It is important to remember that GA makes an significant contribution to the economies of smaller or less-populated states that do not appear in the preceding table. Indeed, GA can be disproportionately important in large, sparsely-populated states (such as Alaska) because it offers transportation where few viable alternatives exist. To reflect this aspect of GA’s contribution, we calculated GA’s total economic contribution per resident and summarized the results below. Of course, these data do not reflect GA’s intangible but important improvement to the economic viability and quality of life among dispersed populations in rural areas.

CharT 2
Map of GA’s Total Economic Contribution Per Capita In 2005*

*  Total Economic Contribution is the sum of direct, indirect, and induced contributions. For example, the District of Columbia has a significant contribution due to indirect and induced effects.
Table 3

Leading States In Terms Of GA Total Economic Contribution Per Capita In 2005
(Including Direct, Indirect, and Induced)


As shown in Table 1, GA’s total contribution to the U.S. economy (measured in terms of gross output) is comprised of direct, indirect, and induced effects. For purposes of this study, GA’s contribution to the economy traces back mainly to two things: the purchase of new GA aircraft, and the operation and maintenance of the entire US-based GA aircraft fleet whether that purpose be recreation, instruction and training of pilots, corporate travel, or medical evacuation. Chart 3 breaks down each type of contribution into its major components:
CharT 3
Breakdown of GA’s Total Economic Contribution in 2005 ($ billions)

Obviously, new aircraft deliveries each year represent only a fraction of the total U.S.-based GA aircraft fleet, so it makes sense that GA operations and maintenance (O&M) account for the majority of GA’s contribution to the U.S. economy
— and that this contribution is spread across the nation, including states with little or no GA manufacturing activity.


1.0 Introduction
1.01 Introduction
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) jointly retained MergeGlobal, Inc. to assess and estimate General Aviation’s total contribution to the U.S. economy. MergeGlobal’s study was led by W. Bruce Allen, PhD, David L. Blond, PhD, and Aaron J. Gellman, PhD.
MergeGlobal’s mandate was to deliver an independent, expert, and conservative assessment of GA’s current contribution to the U.S. economy at both the national and state levels.


2.0 Definitions
2.01 General Aviation Defined
General aviation (“GA”) encompasses the manufacture and operation of any type of aircraft that has been issued a certificate of airworthiness by the FAA, other than aircraft used for scheduled commercial air service (airlines) or operated by the U.S. military.
Thus, GA includes fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters (rotorcraft), balloons, dirigibles, and gliders. GA includes the manufacture and operation of aircraft equipped with turbine engines (turbojet, turbofan, or turboprop) or piston engines, and of non-powered aircraft. GA includes flights related to business or corporate transportation of people or cargo, personal transportation (visiting family), air ambulance, flight training and for many unique purposes, such as fire spotting and pipeline patrol. GA operations are not determined by who owns the aircraft. GA aircraft may be wholly-owned, jointly-owned, rented, chartered or leased. GA operations are not defined by the airman certificate of the pilot operating the aircraft; the pilot of a GA aircraft may hold a student, private, commercial, or air transport pilot certificate, depending on the purpose of the flight and the number of pilots prescribed to operate it by the manufacturer.
　
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