This is written from Boston, where we are visiting grandson Rowan. As explained herein and heretofore, Rowan is beautiful, adorable, and brilliant.
Now, down to business. Fellow aviators, we have a job to do. Business aviation took a blast when Detroit's Big 3 went begging in three jets. Agreed, it was a silly thing for them to do considering the circumstances. The media, however, made it sound like business aviation itself is the culprit, which it is not.
We all need to join together and defend the very real business benefits of corporate aviation. National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is doing its part with an in-depth program to educate the powers that be, but we need to help. People we meet—knowing we are involved in aviation—often smirkingly comment about the Big 3 and their jets, then go on to jeer about the inanity of any business owning a jet.
I have found there is one good way to influence their opinion. I'm not saying it will convert them totally and immediately, but it will get them thinking.
Merely comment that, "Well, they don't really buy jets to avoid flying the airlines, you know. They buy them to do important jobs that can't be done any other way—jobs they just couldn't do without the corporate jet. For example, if a top-drawer sales team is needed in small-town South Florida all day today, then in small-town Oregon early tomorrow morning—rested and ready for a high-powered sales presentation—you can't do that job without a business jet."
Simply put, it's the job that counts. If the job to be done is more important than the cost of the trip by jet, obviously the trip is worth it.
There are many examples of the job that can't be done any other way. I once spoke to a huge company at Hilton Head, SC. It was a large employee meeting and it was very important that the company president be there to speak. It was equally important that he be in his headquarter office all that same day. Solution? He put in a full day at the office, rode the company jet to Hilton Head, then flew home after his speech.
My uncle had a big job with GE. In 1987 I asked him how he could ever justify riding in the jet. I'll never forget his answer. "Well," he said, "I once rode on a moment's notice to an emergency labor meeting. I was able to avert a nationwide strike and was back in my office the next morning. We figured it was worth it."
Let's spread the word.
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