June 22, 2021
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen was the featured speaker this week at a virtual “Launch Party” for the Delaware Valley Business Aviation Association (DVBAA), a new regional group comprised of NBAA members across Delaware, Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
Bolen thanked panel moderator and group co-chairman Justin Kinckle and other board members who worked over the past three years to bring the nation’s newest regional business aviation association to fruition.
“NBAA relies on our local, state and regional groups to really augment everything we do and help us in our mission to create an environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around the world,” he said.
Among the most pressing issues facing DVBAA members are the temporary flight restrictions from President Joe Biden’s weekend trips to his home in Wilmington, located “about 5 miles” from New Castle Airport (ILG) according to Ben Clendaniel, assistant director for airport operations at ILG.
Collaboration between DVBAA members and NBAA recently helped encourage the Transportation Security Administration to move one of two approved “gateway” airports into ILG from Newark International (EWR) to Allentown, PA (ABE), which is more accommodating to general aviation operators.
“That speaks volumes about how important it is that we work together to solve problems,” Bolen said. “Local problems quickly become national and international challenges, and how we deal with it always sets a precedent for what comes next.”
Bolen also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic’s role in bringing new users of business aviation, and he emphasized the importance of supporting greater diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the industry.
“We’re a close knit industry and we can learn from each other,” he said. “We can share our experiences, we can promote best practices and, working together, I think we can achieve an extraordinary level of efficiency and effectiveness to be relevant to a world that is changing rapidly. We can not only be part of that change; we can facilitate it.”
Bolen also noted the increased visibility of the industry’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. “Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is effectively going mainstream … and NBAA is working to increase its availability,” he continued. “We want [SAF] to be available, affordable and to be adopted.”
Kinckle also recognized NBAA Northeast Regional Representative Brittany Davies for her work in making the DVBAA a reality. “Even during the worst of the pandemic, Brittany became our teacher, our mentor and our biggest, most forthcoming advocate,” he said.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.