Campaign Officials Stress Importance of Aerospace Industry

Washington — Representatives of President George W. Bush and challenger Sen. John Kerry said the aerospace industry is vital to the nation's economic health and security and must be supported in any future president's administration.

Speaking to the Aviation and Space Stakeholders Coalition meeting at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) headquarters Monday, the campaign representatives agreed on the pressing need to ensure the future competitiveness of aerospace businesses.

Association President and CEO John Douglass said it was heartening to hear the candidate representatives recognize the importance of aviation and aerospace to the country.

"It's good to see both campaigns recognize the significance of the aerospace industry," Douglass said. "We only hope they back this up with investments of both time and money to support critical programs and improvements."

Douglass also urged both campaigns to recognize the importance of upgrading the nation's civil aviation system to ensure the security and reliability of air travel.

Former Congressman Bob Walker represented the Bush campaign while former NASA Associate Administrator Lori Garver spoke on Kerry's behalf.

They addressed more than 80 members of the coalition, which brings together the leaders of the associations that represent the manufacturers, operators, distributors and labor unions of the aerospace industry.

Several questions from members concerned efforts to improve an air traffic control system that is becoming outdated. An AIA priority this campaign season is to secure commitments from the candidates for an accelerated program to develop and deploy a new air traffic control system based on modern technology.

The situation is made worse by forecasts of dramatic increases in air traffic demand in the near future, Douglass said. "We think the candidates need to set some clear and unambiguous goals on modernization," Douglass said.

According to AIA officials, without an investment in this next-generation air traffic control system the nation would see a situation similar to the gridlock at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport repeated in as many as 25 other airports. Failure to act could also cost the industry billions of dollars in travel delay expenses. Any investment made in improving the system is more than paid for by positive impacts on the economy since the aerospace and aviation industries account for about 27 percent of the nation's total import and export activity.

Walker and Garver said their respective candidates have taken positions to make air traffic control improvements a priority.