The general aviation industry supports about 1.3 million jobs and $339.2 billion in economic output across the U.S., according to a newly released report from The Alliance for Aviation Across America. Now in its fourth edition, “The Impact of General Aviation on State and Local Economies” report provides an overview of how the industry affects each of the 50 U.S. states, as well as local communities.
Published in partnership with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the National Association of State Aviation Officials, the report includes state and local economic data and community examples that government, airport, and community leaders can use as they shape policy. It also enables stakeholders to educate their communities on the value of aviation.
According to the report, more than 214,000 general aviation aircraft are active in the U.S., ranging from single-pistons to business jets. These aircraft access more than 19,500 landing facilities, including 4,400 public-use general aviation airports, it noted.
“For thousands of communities, general aviation airports are an essential part of the broader transportation system, connecting people and businesses to jobs, markets, health care, emergency services, and other communities across the country,” said Devin Osting, executive director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America. “This report gives state and local transportation leaders, aviation advocates, businesses, and community stakeholders the data and examples they need to show how those airports contribute to a prosperous economy and a connected, resilient national transportation network.”
Some of the community examples featured in the report include Florida’s development of infrastructure and testing capabilities for advanced air mobility; Illinois’ role in agricultural aviation and sustainable aviation fuel; and Pennsylvania’s use of economic-impact data and interactive tools to demonstrate the value of its airports.
“Economic-impact data provides an important foundation, but the numbers become much more meaningful when they are connected to what airports allow communities to do,” Osting said. “That might mean helping a manufacturer reach customers, connecting a patient with specialized medical care, protecting crops, responding to a wildfire, or giving a rural community access to the broader economy.”
The report complements the Alliance’s interactive online economic-impact tool, which enables users to delve into such data within a 25-, 50-, or 100-mile radius of a zip code and by congressional and state legislative districts where information is available.
“The Impact of General Aviation on State and Local Economies” report is available through AASHTO.
More In Airports
