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JANUARY 2012NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSOCIATIONElection Year Is an Important Time to Make Your Voice Heardby Ed Bolen NBAA President and CEOAs a reader of Twin & Turbine, you know general aviation has confronted a host of policy challenges from Washington and elsewhere last year. Many of them have been fueled by misperceptions about what general aviation is, and what it contributes to America’s economy, communities and citizens.As a result, as we begin a new year in which we will be asked to vote for federal and state officeholders, it is as important as ever for owners and operators of general aviation (GA) aircraft to tell their candidates and elected officials what GA is all about and why it is essential in America today.Growing deficits and declining budgets have caused government officials to target the general aviation community for increased revenues. In the last year alone, we have seen a return of efforts to impose per-flight user fees and punitive taxes, among other onerous proposals.The bright spot in all this is that public officials increasingly appreciate the value of general aviation. Consider, for instance, that the governors of 36 states have issued proclamations recognizing the impor- tance of our industry to their citizens.And bipartisan support is evidentin the congressional General Aviation Caucuses, which arethe informal groupsin the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that have attracted nearlyequal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. A number are themselves pilots. Some represent states or districts with declining or no scheduled airline service. In addition, many have come to appreciate the value of the good-paying jobs and economic activity GA brings to their constituents.The recognition of GA’s importance is driven primarily by you – owners and operators of airplanes – who are letting your elected officials know howfocus18 • TWIN & TURBINE JANUARY 2012