September is general aviation month in Alaska
September 7, 2012, 04:01 pm
There is no state in the United States where general aviation plays a larger and more vital role than in Alaska.
The Department of Transportation showed that 82 percent of Alaskan communities are without roads. It also revealed that Alaska has 734 registered airports, 10,883 aircraft and 8,514 register pilots. Without this network created by the general aviation community, Alaska would without a doubt be an entirely different place.
Residents of Alaska depend on general aviation for medical evaluation, pipeline patrol, firefighting, wildlife surveys, and search and rescue. Aviation is also crucial in the state’s oil, mining, construction, fishing and tourism industries. According to the Sacramento Bee, aviation in Alaska generates 47,000 jobs and $3.5 billion a year in economic impact.
The Governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell, recently named September General Aviation Appreciation Month across the state. The announcement encourages Alaskans to honor general aviation in their communities and to appreciate achievements to those who make flying possible.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Craig Fuller will join other AOPA leaders and Alaskan public officials on September 17 in Anchorage to participate in an AOPA hosted celebration of general aviation. The event will be held at Signature Flight Support, South AirPark, at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
The event is known as Celebrating General Aviation in Alaska. Officials from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the National Air Transportation Association will also be attending and participating in the event, along with the National Business Aviation Association.
“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.
The AOPA regional manager, Tom George, gave credit to the Alliance for Aviation Across America for supporting general aviation through state proclamations. The organization has 40 states committed to supporting the general aviation community.
General aviation plays a critical role to the U.S. economy. There is one airport for every 7,000 people and one plane for every 1,100 people across the country and public use airports account for 10 times the amount of commercial airports, according to Craig Spence, secretary general of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations. Pilots supporting the general aviation community should consider pilot life insurance.
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