...what did AOPA have to say about it?
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Opposing view: Small airports benefit all
General aviation serves the public good and relieves congestion.
By Craig L. Fuller Surveys tell us people view general aviation as an important part of our national transportation system. But, we also know GA is not well understood. It comprises all flying except scheduled airlines and the military. That means law enforcement, firefighting, air ambulance, search-and-rescue, traffic reporting, package delivery and more fit under the "general aviation" banner. In short, GA provides services that millions of Americans and thousands of American businesses rely on every day.
<more> Just as highways crisscross the nation, serving small towns and big cities, so the nation's more than 5,000 public-use airports link communities of all sizes. Commercial air carriers serve fewer than 150 of those airports. That's like having a highway system that connects only the country's 150 largest cities.
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Just as every driver pays taxes that fund road maintenance and development, so every person who flies pays taxes to maintain the airport and air traffic control system. You might never drive to the tens of thousands of small communities served by our national highway system, and you might never visit thousands of small airports that make up our aviation system. But because those roads, and airports, serve the public good, we all pay a share for their maintenance.
Many public-use airports, large and small, are eligible to receive federal funding for infrastructure maintenance and improvement. In fiscal 2007, GA airports that received federal grants got an average of $750,000 each. That same year, commercial air carrier airports that received funding got an average of $5.5 million each — more than seven times the amount awarded to smaller fields.
Small airports create jobs and development opportunities, attract businesses and allow them to grow. In fact,
GA is responsible for creating some 1.2 million jobs and contributing $150 billion annually to America's economy.
And general aviation airports relieve congestion and reduce delays at the big airline airports. Without them, thousands more flights would crowd into already overburdened airports, slowing traffic, increasing delays and adding to security lines.
A robust general aviation system is a valuable national asset and vital transportation link serving millions of Americans every day. Let's keep it that way.
Craig L. Fuller is president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/09/opposing-view-small-airports-benefit-all.html
