A dearth of open space suitable for urban development has combined with the need for cash-strapped municipal governments to seek short-term tax revenues, creating a "perfect storm" in the ongoing assault on general aviation airports.

Out in Oklahoma -- the birthplace of business aviation, according to state aviation director Vic Bird -- they practice what they call "airvangelism." "Airvangelism is an awareness campaign, letting average citizens know just how important the aerospace industry is in our state," Bird told B&CA. "The second part of it involves telling them how important their GA airports are. I simply make people aware of something they take for granted."

With your Gulfstream vectored to the localizer and cleared for the approach at FL 330, you drop the main gear, call for positive flaps, deploy the Spey's thrust reversers, and push the nose over to a 22-degree negative angle of attack. Egads! With the flaps extended above the wing-like spoilers, airspeed pegs at 250 knots, and you set up a 10,000-fpm rate of descent. As the altimeter unwinds dizzyingly, you allow approach speed to build to 300 knots, then with the runway threshold looming in the windshield, call for down-flaps to begin breaking the descent.