Washington, DC – AVIATION – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today warned Washington policymakers that the government shutdown, which took effect today, could have serious repercussions for a vital American industry: general aviation.
“General aviation is among the nation’s most regulated industries, with daily oversight and essential services provided by several federal agencies,” said Bolen. “If history is any guide, this shutdown could severely impact the industry, jeopardizing jobs and causing economic harm.”
Bolen noted that, during the last government shutdown in 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) aircraft registry was closed, halting the purchase, sale maintenance, and in some cases, even the movement, of aircraft. The written approval of the federal government is required for all those activities. According to FAA data, more than 10,000 aircraft registrations expire each month, and cannot be renewed while the registry is closed.
“If the FAA aircraft registry closes, it will immediately create an untenable situation for general aviation,” said Bolen. “Equally important,” Bolen said, “general aviation also depends on services and decision-making from myriad other agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”
More than 1 million Americans are employed in general aviation; it is a key component of the nation’s manufacturing base, and is one of the few industries making a positive impact on America’s balance of trade. It is also predominantly an industry of small and mid-size businesses. Many communities rely on general aviation for business transportation, humanitarian flights, all manner of civil services, and other needs.
“General aviation is an indispensable asset, and we cannot afford to let it close for business,” said Bolen. “NBAA will continue to press for a bipartisan agreement to end the shutdown, and we encourage our members to contact their representatives and do the same.”
Those concerned about the impact of shutdown on general aviation should visit NBAA’s government shutdown information page, which has up-to-the-minute details on how the government shutdown impacts business aviation, as well as the actions NBAA is taking and a resource for NBAA members to contact Congress about the issue.
