General aviation encompasses approximately 289,000 aircraft in the United States, of which approximately 222,000 are piston-powered and utilize aviation gasoline. The general aviation community contributes $246.8 billion annually in total national economic contribution and 1.2 million jobs in communities across the country. Over 5,000 public-use airports and more than 15,000 private landing facilities provide an important, and sometimes the only, fast, reliable, flexible air transportation for small and rural communities.