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The general aviation fleet today includes over 200,000 <br />aircraft ranging from experimental one -seaters to business <br />jets. This number is expected to increase to over 300,000 <br />by 1990. Roughly half of the present fleet is employed in <br />various aspects of business and corporate flying. Of the <br />top 1000 companies ranked by Fortune, more than half <br />operate their own planes. Many more are using air charter <br />and air taxi services. In the last 15 years, there has <br />been a 26% increase in the number of major firms that have <br />purchased their own aircraft. Manufacturers of general <br />aviation aircraft count on an even larger increase in the <br />future of business aircraft as more firms locate facili- <br />ties in small communities farther from larger airports, <br />and as major airlines reduce service to small airports. <br />In addition to the time and resultant cost savings, the <br />flexibility and versatility in general aviation stimulate <br />industry, commerce and manufacturers to locate their <br />plants and offices convenient to a general aviation air- <br />port. Case after case of business and industrial expan- <br />sion to new areas reveal that all things being equal, <br />accessibility to an airport was a key consideration in the <br />selection of a new site. <br />Airports in themselves may not necessarily be money <br />makers, but they attract people and businesses which <br />expand the tax base and produce overall economic growth. <br />10-21 <br />