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 The
Georgia Airports Association (GAA) Georgia's airport system is an extremely
important and valuable transportation resource for the state's residents,
businesses, and visitors. Currently, there are 103 publicly owned airports
in what we call the Georgia Statewide Aviation System. Of these 103 airports,
94 are General Aviation (GA) facilities that serve only private and corporate
aviation. The other 9 airports provide for commercial or regularly scheduled
airline service in addition to serving the interests of general aviation.
The Mission of the Georgia Airports Association,
or GAA, is "to provide, develop, and expand a safe and efficient airports
system to meet the future economic growth of Georgia through the full
implementation of the State Aviation System Plan (SASP)." The SASP recognizes
that airports are an indispensable component of the state's total transportation
system that strongly supports the state's economy.
Of the 103 public airports in Georgia, 49
airports have less than 20 based aircraft. While representing all the
airports in Georgia, the GAA is a valuable and vocal state-wide voice
for these smallest airports, because these airports do no rank high enough
in the FAA's priority system to receive Federal funds. This make's the
state's aviation program all the more important, since it is the state's
program that provides the only source of funding for most airports.
Basically, GAA attempts to speak for all
airports within the state to get the maximum amount of financial support
it can for every airport regardless of size or type. It does this by educating
the local state representatives and senators on the economic importance
of airports to the state and in their specific districts and hometowns.
Many of our elected representatives know they have an airport within the
district. However, many are unaware of the vital role these assets play
in connecting their areas into the aviation system for their region and
the state, and how this ties them into a nationwide aviation system that,
in today's environment, even has international implications for the smallest
airport in the state. Even more important, until they understand the significance
of timely transportation by air in today's economic environment, many
times they don't realize the draw a first-class airport can have bringing
businesses into their hometowns and districts.
Additionally, GAA provides a networking organization
for all the airports in the state. Many of the airports in the state are
managed and run by a one or two person team. Many times these same teams
are at the airport on a part-time basis, because they have other responsibilities
as part of a public works department or other organization within the
County or city. The GAA provides an interface to airports of all size
and complexity. The organization provides a forum where questions can
be asked and answers and documents shared by people within the same business.
There's the old adage about "reinventing the wheel", and there is usually
some airport within the GAA who has had the same or a similar problem.
This information allows the smaller airfields to accomplish much more
in a limited period of time with the money and resources they do have
available.
Each year, the GAA holds an annual conference
and convention. Besides the comradery this engenders, time is spent wisely
in seminars and meetings with experts in the field of airport operations,
airport business, airport finance, safety, and wildlife control for example.
Representatives from the state's Aviation Programs Office and the FAA
are brought in to talk about new plans, incentives, or initiatives and
to bring attendees the most current information on funding available and
how to qualify and access these funds.
GAA understands and strives to get out the
word that "airports mean business", and, in today's dynamic, globally
interconnected world, this has never been more true a message.
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