February 24, 2011 - At a press conference held in Washington, DC, Pete Bunce, President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) was joined by John Rosanvallon, GAMA Chairman, and president and CEO of Dassault Falcon, in discussing data and trends impacting the industry in the U.S. and worldwide. 

"We've been through two difficult years and fortunately, we are starting to see some positive signs,? declared Rosanvallon. For example, although worldwide shipments of general aviation airplanes continued to decline for a third straight year, the rate of decline appears to be slowing, and general aviation billings are on the rise. Furthermore, flight hours have witnessed an uptick in recent months, from the historic lows of recent years.

Bunce observed that at a time when government resources are severely constrained, a more streamlined approach to the key priorities for business aviation ? including policies related to safety, security and aircraft emissions ? could help industry and government produce more effective policy outcomes with greater efficiency. 

?This industry has not stopped producing product ? in fact, the pace has been accelerating,? Bunce said. ?As our industry builds back to growth and prosperity, we will need to work in industry-government partnerships where there is tremendous pressure to do much more with much less. We know that the world is waking up to business aviation, and we need the regulators to be partners with us.? 

Bunce and Rosanvallon also took the opportunity to reiterate the importance of the industry?s work to correct misperceptions about business aviation ? work GAMA has undertaken, in part, through the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, which GAMA jointly sponsors with the National Business Aviation Association. 

?The image of general aviation is something that we have worked very, very hard on,? Bunce said, noting that GAMA and NBAA quickly launched No Plane No Gain after the now- infamous trip to Washington, DC made by the nation?s Big 3 auto executives in November 2008 to ask Congress for taxpayer assistance for their companies. The executives? trip aboard company aircraft set off a firestorm of criticism from policymakers.