Alaska to celebrate general aviation
August 30, 2012, 01:58 pm
Alaska will be honoring the impact of general aviation on the state with an event called Celebrating General Aviation in Alaska that will be held at the Signature Flight Support at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. General aviation plays a huge role to the economy as a whole and is especially important for Alaska residents who depend on it for medical evaluation, pipeline patrol, firefighting, wildlife surveys, and search and rescue. Aviation also is crucial in the state’s oil, mining, construction, fishing and tourism industries
“We are looking forward to celebrating Alaska’s robust and varied general aviation community, and to recognizing the many dedicated men and women who make significant contributions to aviation in the state,” said Ed Bolen, president and CEO, National Business Aviation Association who will also be participating in the event.
There are more than 8,000 certified pilots and 734 public and private airports, heliports and seaplane bases across Alaska. Officials from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the National Air Transportation Association will all be attending and participating in the event, along with the NBAA.
According to Craig Spence, secretary general of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations, said at the China Low Altitude Economy Summit on August 23 that general aviation is an "economic powerhouse" in the United States and provides other countries a model, as they look to increase their aviation sectors.
Spence added that there are 5,261 public-use airports in the United States, accounting for 10 times the amount of commercial airports, and with that, there are 19,000 landing strips available. This provides the United States the option for quick, reliable and flexible air travel to even the most remote corners of the country. In addition, general aviation's infrastructure accounts for $150 billion in annual contributions to the United States economy, supporting millions of jobs and providing helpful services during disasters and other times of need.
Spence uses the analogy that the commercial aviation system is like major highways that connect large cities, while the general aviation system links smaller communities. For general aviation to thrive in a country there is a need to "pave the back roads."
In the United States there is one airport for every 7,000 people and one plane for every 1,100 people. In India, there is one airport for every 22 million people and one plane for every million people. Pilots contributing to the U.S. economic powerhouse should consider pilot life insurance.
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