In case you didn’t know one of the proposals in the auto bailout bill is well meaning, yet could be damaging to aviation.

I understand that punishing the car makers or anyone else on private air travel makes for good press, but in reality is stupid! I mean you can’t legislate good sense. Laws are there for people to protect people who will abide them and generally, people do abide by them; however many an idiot has died while obeying a law.

The problem is not private air travel or even the ownership of a private plane. The problem is not even specifically that they flew them to the meeting in the first place. No, no, no the problem is they don’t have enough good sense to realize that an airplane like many other things in business can be used as a tool, a time saver, and many other things, but if it doesn’t make good economic sense or fit in your budget then you don’t do it!

I mean all the other small business people who own aircraft realize when you don’t have the money or it doesn’t fit in the budget you don’t fly your plane. I mean to spend $30,000 for convenience when some inconvenience for $300 makes a lot more sense and fits the budget that’s what you do! Is it really too much to ask people to make a budget and be a good manager of the shareholders investment? If it is then like the “bailout” this will be good intentions legislated that can or will likely cause more harm and be harder to undo than a simply saying get it together or we will get someone who can!

Just please don’t make that next person someone from the government!