Maine Becomes 38th State to Acknowledge GA’s Value, Contributions

May 3, 2012

Review Governor Paul LePage’s proclamation (354KB, PDF)

With last month’s proclamation by Maine’s Governor Paul LePage of the value of general aviation (GA) in his state, more than three quarters of all U.S. states now have declared that GA is a vital and essential mode of transportation.

Maine is the 38th state since 2010 to recognize the value of all GA, including business aviation, thus providing additional real-world confirmation of the industry’s importance, as articulated through the No Plane No Gain campaign sponsored by the NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

In his proclamation, Governor LePage declared that Maine has “a significant interest in the continued vitality of general aviation, aerospace, aircraft manufacturing, education institutions, aviation organizations and community airports and airport operators.”

Despite ranking only 39th among states in surface area and having only two airports with scheduled airline service, Maine has 68 landing areas used by GA aircraft, including 36 public facilities. In his proclamation, the governor also noted that the state is home to 12 aeronautical repair stations, 14 flight schools, 23 fixed-base operators and more than 2,600 pilots and 1,800 GA aircraft.

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said, “We thank Governor LePage for recognizing the value business aviation provides to citizens, companies and communities across his state.”

The governor noted that Maine invests approximately $20.5 million in its airports, which generate $1.5 billion in economic return. In addition, aviation directly provides almost 400 jobs statewide with an annual payroll of $12.3 million and supports 2,400 other jobs in the state with a combined payroll of almost $40 million.

Besides Maine, other states that have recognized the value of GA are Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Review the list of state proclamations.