Wingtips, Winter 2010 Page: 2
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private pilots."
The following letter
editorials:I
USA TODAY
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:My name is Dave Fulton. I am the Director of the Texas Department of Transportation's Aviation Division. Our primary
mission is the development and maintenance of a statewide system of airports in Texas. I am writing this letter in
response to recent editorials appearing in your newspaper criticizing the expenditure of taxpayer funds to support
general aviation airports throughout the nation. Your editorial reflects the same lack of understanding of the benefits of
general aviation and general aviation airports that has plagued general aviation throughout its history.
Admittedly, only a small percentage of the public use general aviation on a regular basis. However, the benefits of
general aviation for the public go far beyond personal use. Everyday, you or someone you know, is directly benefiting
from general aviation. When a member of your family is airlifted to a medical center, when someone's home is saved
from a forest fire, when a criminal is captured due to airborne surveillance, when you receive overnight airborne
package delivery, when someone gets a new plant job in a rural area that would not have occurred without business
aircraft access, these are all contributions made by general aviation.
The United States of America has the greatest commercial service air transportation system in the world, providing theDIRECTOR OF
AVIATION
David S. Fulton
TxDOT AVIATION ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
Gordon Richardson, Chairman (Caldwell
Pete Huff, Vice Chairman (McKinney)
Joe Crawford, Member (Abilene)
Greg Jones, Member (Houston)
Robert Bruce, Member (Boerne)
Michael Collier, Member (Lakeway)
MANAGING EDITOR
Chris Sasser
Texas Transportation Institute
c-sasser@tamu.edu
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Jason E. Hranicky
TxDOT Electronic Publishing Center
General Services Divisionis an official publication of the Texas
Department of Transportation Aviation
Division. The intent of WINGTIPS is to
keep the aviation community and
others informed of local developments
in aviation.
Printed circulation: 4,000.
Comments and suggestions are
welcome. Submission of articles is
subject to space and editorial review
and should be directed to the editor at:
wingtips~tamu.edu
Aviation Division, TxDOT
125 E. 11th Street
Austin, Texas 78701-2483
512/416-4500 or 1-800/68-PILOT
FAX: 512/416-4510
http:www.txdot.gov/services/aviation/defaulIt.htmmetropolitan centers throughout the nation. But America is a
large country with vast areas not accessible by the airlines.
Imagine our country with the national interstate system but
no state or local highways. Certainly, we could drive across
the country from north to south or east to west but how we
would get to the cities and towns that do not have an
interstate. The same is true for aviation. Without general
aviation, many cities and towns would simply be left out.
Economic development would suffer. As Sam Walton said
when beginning his chain of Wal-Mart stores in rural areas
many years ago, "I will not build a Wal-Mart store in a
town that does not have an airport. I plan to visit my stores
frequently and I don't have the time to drive there."
I appreciate the opportunity to express my views in your
newspaper. I urge you to take the time to gain a better
understanding of the benefits of general aviation and
general aviation airports prior to commenting further on
this important form of transportation.
David S. Fulton, Director
Aviation Division
Texas Department of Transportation+Copies of this publication have been deposited with the Texas State Library in
compliance with the state Depository Law.2 G7gm u 20 0
I
is my response to these
public a rapid means of transportation between major
P~Recently, on three different occasions, USA
Today published editorials severely criticizing
the use of aviation industry generated taxpayer
funds to improve "small airports" that do not
have airline service and "benefit only a few
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Texas. Division of Aviation. Wingtips, Winter 2010, periodical, Winter 2010; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth575846/m1/2/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.