Hawker Beechcraft Fires Back at Media and Politicians on Business Jets

WICHITA, KS – Many of America's most successful companies are under fire for owning business aircraft. In its latest advertising campaign, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) reaches out to corporations who are under intense pressure to divest their business aircraft.

"Many in the media and some politicians have misrepresented business aircraft as a symbol of excess instead of an increasingly necessary business tool," says Charles Mayer, vice president of Marketing at HBC. "This negative stereotype is damaging the ability of American corporations to compete globally and, at the same time, jeopardizing thousands of American aviation jobs.

"Frankly, we are puzzled by this approach given the importance of aviation to the American economy. It not only represents more than 5.5 percent of total GDP, but is an industry that America dominates globally. It is time to embrace our strongest industries, not destroy them."

In the first of a series of advertisements, HBC pens an open letter to Starbucks sharing support for the company's business aircraft needs via the headline, "Dear Starbucks, You Still Need To Fly. We’re Here To Help."

"Starbucks is a uniquely American success story with thousands of locations in more than 40 countries," says Mayer. "Like most successful corporations, Starbucks relies on business aircraft to manage and grow its business worldwide. We are here to help them fly even more efficiently than before by showing them how to right-size their flight department.

"By right-sizing their fleet to the Hawker 4000, Starbucks would give up almost nothing in capability, but gain a dramatic increase in efficiency – something the media, politicians and even their shareholders will appreciate."

HBC's advertising campaign will break on Feb. 19 in national business publications including the Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, Financial Times, and others.

For more information visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.