The aviation industry in the United States, whether it be general, business or commercial aviation, is a behemoth when it comes to operations, services provided and contributions made to the global economy. With over 2 million passengers and over 50,000 tons of cargo transported per day in the U.S. alone, the aviation industry supports an estimated 56.6 million jobs globally and contributes 3.5% of the global GDP according to the Air Transport Action Group. These numbers are only expected to grow.

 

However, the infrastructure that this industry relies on is increasingly outdated and federal funding has fallen substantially. These cuts have resulted in delayed flights and congestion in the supply chain for nearly every business, in turn creating a drag on the economy. If current federal funding levels are maintained, the cost to the overall economy will rise from $34 billion in 2020 to $63 billion in 2040.

 

Updating aging fleets, aging airports and an aging air traffic control system is necessary to ensure that the United States' aviation market remains competitive with the rest of the world. It is my passion to pursue a career that takes on these types of projects to support the future economic viability of the American aviation industry.