
How about a nice T Shirt with the new “General Aviation serving America”
August 20th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
The “Wings” graphic on our automobile sticker is too small and low in contrast. In fact, several sizes and slogans should be offered! Gold leaf - like the lamented EAA wings would help too! I’m sure folks would kick in a few bucks for a good cause.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
There are so many wonderful ideas here that I would like to comment on a few. I was flying in Alaska for several years and know the importance to aviation. Someone had the comment that Harry Reid said and he didn’t really know what GA is all about. There are so many facets and GA serves in so many ways that most of the public, does not even realize. Some on us in Aviation do not even know all the benefits that GA serves.
The one comment that stuck me as a terrifically great idea, is the on of Peter Dunn above about using a civilian fleet to help patrol the border. It would give older pilots, like myself a reason to continue to fly and also be of useful service.
Thanks you all
Lowell Radder