The Biggest Highlight from This Year's General Aviation Issues Conference at Addison, TX ...

... may be that the meeting was held at all, considering the state of the industry and what’s happening with meetings these days. Some 80-100 attendees heard that the economy will slog through 2009; the day for finding a replacement for low-lead avgas is upon us; and, communication between TSA and the industry may be on the road to improving; among other issues. Some highlights ... Dr. Bernard Weinstein, director for the center for economic development at the University of North Texas, says his worry for the economy today is the potential for commercial real estate defaults, a la the recent bankruptcy filing by a major mall developer. “That shoe is starting to fall,” he says. Dr. Weinstein says the U.S. is in for a “slow slog” back to economic health. Mike Chase, president of Chase & Associates, reports that some 2,800 of the 16,545 bizjets in the marketplace today are up for sale – some 17 percent. David L. Scheffler, a CPA and president of the Fairfield County (OH) Airport Authority, says his airport has seen little corporate aircraft activity since the Big 3 automakers made their infamous trek to the nation’s capital. “It’s like someone flipped a switch,” he comments. In fact, Bill Koch, president/CEO of charter operator Imaginaire and a former NATA chair, says the number one issue facing GA companies today is the perception of business aviation. There is hope, however, according to Andy Cebula, executive VP at AOPA, who reports that recent survey results of “influencers” on the perception of GA show that 68 percent have a favorable impression, and 53 percent see the industry as very important. There’s a “strong view” that GA airports are a positive force for communities, says Cebula. Cebula relates that AOPA had expected the environment to be the leading issue in 2009, until the economy tanked. Green regulations remain on the horizon, though, with 100LL a top target. He points out that several companies are currently working on an avgas alternative. Once one enters the market, the questions that will need to be answered concern how aircraft owners may need to modify their powerplants as well as how such a development will impact fixed base operators regarding storage/distribution. Then there’s the Transportation Security Administration, which caught the industry’s ire recently with its proposed Large Aircraft Security Program, which is currently undergoing a rethink. Craig Spence, VP of regulatory policy at AOPA, reports that TSA is in the process of collecting self-assessments of some 3,000 GA airports via the Internet. The intent is to get a baseline of data to use for future decisionmaking. His fear: “This will become the new noise.” Regarding TSA, a key criticism from industry reps is the ongoing veil of secrecy and lack of communication by the agency on initiatives from the LASP proposal to Security Directive 8-F to the Playbook program. AOPA’s Spence says that “alternatives are desperately needed” for smaller general aviation airports when it comes to security; he also says his association advocates a common form of identity credential industrywide. Lisa Piccione, senior VP at NBAA, calls on TSA to consider different levels of security for different categories of airport, much like FAA regulates Part 91 versus 135 versus 121. On the issue of TSA and its communication skills, the audience was introduced to Juan Barnes, recently appointed to be the first GA stakeholder liaison at the agency’s Office of General Aviation. His directive, says Barnes, is to communicate back to TSA the industry’s concerns and issues. At this meeting, he essentially told the attendees nothing – again under the cover of secrecy. One can only hope that the communication flows a bit more freely when he returns to headquarters. Thanks for reading. jfi