Cessna president Jack Pelton has teamed with National Business Aviation Association chief executive Ed Bolen on US television giant Fox to defend the business aviation industry and hit back at its critics - notably politicians and newspaper journalists - who have publicly vilified many business aircraft users and subjected the industry to weeks of negative publicity.
The move comes hot on the heels of a campaign launched by Cessna, which it says is designed to address the "misinformation on the business use of general aviation aircraft" and coincides with a decision by the NBAA and the US General Aviation Manufacturers Association to resurrect its "No Plane, No Gain" campaign. The venture was set up in 1993 to highlight the benefits of business aircraft, but was put on the backburner as the industry boomed.
Now with the recession in full swing and business aviation facing a regular pummelling, the aviation bodies hope the joint advocacy campaign will "reinforce the value of business aviation to American workers, policy makers, companies and communities across the USA".
Bolen says: "We are launching this new multimedia educational campaign to get the word out that business aviation is working for America. 'No Plane, No Gain' will underscore why business aviation is critical to tens of thousands of cost-conscious companies fighting to succeed in a difficult market. It will also remind people of the relief efforts and humanitarian assistance that is possible only through this mode of transport."
Source: Flight International
