Dear Mr. President,

In light of your commitment to create "the most open and accessible administration in American History," I'm hoping to warrant a response from you and your administration. In fact, I am formally requesting to meet with you in person.

My name is Mike Vargo, a 1996 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Following an incredibly rewarding 10-year career as a Commander and Army Aviator, I am now the Director of Sales & Marketing for Corporate Air, a small business headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, and a global leader in private aviation services.

Upon departing the military, I spent several years in various sales and marketing positions; however, I quickly realized that something was missing. I desperately missed aviation. The Director of Sales and Marketing opportunity with Corporate Air truly seemed like the perfect fit -- an amalgamation of my two passions...sales and aviation. Suddenly, however, a misguided media barrage and unwarranted demonization of my industry ensued from Washington politicians...the same politicians that utilize private aviation and charter aircraft for themselves, and yet have the audacity to chastise others for utilizing the same invaluable business tool.

Mr. President, the state of the General and Business Aviation Industry is terribly alarming. In fact, there are indications that it may be teetering on disaster. Like many other industries in today’s tumultuous economic environment, General and Business Aviation is facing unprecedented challenges. Despite this fact, our dynamic industry is generally well-prepared and positioned to weather these cyclic economic challenges. However, the industry absolutely cannot survive if these challenges continue to be exacerbated and magnified by reckless, damaging statements and policies from your administration and the 111th Congress.

Business Aviation is essential to America. However, an understanding of this fact is not reflected in the overheated rhetoric emanating from Washington and the media. The images of the "greedy, cigar-smoking CEO" as the face of General and Business Aviation is a façade. Not only is it a gross mischaracterization, but a dangerous, demonizing stereotype. It is dangerous for many reasons. It is most dangerous, however, because it is costing jobs—the exact blue collar jobs you and your administration are seeking to protect. In your first major National address to a joint session of Congress, your advisors planned, and you chose to include, yet another disparaging remark about “CEOs disappearing on private jets.” Mr. President, who exactly were you referring to with this generalized, stereotypical remark? Do you care to clarify it for us? Your words actually mean something, Mr. President, and in this case your words are helping to further debilitate an entire industry, resulting in thousands of lost jobs. That is reality.

The politicians in Washington, and more importantly, the American people, deserve to hear and understand the truth about this vital industry. General and Business Aviation injects over $150 Billion annually into the U.S. economy. I submit to you that this is an incredibly “stimulating” figure! In addition, our industry employs over 1.2 Million Americans, the overwhelming majority of which are blue collar jobs! The vast majority of General and Business aircraft operating throughout the entire world are manufactured right here in the United States. Even the select few that are manufactured overseas are completed and maintained in American factories—from electronics and avionics to paints and interiors. Make no mistake--aircraft manufacturing is one of the few remaining sources of quality manufacturing jobs in our country, contributing immensely to our balance of trade. That is reality.

When we disparage and discourage businesses and individuals for owning or operating aircraft, they respond accordingly. The secondary and tertiary affects of this action cannot be overstated. In military terms, the business jet owner is the "center of gravity" of this industry. When we damage or destroy that center of gravity, the effects are devastating. Dwindling demand causes manufacturers, suppliers, maintenance facilities, FBOs, public-use airports, and entire communities to suffer dramatically. The "little guys" with the blue collar jobs that depend upon General and Business Aviation to feed their families are losing their jobs. That is reality.

General and Business Aviation provides a lifeline to communities across this great country. While the major commercial airlines serve approximately 500 airports with only 30 major hubs, General and Business Aviation supports over 5,000 public-use airports, ensuring economic stability and viability in towns that have limited or no commercial airline service at all. In the last year alone, over 100 U.S. cities lost commercial airline service completely. Businesses and communities in these parts of the country have no other option -- they absolutely depend upon General and Business Aviation for the very survival of their businesses and communities. That is reality.

Business Aviation is an efficiency and productivity tool for tens of thousands of businesses to conduct both domestic and international business functions. Business Aircraft, which contrary to the fiction presented on television, actually consist primarily of smaller airplanes -- pistons and turboprops -- not the ultra luxurious stigmatizing "Private Jet." In addition, 86% of these flights transport low to mid-level managers, sales personnel, and technical experts -- not C-level executives. Some of the invaluable benefits of utilizing these aircraft include: the ability to travel to multiple destinations in a single day in the most efficient and cost-effective manner; the assurance of safe, secure travel for high-risk, high-profile individuals; the ability to conduct meetings and discuss proprietary information in a "private boardroom in the sky;" the reassurance of schedule predictability, considering the airlines average less than a 70% on-time rating; and countless other benefits that provide our country’s businesses a competitive advantage in order to survive hardship. There is no better way to "create more time in the day" than to utilize these aircraft as business tools. In short, it is crucial to remember that in business, "Efficiency = Productivity = Profit." That is reality.

Another overlooked fact is that General and Business Aviation is a life-saver for those in need. These aircraft are constantly utilized for humanitarian and disaster relief missions. During hurricanes, earth-quakes, tornadoes, wildfires, and other disasters, private aircraft are in extremely high-demand. From evacuating people, to transporting food, medical, and other supplies to and from disaster-ridden areas, private aviation fills a void that simply cannot be met by any other industry. These aircraft are routinely used for volunteer missions for the Red Cross, National Guard, and Veterans of our Armed Forces. That is reality.

Each and every day, Mr. President, I look out my window and see private aircraft being utilized by organizations such as Angel Flight, AirCare Alliance, Wings for Children, and countless other charitable entities. I am often overcome with emotion as I watch a balding child, escorted by medical personnel and grieving parents, being carried off a private plane and placed immediately into an ambulance for life-saving treatments at one of Pittsburgh’s premier medical facilities. These are private aircraft that are donated by the very jet owners being assaulted on the nightly news and chastised in the halls of congress! Again, that is reality.

Mr. President, the issues discussed above are what truly define General and Business Aviation. The Washington rhetoric must end, and the media circus should take an eternal intermission. As you are well-aware, our government leaders utilize "private" aviation in order to run your “business,” the business of the United States Government. In fact, I am well aware that you, Vice President Biden, and numerous others chartered private aircraft throughout your campaign. The only question is, "Who paid for it?" Media executives and owners of NBC, ABC, and all other news agencies that shamelessly bash and demonize the use of private aircraft, actually utilize it for the same invaluable reasons -- safety, security, dependability, flexibility, speed, efficiency, and countless other legitimate reasons. These aforementioned individuals and organizations are doing a tremendous disservice to our industry by perpetuating reckless, inaccurate, and gross mischaracterizations. As a graduate of our Nation’s premier leadership academy, I do not purport to be omniscient or the epitome of a great leader. However, I do know this: The "Do as I say, but not as I do" style of leadership is ineffective at best. In fact, it is both hypocritical and disingenuous, bringing great discredit among those that bear or condone it.

We remember your campaign messages of "optimism and hope" -- unfortunately the "little guys" employed in our industry were left out of your political tent, leaving them with gut-wrenching feelings of "doom, gloom, and despair!" Please accept and consider this formal request to meet with you and your administration in order to discuss in greater detail the state of one of America’s vital industries -- the industry of General and Business Aviation.

Very Respectfully,

Michael W. Vargo
Director, Sales & Marketing
Corporate Air, LLC
15 Allegheny County Airport
West Mifflin, PA 15122
MVargo@CorporateAirLLC.com
(412) 469-6800 x252