Feb. 18, 2016

In February 2009, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) joined forces to launch the No Plane No Gain campaign, which highlights the important contributions of general aviation, including business aviation, to cities, companies and communities across the United States.

In the years since, both associations have delivered on that commitment through seven critical, strategic initiatives:

  • Advertising: “For more than 50 years, using business airplanes is the single most productive thing I have done,” noted golf legend and avid pilot Arnold Palmer in the first-ever series of No Plane No Gain video advertisements. “People who build business airplanes make things fly. People who use them make things happen.” This tone continues today, with recent campaign ads spotlighting a variety of CEOs, from companies of all sizes, who utilize business aviation to make their companies more flexible and competitive. Learn more about No Plane No Gain’s print and web advertisements.
  • Studies: No Plane No Gain has published six studies – conducted in partnership with research firm NEXA Advisors – highlighting the many economic benefits that business aviation provides, not only to companies, but also to citizens and communities across the United States and around the globe, and even to government agencies. In 2015, a separate study by PricewaterhouseCoopers determined general aviation supports 1.1 million jobs and annually generates $219 billion in total economic output in the United States. Learn more about these studies.
  • Surveys: Conducted by Harris Poll in 2015, the survey “The Real World of Business Aviation” demonstrated that business aviation is utilized mainly by small and medium-size companies to maximize employee efficiency and productivity while providing travel schedule flexibility. The survey, which updated findings from a 2009 poll, determined that 55 percent of companies using business aviation employ 500 or fewer workers, and 74 percent of these companies operate just one turbine-powered aircraft. Read the Harris Poll survey.
  • Web Resources: Last fall, NBAA and GAMA unveiled significant improvements to the popular No Plane No Gain advocacy website, including a responsive web design to make the site more compatible with smartphones and tablets. The new site also includes a “Share Your Story” area, enabling visitors to tell their own stories about the value of business aviation to their companies and communities. These stories can be shared with policymakers and opinion leaders. Share your story about how business aviation works for you.
  • Connecting People with Elected Officials: Each week, NBAA and GAMA are on Capitol Hill working to ensure that elected officials understand how business aviation works for America, giving the industry a powerful voice with Congress. Industry stakeholders may also spread this message through an easy-to-use advocacy tool that enables them to demonstrate to their congressmen and senators the industry’s size and significance. Take action and tell Congress about the value of business aviation.
  • Social Media: No Plane No Gain quickly responded to the rise of social media, and today the campaign gets its advocacy message out through Twitter and Facebook. Since No Plane No Gain established its presence on those channels, the number of Twitter followers for the campaign has grown to 18,500, while the number of Facebook “likes” has reached 18,200. Support No Plane No Gain on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Advocacy Resources: No Plane No Gain offers regularly updated resources that people can use to make case for business aviation to national, regional and local elected officials, civic leaders and even workplace peers. The Business Aviation Fact Book provides a clear picture of the scope and value of the business aviation industry. Also, the Business Leaders on Business Aviation booklet features 25 CEOs from some of the country’s most dynamic and widely known companies, both large and small, who highlight the value of business aircraft to their organizations. Learn more about resources available through No Plane No Gain.

“The fundamental purpose of No Plane No Gain is to spread our message about the value and importance of this vital American industry, and we have been very successful,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We continually search for new ways to make that message compelling, through a diverse range of initiatives, to an equally varied audience.”