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Former Sen. Jim Inhofe, a steadfast supporter of general aviation, passed away early Tuesday at the age of 89. His family announced that he became ill over the holiday weekend and died surrounded by family just before 5 a.m. The New York Times reported that he died of a stroke.
Inhofe served 20 years in the Senate and sponsored numerous bills supporting general aviation, including the Pilot’s Bill of Rights, which reinforced individual rights for pilots within the regulatory framework. An experienced pilot himself, Inhofe had encounters with authorities that his legislation aimed to address. He was sanctioned by the FAA for landing on a closed runway under construction and had several rough landings, including one at age 81 in Ketchum, Oklahoma.
Despite these incidents, Inhofe was a prominent figure in the aviation community, advocating for general aviation throughout his tenure at Capitol Hill. “Sen. Inhofe was a master legislator and general aviation’s great champion,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “His Discharge Petition, General Aviation Revitalization Act, Pilots Bill of Rights, Basic Med and numerous FAA Reauthorization bills that have protected general aviation’s access to airspace and airports represent just a fraction of what Jim Inhofe has done to promote aviation,” Bolen added. “There is no one who has done more to help the United States have the largest, safest, most diverse and most efficient aviation system in the world. We will miss him greatly.”
