Aviation community mourns Sen. James Inhofe's passing at age 89

NATA president and CEO Curt Castagna echoed these sentiments, stating, "Sen. Inhofe’s legislative skill and deep understanding of the importance of general aviation left an indelible mark on our nation’s aviation infrastructure and skilled workforce."

Eric Fanning, president and CEO of Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), described Inhofe as one of the U.S. Senate’s "greatest champions of American aerospace and defense." Fanning noted that Inhofe was a skilled pilot with a remarkable legacy of dedication to both civilian aviation and military support.

Inhofe first entered Congress in 1986 as a member of the House of Representatives. He became prominent within the general aviation community by advocating for transparency in legislative procedures such as discharge petitions. This advocacy helped move significant legislation like GARA forward.

Throughout his Senate career beginning in 1994, Inhofe continued to support airport infrastructure projects, oppose user fees and tax increases on aviation, and advocate for workforce initiatives.

His love for flying occasionally led to publicized incidents. Notably, he lost a propeller on his Grumman Tiger during a flight to Oklahoma City with then-President Bill Clinton onboard. Another incident involved landing on a closed runway at Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport in Texas; this event spurred him to fight for pilots' rights alongside Senate majority leader Harry Reid.

In 2013, tragedy struck when his son Perry Inhofe died in an aircraft crash near Owasso, Oklahoma.

Beyond aviation, Inhofe was known nationally for opposing climate change measures while chairing the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee. He also supported defense initiatives as part of his role on the Senate Armed Services Committee.