February 18, 2010 in Business, Legal Articles by admin

To Drive or Fly to Your Destination, That Is the Question

Hoofing it to that far away destination may be an alternative, but not a viable one. Flying, on the other hand, now that makes far more sense.

Typically, most Americans figure they get things done faster because they have a car to get from point A to point B. Many of them also forget that they spend about half the day on the road getting to all the places they need to go. Don’t forget that it isn’t just going from home to work either; it’s taking the dry cleaning in, drop the kids at school, go for a hair appointment, hit the post office, the grocery store, pick up your cat at the vet and so on. That’s a small snapshot of a day in the life of an average American needing to travel a whole lot in one day to get things done.

The average American is much like the average (to not so average) business that has to travel a whole lot in one day to get things done. The major exception here, of course, is the fact that the point A to point B journey typically involves thousands of miles and may mean having to get to different countries as well. Obviously driving is out of the question. Enter the necessity of flying to do business.

Here is the problem though. Most Americans think that corporate jets are just for joyriding. Really, who could blame them for that impression given some of the stories they’ve read in the news lately, and now the rest of the business aviation industry is suffering because of it.

Not everyone or every business that uses jets to get around is doing it because they have the money to do so. This isn’t about wealth. This is about doing business in a country so vast that it is impossible to accomplish much unless one has the ability to respond quickly to various business developments.
It’s almost a no-brainer to look at the thousands of miles some companies need to navigate to understand why they need business aviation at their disposal. They fly because they need to in order to stay in operation. If they didn’t fly, they wouldn’t have a company and would not be contributing to the economy.

Think that company executives should be taking commercial airline flights? You’re right, they should when it makes sense. However, there is no sense in trying to book a commercial flight to a place where no commercial airlines fly and there is no airport. In other words, if you can’t get to where you are going commercially, then you should utilize corporate aviation.

That makes sense to those in business. It doesn’t make sense to the general public, because they have not been there and done that. So really, it’s a matter of education about the business aviation industry and why it is vital to America. Company operated aircraft are about flexibility and productivity, about making money that goes into the nation’s coffers, and about providing jobs to Americans. What more could you ask for?

Stewart H. Lapayowker, P.A. is an aviation attorney and aviation transaction lawyer, focusing on airplane and jet transactions. To learn more, visit Businessaviationcounsel.com.

February 18, 2010 in Business, Legal Articles by admin

The Real Truth About Business Aviation

Business aviation is not about flying in the lap of luxury at the drop of a dime. It’s about keeping the nation moving in more ways than one.

Unfortunately a great many people in America think that corporate jets are the toys for the boys behind the desks of big companies. While it is true that corporate America does use planes to do business, they do not, for the most part, hip-hop from place to place just “because they can.” Business aviation is one of the cornerstones of what makes this great country prosper.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that business aviation contributes well over $150 billion to our economy each year. This industry also gives jobs to over 1.2 million people; jobs that are stable and pay good wages. This can’t always be said about the rest of the economy. In addition, a large majority of the general aviation aircraft in service around the world are made, run, serviced, and taken care of in the US. That’s not exactly small potatoes when it comes to being a reliable, trustworthy, innovative, and critical industry that is part of the lifeblood of American commerce.

While there are some aviation companies that do manufacture their planes abroad, they bring them to the US to complete. The US has a sterling reputation for aircraft components, even aircraft completion centers, paint, engines, automation systems, electronics, and avionics. Think about the dollars this industry pumps into the economy.

Business aircraft manufacturing is a major source of good jobs in the US, the kind of employment that can continue well into the future. Interestingly enough, it is also one of the very few industries that still actively contributes to maintaining a positive trade balance. At this time in our economic development, we desperately need industries that boost our economy, providing some light at the end of the tunnel during this major recession.

Another fact that not too many people realize is that business aviation lets companies quickly and safely get tools and materials from one place to another; the kinds of materials that can’t be taken on board a commercial airline. Operating a business aircraft lets those doing business get from one destination to another, solving problems as they crop up during the course of doing trade. This increased mobility helps companies solve their problems rapidly, effectively and efficiently.

Don’t forget that any business aviation aircraft needs support crews, maintenance personnel, pilots, technicians, dispatchers, schedulers, and other critical employees to keep their planes in the air doing business. Overall, the big picture for business aviation is one of contributing to a growing economy, striving to stay current in the 21st century, contributing an enormously valuable service to the nation, and allowing commerce to flourish under some tough conditions.

Do corporate jets mean the big boys are playing at the taxpayer’s expense? The nation’s trade balance sheet shows otherwise.

Stewart H. Lapayowker, P.A. is an aviation attorney and aviation transaction lawyer, focusing on airplane and jet transactions. To learn more, visit Businessaviationcounsel.com.