Colorado Governor Proclaims June as General Aviation Appreciation Month

The Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA) and the Colorado Division of Aeronautics have announced the release of Governor Jared Polis’s Proclamation declaring June 2019 to be General Aviation Appreciation Month.

“The Division of Aeronautics is excited to celebrate June, 2019 as General Aviation Appreciation Month with all of those who are passionate and dedicated to maintaining and improving this essential mode of transportation in Colorado,” said David Ulane, Aeronautics Division Director.   

For the ninth consecutive year, Colorado’s Governor has honored aviation as a vital pillar of the state’s economy, supporting 256,700 jobs with a combined annual payroll of $12.6 billion.  Seventy-four public use airports and 447 heliports in Colorado together contribute $2.4 billion to Colorado’s economy through numerous revenue sources including corporate and charter flights, private and business aircraft operations, aircraft maintenance and repair, flight instruction, and fuel sales.

“We applaud Governor Polis for continuing to recognize the many benefits and significant economic impact business and general aviation bring to Colorado,” said Chris Swathwood, Chairman of CABA. 

CABA and the Division of Aeronautics have worked closely over the past nine years to support and promote business and general aviation in Colorado. CABA and the Division of Aeronautics have partnered with schools and colleges with aviation programs. CABA offers scholarships through its Foundation to provide financial assistance for training in aviation careers, and has disbursed a total of over $65,000 in scholarships to 25 college and high school students over the past nine years.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.