European general aviation and its subset, business aviation, operate under significant constraints that act to reduce the value of those operations. Many operational, certification and pilot licensing regulations, airport accessibility, environmental restrictions, taxation and user fees all tend to reduce the utility and, ultimately, the value of the general aviation aircraft.

This is especially true for the business aircraft user. Whether it be passengers of a professionally flown Gulfstream or the owner of a Baron flying himself, each of these has but one thought in mind: transportation value. The inefficiencies associated with airline, road and rail travel within Europe provide the best reasons for business flying – escape from those constraints.

Yet, we are not immune from some of those constraints, either. The same crowded airports, congested air traffic services and environmental restrictions hamper our operations to greater or lesser degrees. Business aviation, however, has the advantages of being able to operate from a greater variety of airports, a variety of route options, the option to vary schedules to meet passenger needs and/or airport congestion, plus the advantages of privacy and security unique to general aviation. It is these advantages that will continue to allow general and business aviation to grow; setting one’s own schedule is a powerful incentive for today's business people.

The noose of increased restrictions, fees and taxes continues to tighten around the neck of business aviation, however. All European general aviation users must work through their user groups and associations to alert national regulatory authorities and the European Council and Parliament to the needs and advantages brought by business aviation. This must be done via rational and compelling arguments that demonstrate the economic advantage of corporate, charter and fractionally and privately owned aircraft. Without providing the ample evidence for these advantages, the many regulatory, governing and legislative bodies controlling Europe’s destiny will continue to short-change business aviation through ignorance of the virtues associated with this valuable and essential form of transportation. General and business aviation may be being strangled by benign neglect by those who could profit most from the unique advantages offered by this form of transportation.

The multiple sets of rules, regulations and restrictions promulgated by the several national governments and supra-national regulatory bodies tend to confuse and complicate aviation within Europe. And the one supra-national body that was to have rationalised these differences, the Joint Aviation Authorities, has found itself without a sufficiently strong mandate to implement its collective will.

The European community must devise comprehensive and rational policies and plans to facilitate aviation activities throughout the continent. Too often, environmental, regional and financial interests work at cross-purposes that result in both counterproductive and restrictive regulations for aviation. Policies and plans must reflect the needs and desires of the general aviation community as well as the need of the people.

If business aviation and the larger general aviation population are to flourish within Europe, all aviation interests must act in concert to both educate and shape the minds of regulators and legislators.

The aviation community must begin to bring its considerable political power to bear in the corridors of power. Too often aviation interests tend to become immersed and mired in technical issues that are but a small subset of what is really important to providing a structure in which to flourish. Yet in achieving these goals, we must also educate ourselves about the political process. Therefore, we must begin a dialogue in which regulator, legislator and aviator become sensitised to one another’s needs and desires.

We must reason together for the benefit of all Europe. We at IAOPA will continue to work toward

this end.

Phil Boyer, President, International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations