Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside wrote this article on the EAA’s site… I’m going to use some of it…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made his first-ever visit to EAA AirVenture Thursday, labeling the event “phenomenal” and said his department and the Obama Administration are “1000 percent behind general aviation.

“We believe in it; it’s critical to the aviation industry in America and in the world.”

He added that his department of some 55,000 employees will do everything they can “to continue a very strong general aviation activity in America, and promote it, and do everything we can to be helpful.”

Wow, a whole Federal Department that’s for GA, and will do everything they can to continue a strong GA.  Wonder how they’d feel about taking on the DHS?

“They also provide a form of transportation people wouldn’t have if it weren’t for general aviation.”

Maybe he could educate Sen. Rockefeller (D-WV) about the utility of General Aviation and get him to stop with the moronic statements concerning our “ease” through security while he’s at it.

And lastly… the Secretary was…

Impressed by AirVenture’s emphasis on children
“I’m impressed with the programs that go on here,” LaHood added, commenting further on his first visit to AirVenture.

“People don’t just come here to showcase their planes; they obviously come here to learn. And I’m really impressed with this idea of getting young people involved—that is the future. No question about it.

“If you’re going to continue the legacy of Oshkosh and continue the legacy of general aviation, the best and easiest way to do it is to get young people energized and enthused,” he suggested.

“I have no doubt when these young people go up in airplanes and have a chance to meet with these aviators and meet with these general aviation enthusiasts, they get very enthused about it.” Involving the nation’s youth, Secretary LaHood concluded, is a way to ensure AirVenture will “be around for another 100 years.”

Well guess what?  If the TSA has its way with LASP and all the other things still out there (SD-8G, Operation Playbook, etc.), THERE WON’T BE ANY CHILDREN INVOLVED.

Why would they have anything to do with airplanes since they can’t hang around the fence and maybe, just maybe, they can lend a hand and get close to any airplane?  This is where the pilots of my generation started, pumping gas, washing planes.  Can’t do that anymore, no SIDA badge.

So, I would offer another plan, the way to ensure AirVenture is around another 100 years is to get the TSA and DHS to drop this LASP program, drop the other draconian efforts to stifle GA in this country and have them go find some bad guys.

So, add him to the list:

Secretary LaHood, U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590

Or call: 202-366-4000 Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm EST excluding Federal Holidays.

He is right about one thing, children are the future.  When I watch mine wipe down the airplane or help with the annual, just so we can go flying and I can hear “Dad, can we go upside down?”  It brings a tear some times when I remember my grandfather talking about the mail planes when they still had open cockpits…  LASP, SD-8G, Playbook, will kill all of that, every single bit.