Why is General Aviation Important?
The Air Race Classic is an event which draws attention to general aviation (GA). For those who are not familiar with the definition of general aviation it simply means aircraft flown and operated not for hire or compensation, so charter and commercial airline flights are not considered GA. An example of GA is a corporation using it's company's jet to fly its employees to a business meeting or an individual volunteering and flying her or his privately owned aircraft in support of disaster relief.
Why bother having GA? It's just for those who have money to throw around. Surprisingly, people who do not have millions make owning an aircraft work. Some join a flying club, co-own with multiple friends, or budget accordingly to make it work. A small GA airplane with a solid engine is not as expensive as you may think. It could, in some cases, be cheaper than a brand new car. Of course, as with cars, you can very easily spend thousands to millions in pursuit of the dream aircraft. If owning doesn't suit you, then you can always rent an aircraft.
Okay, so owning or renting an aircraft may be attainable, but why should I spend the money? What's the point? There are many reasons people decide to buy or rent an aircraft. It may be a childhood dream or it allows for more efficient travel and can potentially cut time spent on the road or on layovers. Many companies, to include small businesses, opt for owning an aircraft. It enables them the flexibility to meet with clients within hours and reach locations that would otherwise involve multiple modes of transportation. A trip that might take a day and a half because of layovers and multiple stops may now allow a person to leave early in the morning and be home the same night for dinner with his or her family. It in return may help increase sales and solidify a client contract that otherwise might have been unattainable.
But I don't own a business... There is then the recreational side of aviation. Some people buy to challenge themselves with a new skill, meet new friends, and see new places. They may also prefer owning so they have control over ensuring the maintenance is done properly on the aircraft that they fly.
Another unique capability of GA aircraft is accessibility. I'm sure you have read and seen news reports of disaster relief in progress after a tornado, earthquake, flooding, or hurricane. Sometimes locations that used to be accessible by road are no longer due to debris, washouts, landslides, etc. A small aircraft may be able to either air drop dire medical supplies and food or land in a field or part of a road in order to deliver rescue personnel or help evacuate victims. The military, local emergency responders, and the military's auxiliary units are usually the ones who receive the most media attention during such mass operations, but there are usually more entities involved than those shown on the local television station.
Know someone who needed an organ transplant? Many times GA aircraft are called upon to assist with time sensitive cargo such as rushing an organ to its recipient. (Organ transportation and other critical cargo can also be flown on charter and commercial airliners, so this is not unique to GA.)
Medical airlift. There are nonprofits whose sole purpose is to help organize and execute transportation for cancer patients and other patients needing care that they could not otherwise afford to get to or are unable to endure the travel via a car or commercial flight. This is when pilots rent or volunteer their aircraft to fly the patients to their appointments. Corporate aircraft are also recruited to help with this type of transportation. This can help to greatly alleviate the financial burden on the families. Many times the pilots bond with the families and volunteer to fly them multiple times.
Making a difference. Beyond disaster relief, search and rescue, critical cargo transportation, and medical appointment transportation there are the pilots and companies who volunteer their time, pilots, and aircraft to lighten the emotional load for families with children who have terminal illnesses. The children may be very familiar with flying in a small aircraft and love the idea of flying but unfortunately the end of the flight usually means hours to days of medical treatment. There are nonprofits that make a day of taking these children and their families up in the air for just the fun of it--to enjoy the thrill of flying and to touch back down to participate in activities that do not include needle pokes and prods. The kids have a day to be a kid!
There are countless other ways that general aviation supports your local community, country, and world. That is one reason why 130 of us will be taking to the skies June 21-24, 2016, to bring light to and help educate the world on the important role general aviation has in connecting, healing, and providing critical support in the world in which we live. So the next time you see a small little Cessna fly overhead you can appreciate all that little airplane has to offer!
To learn more about the opportunities available in general aviation visit our links page! (Please note this is not all inclusive.)
