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The National Association of State Aviation Officials, (NASAO) teamed with seven other general aviation associations and released a new industry-wide study detailing the economic contributions of general aviation (GA) to the U.S. economy. The study indicates that GA supports 1.1 million total jobs and supplies $219 billion in total economic output. “When state leaders work to attract and promote economic development, one of the first questions always concerns aviation links,” said Greg Principato, NASAO President and CEO. “Having a strong system of general aviation airports is critical to the efforts of state and local leaders to promote economic growth. This study quantifies what we all know to be true.”
The study was rolled out during the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) State of the Industry press conference held at the Newseum in Washington D.C. NASAO participated in the funding of the study along with GAMA, Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). The study determined the industry’s economic impact based on data from 2013, the most recent year available.
“This important new study confirms our industry’s strength and resilience,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce (Shown above). “It clearly shows that general aviation positively affects economies and communities in all 50 U.S. states. Our industry-wide workforce provides the lift for our wings and rotors, and these high-quality, good-paying jobs have a tremendous impact on the U.S. economy.”
In addition, the associations produced a narrative report, “The Wide Wings and Rotors of General Aviation,” which captures some of the stories behind the industry’s significant economic and community impact throughout the United States. The PricewaterhouseCoopers study and narrative report are available on NASAO’s Web site at www.nasao.org.
Prior to introducing the economic impact study, Bunce and Joe Brown, GAMA Chairman and President of Hartzell Propellers released the worldwide 2014 year-end aircraft billing and shipment numbers. Bunce reported that, for the year, total worldwide general aviation (GA) airplane shipments rose 4.3 percent, from 2,353 units in 2013 to 2,454 units in 2014. Billings for GA airplanes worldwide increased to $24.5 billion, up 4.5 percent from $23.4 billion in 2013. This fixed-wing billings increase marks the second-largest sales value recorded after 2008, when billings were $24.8 billion.
