Northwest CEO Richard Anderson Jabs General Aviation

Larry Dighera wrote:I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the
tax on GA fuel nor

GA landing fees.

Airlines usually pay a landing fee based on aircraft weight. ie.... $$$$
per 1000 pounds gross weight.
Here in Columbus OH is something like $1.25/1000 lbs.

In article , Eric Rood
wrote:

Larry Dighera wrote:I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the
tax on GA fuel nor

GA landing fees.

Airlines usually pay a landing fee based on aircraft weight. ie.... $$$$
per 1000 pounds gross weight.
Here in Columbus OH is something like $1.25/1000 lbs.


Of course, GA doesn't need 10000 feet of concrete 12 feet thick, nor
fancy terminals with elaborate security, nor baggage handling machines
nor Class B/C air traffic control measures, either.

All we need are runways paved to highway specs and 3000 - 5000 feeet
long, plus simple facilities containing an FBO office and a flight
planning room with DUATS and Weather Channel.

I don't think you have to peel too many layers from the Part 121 onion
to see areas where the airlines benefit from GA, or from other
sectors. The pilot candidates that funnel into the airlines are
either trained by the U.S. Government (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
Coast Guard), or come up through the GA ranks through great personal
sacrifice.

Many of the towered airports in this country, including my home field
(BJC), depend on a large number of general aviation takeoffs and
landings to qualify for a tower and staff - the purely commercial
traffic won't provide enough activity to justify the facility.

It is unfortunate when an aviation industry veteran takes such a
libertarian view. He chooses to take pot shots at GA for his
perception that it is subsidized by another segment of the industry,
while conveniently ignoring any areas where the air transport industry
derives benefit. Any view that does not recognize that GA contributes
to the overall well being of Air Transport, and to the country's
general economy, is surely misguided.

How unfortunate.

Brian Cox