General aviation passenger numbers down
September 12, 2012, 11:50 am
There were nearly 835.5 million people who traveled by plane in 2007 worldwide, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. More recent data showed that in 2011 there were more than 801 million people across the world who traveled by plane, Pierce County Herald reported.
The decrease in airline passengers affects large airlines but the brunt of the drop is felt by the general aviation community. Red Wing Regional Airport owner, Sam Blue, who has been impacted by the numbers, told the source the drastic decrease in passengers is not primarily due to the recession but instead from businesses not flying private planes, after automotive executives were criticized for it before receiving bailouts.
Blue added that there's a stigma now that private planes are a waste of money, when in reality they can be cost effective. A business executive for example can forgo excess costs, like a hotel room and meals, by leaving right before a business meeting and returning home directly after.
“There’s so much time savings," Blue told the source. "It’s a tool to be more efficient. At the end of the quarter or end of the year, you end up getting a lot more accomplished.”
There are more than 5,000 general aviation airports supporting the flight industry, while there are only 500 airports that serve commercial flights nationwide.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that general aviation airports contributed $38.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2009.
“GA airports can serve many different functions and advance the public interest, ensuring that Americans nationwide have access to medical flights, search-and-rescue, disaster relief, aerial firefighting, law enforcement, community access, commercial and industrial activity, flight instruction and air cargo,” read the FAA's study, General Aviation Airports: A National Asset.
Louisiana has recently recognized the necessity of general aviation airports throughout the state and issued grants totaling $3.6 million to nine airports across the state.
Airports receiving portions of the grant money include Jonesville Airport, False River Regional Airport, Thibodaux Municipal Airport, Monroe Regional Airport, Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, Morehouse Memorial Airport, Union Parish Airport, Ruston Regional Airport and Winnsboro Municipal Airport. The funds will be provided by the FAA.
Pilots supporting the general aviation industry should make sure they are covered by pilot life insurance in the unlikely event of an emergency.
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