ABACE Forum Focuses on Business Aviation in Asia

Contact: Cassandra Bosco

Washington, DC, July 19, 2004 – On Thursday, July 15 and Friday, July 16, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) hosted its first international Business Aviation Regional Forum at Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre. A total of 282 Attendees from more than 20 countries participated in the Forum, which focused on business aviation in Asia, an emerging market with great potential for business aircraft and related products and services. It also served to kick off NBAA’s new Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE), which will debut next summer in Shanghai.

On Thursday, NBAA moderated a well-attended Special Session titled “What Is Business Aviation?” where panelists discussed the issues, opportunities and challenges facing business aviation in Asia. Panelists for the session included:

• Jack Kuss, a former NBAA Board member, who discussed business aviation standards and how business aviation is a tool for economic development
• Zhang Hongying of Air China Business Jet, who provided an analysis of barriers to business aviation development in China along with countermeasures
• Duane Futch, director of Wal-Mart Aviation, who demonstrated the successful use of business aviation by a company with a worldwide business presence, including Asia
• Bill McBride, senior director, flight operations, Home Depot, who discussed how business aviation has been instrumental to the growth and success of his company
• Don Spruston, director general, International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), who explained the purpose of IBAC and its International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO)

The ABACE Forum featured exhibits and static aircraft that showcased business aviation to operators, non-operators, regulators and decision-makers from Asia and companies from the United States conducting business in that region. Exhibitors included:

• Atlantic Turbines
• B/E Aerospace
• Bombardier
• Elite Traveler
• Embraer
• Flying Magazine
• Gore Design
• Gulfstream
• Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre
• Metrojet Ltd.
• Satcom Direct
• Universal Weather & Aviation

The ABACE Forum was an opportunity for Exhibitors to make announcements and launch products, such as Metrojet’s launch of its Insignia advantage card program on Thursday. Metrojet is a leading provider of corporate aircraft charter services in Asia.

On Friday, the typhoon that hit Hong Kong did not dampen the spirit of the event. NBAA hosted a roundtable discussion and lunch with more than 60 industry officials from all over Asia. An Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) working group meeting also was held.

The following activities are tentatively scheduled for ABACE2005 in Shanghai:

• A major plenary session on safety, which will highlight the excellent safety record of business aviation
• A government session, which will highlight the importance of airport and airspace access for business aviation
• An AsBAA session, which will provide an update about the only recognized business aviation association in Asia and its activities
• A session about Why Companies Use Business Aircraft, which will focus on successful companies that use aircraft to strengthen their businesses
• A session on new products, which will highlight the technology available to business aircraft operators that promote safe and efficient operations
• Networking opportunities encouraging Attendees to share business aviation best practices

For more information or to download the Special Session PowerPoint presentation, visit the ABACE web site at www.abace.aero.

NBAA represents the aviation interests of more than 7,600 companies that own or operate general aviation aircraft as an aid to the conduct of their business, or are involved with business aviation. NBAA Member Companies earn annual revenues approaching $5 trillion — a number that is about half the gross domestic product — and employ more than 19 million people worldwide. The NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention is the world’s largest display of civil aviation products and services.

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