Based on the report, Contribution of General Aviation to the US Economy in 2018, General Aviation (GA) operated a fleet of more than 200,000 aircraft, employed 273,500 people, and indirectly supported another 1.2 million jobs. GA includes everything from “personal-use aircraft, business aircraft, helicopters, aircraft operated by flight schools, and on-demand passenger or cargo transportation under Federal Aviation Regulation Part 135.”
After periods of sluggish aircraft sales, increased regulation, and aging airplanes, the looming demand for Airline Pilots has sparked interest throughout the GA community.
According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) President Mark Baker “General aviation continues to be a positive contributor to our nation’s economy and benefits thousands of communities. We must also continue working together to inspire the next generation of pilots and aircraft technicians and recognize this uniquely American industry and its exceptional impact on our country.”
One noteworthy statistic is that GA was responsible for $77 million in direct labor income in 2018, and that trend should continue to improve.