CAA: GA News, "Civil Aviation Fuels America's Economy"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tuesday, October 8, 2002

Civil Aviation Fuels America's Economy 
Infrastructure Upgrades Needed 
By Helen Barrett 
The Alva (OK) Review-Courier


According to a recent economic study, "civil aviation contributes more
than $900 billion to the U.S. economy and gives 11 million people a
reason to wake up and go to work every morning." 

AVweb.com, billed as the Internet's Aviation Magazine and News Service,
reported the figures from a study recently released by DRI-WEFA,
entitled "The National Economic Impact of Civil Aviation." 

DRI-WEFA is a leading global provider of economic and financial data,
market analysis and forecasting and analytical consulting services with
expertise in 120 industries. 

"General aviation represents a hefty slice of that (economic) pie,
accounting for more than $100 billion and 1.3 million jobs," the report
states. 

The Alva Regional Airport and local aviation related industries fall
into the "general aviation" category. 

Beefing up the Infrastructure 

"Every dollar invested in aviation infrastructure yields up to $5 for
the U.S. economy," said DRI-WEFA chief economist Nariman Behravesh. 

"That means more runways, better air traffic control and other amenities
to move all those airplanes from place to place helps more than just
airplanes," AVweb states. 

The study pointed out that the current inadequacy in the nation's
aviation infrastructure cost the U.S. economy an estimated $9.4 billion
in 2000 from air transport delays. 

"A fundamental redesign of the current system is necessary to address
both future capacity requirements and the new security environment,
post-9/11," John Hayhurst, president of Boeing Air Traffic Management
said. 

AVweb says if the report is right about traffic growth and lagging
infrastructure, business for the emerging personal-jet market may
suffer. 

"Those mini-jets -- the Eclipse 500, for instance -- will be buzzing
into reliever airports near major terminals and if the hubs get jammed
with traffic, the relievers may offer no respite," the report states.


   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA General Aviation Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID2

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