The Economic Impact of General Aviation
According to the FAA, general aviation directly generated $13.7 billion and 178,000 jobs in 2000 and its overall economic impact was $40.7 billion (roughly 0.4% of the Gross Domestic Product) and 511,000 jobs.13 The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) provided a much higher estimate of the economic impact of GA, reflecting statistics often cited by the industry, stating that GA accounts for about 1.3 million jobs and contributes about $100 billion to the U.S.
11 General Aviation Manufacturers Association. General Aviation Statistical Databook 2004 (Updated February 14, 2005). Washington, DC.
12 See Report of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee Working Group on General Aviation Airport Security, and Transportation Security Administration, Security Guidelines for General Aviation Airports.
13 Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Aerospace Forecasts, Fiscal Years 2005-2016.
economy.14 While these larger figures probably take into consideration a broad reach of GA’s indirect impact on travel and transportation-related business, the general picture provided by these various statistics is that GA is a relatively small but important component of the U.S. economy. As noted by the FAA, GA provides “on-the-spot efficient and direct aviation services to many medium and small-sized communities that commercial aviation cannot or will not provide.”15 GA also plays an increasingly important role in training pilots and mechanics to serve the airline industry. Additionally, GA operations provide wide-ranging capabilities critical to our economy such as emergency medical services, overnight package delivery to small and mid-sized communities, helicopter transport to support oil drilling in offshore and remote locations, and the aerial application of pesticides to support agriculture.
The potential economic impact of security on GA could be quite significant. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, GA airport operators and the industry have largely relied on their own initiatives and resources to implement security enhancements. These efforts have been somewhat limited because large scale security enhancements to protect GA assets across the country are expected to be rather substantial. For example, responding to criticism over a perceived lack of security at GA airports, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) president, Phil Boyer, speculated “[w]e might be talking about $40 billion to fence every small airport in this country, where in the world is that money coming from?”16 While a $40 billion estimate may appear somewhat extreme – the TSA has spent slightly less than $20 billion on all aviation security screening and enforcement at commercial airports in the four years since it was created following the 9/11 attacks – and erecting fences at every airport in the country may not be the most appropriate course of action, Boyer’s concerns highlight the ongoing challenge of adequately funding GA security initiatives, balancing these initiatives with other homeland security needs, and doing so in a manner that does not create an undue economic burden on the GA industry. At the same time, the GA industry has a vested interest in implementing security measures to adequately secure and protect airplanes from theft and vandalism. A recent article in a GA trade publication noted that while the intent of tightening GA security has largely been seen as a means to prevent terrorism, “...a more immediate benefit could be a stronger bottom line for GA.”17
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