The NBAA Local and Regional Group Committee is working to update and enhance the many online resources that the association provides to help local and regional groups better advocate for business aviation in their communities.
NBAA Local and Regional Group Chair Kyle Eiserer noted that among the most valuable resources is the Regional Business Aviation Groups Library. Available at nbaa.org/regional, the library includes a detailed guide that addresses many of the common questions that arise when forming or maintaining a local aviation group.
- What is the best LLC arrangement?
- What are some tax liability questions?
- Are there some organizational documents that we could review to help get our group started?
“For established groups, we also offer tools like our Workforce Development Guide, which has links to various resources and events for students in elementary school, middle school, high school and college,” Eiserer added.
“Local and regional associations are important pillars of advocacy and workforce development, and through collaboration we all become a stronger force for business aviation.”
Steve Hadley Senior Director, NBAA Regional Program
Also useful are the recorded quarterly meetings between the NBAA Local and Regional Group Committee and various regional aviation groups, which Eiserer noted can offer valuable insights on tackling many common challenges facing industry associations.
“For example, our last session included a segment focused on leveraging social media and automating websites, as everyone’s time is at a premium,” he said.
NBAA also recently updated the templates that local and regional groups can utilize when structuring their organizational model or planning an event, ranging from safety seminars to golf outings.
“Above all, we try to showcase and make available resources that may not be readily available otherwise,” Eiserer said.
Steve Hadley, senior director of NBAA’s regional program and Southwest Central regional director, noted that the depth and content of the association’s regional group resources have grown as more local groups share their ideas and experiences.
“Other NBAA standing committees have also engaged with these groups to inform both sides on how to best tackle industry challenges,” said Hadley. “Local and regional associations are important pillars of advocacy and workforce development, and through collaboration we all become a stronger force for business aviation.”
Review NBAA’s regional group resources at nbaa.org/regional.
Members Drive Success of Georgia Business Aviation Association
Growing the industry’s next-generation workforce is among the most important focus areas of the Georgia Business Aviation Association (GBAA), which was formed in 1993.
“Finding and retaining talent has been very difficult over the last couple of years, even as we’ve been fortunate to see surging demand for business aviation,” said GBAA President Ashley Charnley. “We’re all feeling the strain, not only in the sheer number of jobs that need to be filled, but also in how we all manage our time.”
In addition to spotlighting workforce issues at GBAA events, the group offers scholarships to students to use toward their education or to assist with flight training. Scholarships are also available for those already working in the industry.
“We’re closing in on $1 million in scholarships awarded since our founding,” Charnley said, adding that two past recipients now serve on GBAA’s board. “It’s pretty cool to see people who received scholarships 10 years ago now working in aviation.”
Such efforts require significant work by GBAA’s approximately 600 individual members, and Charnley is quick to credit them for the group’s success.
“We have an incredible membership that does so much work behind the scenes to bring these programs to reality,” she said. “My most important role as president is to support their efforts as best I can.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.