The Aviation Indiana (AI) represents the complete spectrum of Indiana aviation activity, and as such offers a comprehensive perspective. AI is general aviation, as well as commercial service, aviation support industries, as well as aerospace educators, small communities as well as major metropolitan areas. AI provides the aviation industry with a forum for sharing common experiences. Aviation is a dynamic industry that requires an alliance of professionals from all facets. We disseminate current aviation information, exchange ideas, share concepts and concerns, and encourage one another in a very challenging career field.
Benefits include:
- Legislative Alliance. Each year AI focuses on several legislative hotspots and voices those concerns to State legislators and in many cases helps draft changes to law that help foster aviation.
- Networking. Since AI is a broad group of professionals, many connections can be made, many solutions can be found within the group. Through dialog, one discovers that many of the issues that are faced are common to all. The experience can flow freely to help find solutions.
- Exposure/Marketing. Membership is an excellent avenue to present your best attributes to a state-wide audience. Whether you are an airport, FBO, consultant, etc., each can find a prospect looking for what you have to offer. Each year AI compiles and publishes an Economic Impact Survey that can be a very useful tool in public relations and helping to generate an understanding of the importance of a local airport to the community.
- Training. AI offers both formal and non-formal training in a variety of venues for a variety of professionals. AI offer new Board member training, aviation law training, many airports and service providers offer training such as fuel/line training, wildlife hazard training, even Part 139 compliant training, for very little, or even FREE.
Links to the 2024 Board member Training Session Documents:
Indiana State Aviation System Plan/Airport Economic Impact Study
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)
- State and Federal Interaction. It is not uncommon for both State and Federal officials to not only attend AI meeting, they will often give time sensitive and information updates on what is taking place from the grants perspective. This allows members to stay abreast of critical project funding issues, and an opportunity to dialog face-to-face with decisions makers.
- Institutional Partnerships. Indiana is fortunate to have several aviation related universities that dovetail the next generation of aviation professionals into the current stream of aviation. Many CO-OP’s have helped to give hands-on experiences to young aspiring professionals, and more importantly, helped to keep these graduates stay in Indiana. AI has a sponsorship program that aids students involved in aviation offset some of the financial burden of learning their respective skills.