A new campaign being undertaken by Cessna is seeking to counter “misinformation” in the media and the public’s perception regarding the business use of general aviation (GA) aircraft. The campaign, which includes a new website, www.cessnarise.com, will start out with pro-business aircraft advertisements in national newspapers and magazines, and aviation trade publications. Noting that business jets are a valuable resource that allows companies to be more competitive, CEO Jack Pelton says they are “a tool of industry, and one that should see its highest and best use during times of fiscal crisis. Anyone who has ever seen managers board a business aircraft at dawn and return well after dark, having visited multiple cities and attended countless meetings in one day, can attest to the fact that business aviation allows companies to get the most out of every minute of every day — exactly what is needed to work our way toward economic recovery.” Pelton explains that around 85 percent of business-use aircraft — mostly single- and twin-engine propeller and turboprop aircraft or smaller jets — belong to small or medium-size companies, and that the majority of passengers are middle managers or technicians. “The reality of business aviation is a far cry from the misconception of CEOs flying in large luxurious airplanes,” he says, adding that GA contributes 1.2 million jobs and more than $150 billion each year to the American economy at around 5,000 GA airports in the country.
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