On Dec. 1, Ohio Gov, John Kasich and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor officially proclaimed December 2015 as General Aviation (GA) Appreciation Month in their state, in recognition of the critical role aviation, including business aviation, plays in the lives of its citizens.
“The state of Ohio has a significant interest in the continued vitality of general aviation, aerospace, aircraft manufacturing, educational institutions, aviation organizations, community airports and airport operators,” the proclamation states.
According to the 2014 Ohio Airports Economic Impact Study, general aviation airports in the state support 17,497 jobs, $688 million in annual payroll and contribute more than $1.8 billion to the state’s economy. The study also showed that fractional aircraft companies, including NetJets, MaxFlight and Flight Options, employ more than 1,400 Ohio workers.
The Buckeye State is home to 150 public-use general aviation airports, serving 15,586 pilots and 6,319 active GA aircraft.
“Many communities in Ohio depend heavily on general aviation and community airports for the continued flow of commerce, tourists and visitors to our state,” the proclamation reads.
Ohio officials have officially recognized the value of general aviation for five years, with the first statewide proclamation issued in 2010 by then Gov. Ted Strickland.
View the full Ohio proclamation. (PDF)
In addition to the state’s recognition of GA’s value, several local Ohio officials also issued proclamations:
- Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. Review the Cincinnati proclamation. (PDF)
- Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. Review the Cleveland proclamation. (PDF)
- Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman. Review the Columbus proclamation. (PDF)
- Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley. Review the Dayton proclamation. (PDF)
- Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik. Review the Findlay proclamation. (PDF)
- Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker. Review the Mansfield proclamation. (PDF)
- Youngstown Mayor John McNally. Review the Youngstown proclamation. (PDF)
- Zanesville Mayor Jeff Tilton. Review the Zanesville proclamation. (PDF)
These latest proclamations contain several principles of the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, an ongoing effort to communicate to policymakers and opinion leaders the value of business aviation. The National Business Aviation Association and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association launched the No Plan No Gain campaign in 2009, and since that time, all 50 states and more than 100 municipalities have officially recognized GA, including business aviation.
