Oct. 16, 2018

The Day 1 Keynote at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) brought a sense of enthusiasm, as a business aviation community invigorated by its recent victory in striking down so-called privatization of ATC services looks now to applying that energy and purpose toward securing the industry’s future.

Standing on a stage flanked by actual aircraft, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen recalled the important role NBAA members played in ensuring privatization was not included in the FAA reauthorization bill signed into law earlier this month.

“It was a remarkable community effort,” he said. “We made our voices heard in the halls of Congress and reached out to those we knew understood our industry, and who were our champions.”

Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-4-LA), one of the fiercest opponents of ATC privatization, said he recognized the issue not only as a potential threat to general aviation, but also to national security. He also emphasized the role aviation organizations and advocacy groups had in defeating the latest effort to privatize ATC, with NBAA members leading the charge and rallying industry support.

“Without the large team I’m looking at here at NBAA, along with GAMA, EAA and AOPA, we would be having a very different conversation [about ATC privatization] than we’re having today,” he added.

FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell noted long-term nature of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 allows the FAA to focus on its NextGen efforts to modernize the national airspace system.

“Business aviation has always been very helpful when it comes to supporting modernization, especially when it comes to adopting new technologies,” Elwell told attendees. “We need you to keep moving forward with us.”

Moving forward is also one of the core values for Enterprise Holdings, the world’s largest automotive rental and leasing company. Enterprise President and CEO Pamela Nicholson and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Christine Taylor related how their company’s storied past informs and influences its future.

“Enterprise continues to be a great American story,” Taylor said. “It’s about knowing what you are and what your core competencies are: mission, discipline, integrity and having fun. That resonates throughout our organization.”

Nicholson also emphasized the role of business aviation as an essential tool helping Enterprise manage operations in thousands of offices and locations around the globe. “We could not get done what we get done in business today without the aviation [assets] we have,” she said, noting the company purchased its first aircraft, a Beechcraft King Air C90, in 1976.

Next, Eric Allison, head of aviation programs for urban mobility enterprise Uber Elevate, briefed attendees on the development of a real-time, on-demand, global network of “aerial ridesharing” vehicles through partnerships with eVTOL manufacturers as well as real estate developers, technology developers and others.

“This effort was borne out of the observation that, around the world, traffic and congestion are not getting better,” he said. “Uber Elevate is here to think about urban aviation as the next thing to connect us together.”

As has become NBAA-BACE tradition, the first-day’s opening event closed with the presentation of NBAA’s Al Ueltschi Award for Humanitarian Leadership, recognizing those who use aviation in service to others.

NBAA presented this year’s award to renowned airshow performer Sean D. Tucker and the Bob Hoover Academy, which Tucker co-founded in 2016 to inspire underprivileged youth through exposure to aviation. Tucker accepted the recognition accompanied by program graduate Martin Mendez, who was recently hired as an A&P for a regional airline and is now undertaking flight training.

“This [effort] is all about letting the kids out there know their dreams are valid,” Tucker said. “We’re giving them something to believe in, and someone to believe in them… It doesn’t matter how rich or famous you are; you aren’t relevant if you’re not paying it back.”

Any person who attends an NBAA convention, conference, seminar or other program grants permission to NBAA, its employees and agents (collectively "NBAA") to record his or her visual/audio images, including, but not limited to, photographs, digital images, voices, sound or video recordings, audio clips, or accompanying written descriptions, and, without notifying such person, to use his or her name and such images for any purpose of NBAA, including advertisements for NBAA and its programs.

Oct. 17, 2018

Aviation Legends, Leaders Applaud Industry’s Fight Against ATC Privatization

In a video shown at the 2018 NBAA-BACE Day One Keynote, NBAA Board Chair Gen. Fig Newton thanked the general aviation community for its perseverance in the successful fight against ATC privatization.
Read More

Oct. 16, 2018

Day 1, Looking Toward Business Aviation’s Future

Opening day of NBAA-BACE brought a sense of enthusiasm, as the business aviation community looks now to applying it's energy and purpose toward securing the industry’s future. Read more in the Day 1 NBAA-BACE Report.
Read More

Oct. 16, 2018

Latest Harris Poll Survey Reaffirms Importance of Business Aviation to Companies, Communities

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today joined with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) to release the findings of the latest survey conducted by The Harris Poll demonstrating the value of business aviation in providing safe, efficient transportation to companies of all sizes, particularly those located in smaller communities with little to no commercial airline service.
Read More

Oct. 16, 2018

Manager’s Nightmare Education Session Addresses Workforce Retention Concerns

Christopher Broyhill, CAM, group COO for Vipping US Limited, discussed the results of a recent NBAA workforce survey, which demonstrated business aviation organizations are finding it more challenging to identify qualified pilots and mechanics.
Read More