Empire builder Warren Buffett is as unpretentious as they come. The Omaha, NE native embodies the mid-western mentality of hard work and low-key profile in spite of his billions in wealth. Dare I say it, he reminds me of my humble grandfather from Oklahoma. For years Buffett did not own a corporate aircraft. But he did purchase his first aircraft in 1986 and fell in love with it. He initially called the aircraft "The Indefensible." Later, he was to rename one of his aircraft "The Indispensible."

There is nothing frivolous about the legitimate use of business jet aircraft by those companies that can afford it.

As corporations around the world have come to learn, corporate aircraft are an indispensable business tool. These tools allow executives to travel quickly and efficiently. They allow companies to reach smaller, more rural communities where they have plants or are looking to acquire businesses.

But recently, the Big Three automakers flew their jets to Washington to ask for bail out money from the government. Lawmakers and press jumped on this as the next hot topic in the news. "It’s almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in a high hat and tuxedo," Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y. said at the hearing. As a result of this misstep, GM is now in the process of thinning its corporate fleet, as are others.

While I agree that a company that is in such financial dire straights that they need to ask Congress for money shouldn’t be flying their CEOs in jets to beg for it, I am disappointed that the press opted to play the situation as they did. I was also greatly dismayed that I didn’t hear any responses from any aviation groups defending business aviation and its many benefits. The fallout from this is still reverberating throughout the business aviation community and other flight departments in other industries are considering their options.

Over the years, many corporations have tried to downplay their ownership or involvement in business aviation because there are those who still think of it as an extravagance rather than a tool that allows companies to be efficient and highly competitive. There are those who, when they think of business jets, harken back to the early seventies when Learjet and Cessna first offered their biz jet products for purchase and visions of drunken rock bands crawling out of a small jet aircraft in furs and platform shoes come to mind.

Those days are gone and most understand that. But the media and Congress dealt the image of business aviation a serious blow. Where were the defenders? Usually the alphabet groups here in the Washington, D.C. area jump at the opportunity to get some airtime and visibility to defend their rice bowl. But this time, they were most notable for their lack of presence.

But someone needs to come forward and tout the benefits corporate jets. So let it be me. I have seen companies utilize corporate aircraft to the ultimate benefit of all involved, even down the line to consumers of the products these companies make.

These aircraft have been used to transport people and equipment to locations far and near utilizing airports that an airliner could never land at nor would any self-respecting airline initiate service to. I have seen King Airs and Citations utilized to transport parts from remote manufacturing plants that kept Detroit assembly lines operating saving countless dollars. I have seen Learjets transport massive lights to Alaska so repair work on a pipeline could continue unimpeded through the night. I have seen heavy equipment operators use Cessna Caravans to haul parts to an area where there were no roads (they were using the heavy equipment to build the road) and land where there was no paved runway, only a cleared landing strip, so there would be no work stoppage.

Beyond these very legitimate, business uses, I have also seen corporations donate the use of their aircraft to transport sick children and their families to hospitals for better, more specialized care. I have seen corporations utilize their aircraft to help Special Olympians attend their games.

I do not advocate frivolous spending of corporations’ money. But there is nothing frivolous about the legitimate use of business jet aircraft by those companies that can afford it. So, please Congress, don’t dismiss this entire sector of aviation so easily. Especially when many from the government have partaken in the benefits of free or greatly reduced-cost trips on just such aircraft, saving time, frustration, and making their ability to work efficiently skyrocket.