NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen has stepped up his defense of the use of business aviation as the industry has once again faced perception issues, this time for its sustainability. Bolen responded to a Bloomberg opinion piece that ran in The Washington Post calling for increased levies on business jets and curbs on shorter routes and “wasteful journeys.”

In a letter to the editor entitled “It’s Time to Stop Shaming an Essential Business Tool,” Bolen contended that the opinions set up a false debate on the value of business aviation. “Let’s get the facts on the table: business aviation is a critical component of our nation’s economy and transportation system, with important societal benefits and a strong momentum toward a net-zero carbon future,” he wrote. “Business aviation has, for decades, helped companies of all sizes—particularly small and midsize enterprises—gain key advantages in efficiency and productivity.”

The ability to use more than 5,000 airports helps businesses compete against larger city counterparts and fosters growth and economic opportunity, he maintained. Further, Bolen added, “Business aviation continually leads the way in emission reduction, thanks to a relentless investment in technologies that have slashed aircraft emissions nearly in half in recent decades.”

He also outlined business aviation’s goals of net-zero emissions for business aircraft by 2050 and efforts to accomplish this through sustainable aviation fuels and other carbon-cutting technologies.