The Long Island Business Aviation Association, the "voice of aviation" on Long Island joins with all our fellow aviation advocacy organizations to strongly oppose user fees for turbine aircraft as proposed by President Obama.

LIBAA is deeply concerned that the new proposed $100.00 per flight tax would create a significant administrative burden on general aviation operators who presently pay for FAA services through an efficient per gallon fuel charge at the pump. Implementing this onerous tax would only necessitate the creation of a costly new federal revenue collection bureaucracy.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our board members, member organizations and fellow colleagues a very Happy New Year filled with much good health, happiness and continued success.

As we begin our journey into 2011 it is that time were we look forward to the promises of a New Year and reflect on the year just past and the work we accomplished and that work left unresolved.

As LIBAA began 2010 I am honored to have been appointed by the board to assume the position of President of this fine organization. I set out with the intention of truly serving in the most positive ways possible, with passion, commitment and dedication and working with my fellow board members to affect change where required to better our organization and our industry.

In 2010 a major focus of ours was to recommit ourselves to some of the basic principles that LIBAA was founded on including, working to better serve our member companies and helping to promote them. We also needed to redefine ourselves, and the first step was to change our logo, making it more current and relevant. The new logo is indicative of the new LIBAA attitude and commitment and represents a more forward thinking style and approach. Although it may appear as a small insignificant change, much thought went into the entire process and it represented a rebirth if you will of LIBAA and our service to the aviation community here.

IBAA President, Gene Portela

On December 2, 2010 the Long Island Business Aviation Association (LIBAA) held its end of the year meeting and dinner at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, NY. In spite of the busy holiday season, and the time constraints that most of us feel at this time of the year, the event was very well attended by association members and guests.

I would like to take this time to thank all of members for their continued support and commitment to our organization, which is even more appreciated during this unprecedented time in our industry. I would also like to thank our board members for their commitment, devotion and passion to our organization and all of their efforts to further the cause of general aviation here on Long Island. It can be a very thankless job but I certainly recognize your efforts and am grateful for your participation.

As we distance ourselves from 2009, I cannot help but look back on what may have been the most trying year our industry has ever faced.

First, we have all suffered the consequences of the most troubled economy both here and abroad since the Great Depression. It is an accomplishment that we have all hung in through that.
There was also the continued fallout from the three automakers’ CEOs’ decision to fly to Washington D.C. aboard private jets to seek billions of dollars in taxpayer assistance from Congress, and their subsequent inability to explain or defend the importance of corporate aircraft on the appropriate missions.

The media then assaulted our industry with misinformation on numerous occasions and helped create an environment that sought to punish companies and individuals for utilizing corporate jets in the normal course of their business.