Buffeted by public opinion of private planes as symbols of luxurious excess -- and wary of legislation subjecting them to new fees -- a group representing private pilots has enlisted some star power to help reclaim its image.

The effort comes as Congress prepares to move ahead with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bill that may be at odds with a controversial aviation provision tucked into President Obama's budget proposal.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), a powerful organization whose membership stretches across most congressional districts, unveiled an ad campaign Monday that aims to showcase general aviation's contributions to the economy, starring longtime member Harrison Ford.

General aviation is facing "the most serious challenge" in its history, including new fees that could jeopardize 1.2 million jobs and take a bite out of $150 billion in economic benefits derived from general aviation, Ford says in the video.

Andrew Broom, vice president of communications for AOPA, said the video refers to a placeholder in Obama's fiscal 2010 budget outline. A footnote in the budget proposes to eliminate $7.2 billion in unspecified aviation excise taxes and replace them with unspecified "direct user charges."

"The goal would be to have that go away," Broom said, referring to the fee placeholder.