Sen. Jim Inhofe

Sen. Jim Inhofe’s family can be found parked among the Warbirds this weekend. The Oklahoma senator has been attending AirVenture for 29 years, and has passed the love of the event on to his family. No matter how busy they are, Inhofe’s children and grandchildren meet him at EAA AirVenture to celebrate the impact aviation has had on their lives.

"I’ve flown with my sons, and now I’m flying with my grandchildren," Inhofe said. "I think one of the legacies I’m most proud of is keeping the passion for aviation alive for two more generations of my family. My kids are great pilots, naturally, since I was their flight instructor."

In his roles as pilot, teacher, father, and senator, Inhofe is able to stretch that legacy beyond the boundaries of his family. "There are always things happening on the Hill that impact aviation," he said. "Since I’m the only active commercial pilot left in the Senate, no one fights harder than me to keep a diverse group of pilots and planes in the sky."

FAA reauthorization has been a major topic of the Hill, and the debate over general aviation user fees has not escaped Inhofe’s attention. While the financial implications of user fees are clear for pilots and manufacturers, he is also concerned about the viability of businesses that support and develop general aviation innovations.

"When Congress created the first income tax in 1916, they promised it would only affect the small group of very wealthy people in America, and be only a small percentage of their income; we can see how that turned out," Inhofe said. "User fees present a very similar situation, and we need to keep Congress from opening the door to a whole new bureaucracy that could hit general aviation hard in the years to come."

Inhofe said he is also looking forward to working with EAA members and getting their opinions on how best to move forward. "EAAers have always had great success in mobilizing to keep the planes flying," he said. "Whether it’s the sport pilot classification or finance issues like user fees, I know they will offer a sound opinion, and that Congress will listen. If I can help shape the debate with my own experience and the information I learn at AirVenture, I can better protect the ability of my kids and grandkids to keep flying."