Government agencies then use these tax-funded capital assets in the pursuit of commercial activities, thus consuming increasingly larger portions of the commercial marketplace. Must use FAA-approved parts, mechanics and procedures. Must purchase from commercial sources. Almost always, the agency self-insures, placing taxpayer capital at risk. Must pay insurance premiums.
Any training is voluntary and done at taxpayers' expense.
Must comply with and pay for all FAA training requirements for maintenance and crew personnel. It should be noted here that some of the nation's safest and most professional helicopter operators are in the government sector. HAI also supports government owning and operating aircraft for inherently governmental functions such as law enforcement. However, those assets should not be deployed against the taxpayers' livelihood that generated the tax base necessary to fund government operations. As the above table demonstrates, unfair Government advantages combine to form such a powerful and unfair competitive advantage that it is often impossible for the taxpaying private sector to compete against them.