Sir - Your Comment column "Sorry business" (Flight International, 3-9 April, P3) correctly reports that business aviation has had plenty of representation.
Were it not for this, business aviation would almost certainly by now have lost its access to the principal European airports and would have been likely to be inhibited in access to European-controlled airspace, either by regulation or by excessive charges.
As far as the Business Aircraft Users Association (BAUA) is concerned, we do not consider that we are in a "sorry business".
The economic factors to which you refer have certainly thinned the ranks, but those of our members who retained their company aircraft have, in many cases, upgraded them so that they are now able to operate globally to develop their businesses, not only throughout Europe but beyond to China and Australia, as well as to North America and other points on the Pacific Rim.
The value of the business aircraft in the BAUA membership is higher now than it has ever been.
The cost of a corporate flight department is under regular scrutiny and must be justified constantly. Not all firms can justify this cost, but those which can have used their aircraft not only to survive difficult economic times, but also to expand into new global markets.
The operation of business/corporate aircraft is, for good reasons, discreet. Similarly, the 36 years of effective representation by the BAUA has primarily been discreet. We work with authorities to help them find ways to serve business aviation better, and on operational and financial bodies. We prefer co-operation to confrontation.
The business-aviation community needs continuing strong representation. This is impossible without the support of those firms which use business aircraft.
Source: Flight International