I wonder how many people are employed in the Oz GA industry? **
What contribution does GA make to both the economy and the community generally?
Not easy to get those numbers but ballpark?
I would like to see the GA sector be publicised as an important industry to the country. If people recognise it as important, it becomes harder for governments to ignore issues in that industry and attractive for oppositions to take up their cause.
3 billboards outside Wagga would have a greater impact if the public was aware that GA was an important contributor to the economy and big contributor to society generally. Not a criticism of the billboards but a comment on how to make anything we do to highlight industry problems more effective.
** my estimates... all guesses, feel free to be critical:
GA (employed) pilots/Instructors: 5000?
Flight crew 500?
Air Services (this shared between GA and RPT so estimate 1/4 for GA?) 800?
CASA staff needed due existence of GA: (say 1/4 for GA): 200
Engineers/Apprentices (1 per 5 pilots?) 1000
Non flying trainers/instructors: 500?
Admin: (1 per 5 pilots?): 1000
Logistics/Supply chain: (1 per 20 pilots?): 250
Others? 500?
so say around 10,000 people who are directly employed in GA? If that reasonable and assume an average salary $50k - that is roughly a $500 million p.a. industry.
What we get in return to society, obviously jobs but also:
training of pilots, aircrew and professional staff for not just GA but for the whole air transport industry (including training of overseas students with associated contribution of foreign capital to our economy),
search and rescue services,
aerial ambulance services,
fire fighting and prevention services and support,
transport (goods, services and passengers) particularly for remote and regional areas,
media/press services,
recreational activities,
resource exploration,
environmental monitoring,
support for industries requiring unusual access,
power and pipeline inspections,
agricultural services etc etc.
I have no idea if my $ numbers are reasonable but if we really do have a half billion dollar industry - we really should be making that known!
(ie headlines like: "Government crippling 1/2 $Billion industry!" or "Government makes vital regional services un-financial")
Last edited by jonkster; 4th Dec 2018 at 21:31.