June 20, 2019
Rep. Sam Graves (R-6-MO) learned to fly as a teenager and brings his experience as a commercially rated pilot to policy discussions surrounding general aviation. He serves as ranking member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, co-chair of the House General Aviation Caucus, making him a go-to advocate for the entire aviation community.
In an interview with NBC affiliate Channel 21 KNPG-TV in St. Joseph, MO., Graves highlights some of the economic benefits of general aviation, including business aviation, such as economic impact and job creation. Business aviation has an economic impact of $219 billion and helps employ 1.1 million workers across the country, he said.
Graves is also an advocate for pilots, bringing his own experience in the cockpit into the House of Representatives.
“The most important safety feature that you could ever have in the cockpit of any airplane is a competent pilot,” Graves said in an interview with News-Press Now. “There’s no doubt that technology has made aviation safer, but you still have to have that backup…that competent pilot that can take over if something goes wrong.”