Industry Challenge
With the ongoing expansion of global business aviation, issues relating to safety, security and operations have become international concerns. Addressing these challenges demands solutions that are global in scope.
NBAA Response
NBAA, as a member of IBAC, represents business aviation operators in the international arena and recently participated in the 42nd ICAO Triennial Assembly.
During the recent International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) 42nd Triennial Assembly, NBAA and other international business aviation groups, formally represented by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), came away with a series of big wins that could have significant long-term ramifications for business aircraft operators in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Each Assembly shapes ICAO’s agenda and guides its bodies and Member States in forming technical, economic and legal positions. The Assembly, which took place Sept. 23 to Oct. 3, 2025, in Montreal, included 192 Member States and 58 international organizations. IBAC, as an official observer organization, advocates for business aviation and offers expertise to ICAO.
“All of NBAA’s and business aviation’s priorities were reflected in the Triennial’s final report documents, which is a significant accomplishment for our constituency,” said Doug Carr, NBAA’s senior vice president of safety, security, sustainability and international operations. “That said, we must have reasonable expectations and should not expect to see rapid action on these issues. Advances occur during future triennials, meaning tangible impacts might not be seen for three, six, even nine years. Patience is key to achieving long-term progress.”
“...we successfully promoted a number of safety, security and environmental matters, including placing on ICAO’s radar the security and safety implications of flight tracking using ADS-B.”
Kurt Edwards IBAC Director General
Carr, along with other international business aviation executives, attributes part of this achievement to the substantial presence of the industry at the Triennial event.
“The global business aviation community fully engaged at this Assembly with 24 members in the IBAC delegation, our largest ever,” said IBAC Director General Kurt Edwards. “Beyond achieving our objective to raise the profile of business aviation at the Assembly, we successfully promoted a number of safety, security and environmental matters, including placing on ICAO’s radar the security and safety implications of flight tracking using ADS-B.”
Additionally, IBAC, in collaboration with its partner industry associations, furthered efforts in fatigue management, reaffirmed the sector’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and called for ICAO to address satellite navigation radio frequency interference.
“NBAA is grateful to the multi-national delegation of business aviation experts, led by IBAC, in Montreal,” said Carr. “The successes at this Triennial will enable the business aviation industry to continue its long-standing track record in safety while innovating in new technologies.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.