General Aviation Facing Several Challenges

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From: The Wichita Eagle
By Molly McMillin

Panel: General aviation needs grassroots boost

More should be done on a grassroots level to build a pilot population, protect general aviation airports and promote the general aviation industry to keep it viable, leaders of five industry trade groups said Tuesday.

The general aviation industry isn't huge, but it's not insignificant, National Business Aviation Association president and CEO Ed Bolen said during a Wichita Aero Club panel discussion about the industry.

General aviation includes 600,000 pilots, 1.2 million employees and 5,000 general aviation airports, he said.

But the industry faces a number of issues — a shrinking number of pilots, the threat of user fees, a need to move to unleaded aviation fuel, and the cost of aircraft certification.