NBAA Announces New Maintenance Training Scholarship

Contact: Dan Hubbard at (202) 783-9360 or dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, May 25, 2005 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today welcomed a plan introduced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to resume general aviation operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

“This is great news for the business aviation community, the Washington region and the nation,” Bolen said. “The plan presented by the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration represents a significant breakthrough in our long-standing effort to promote access to airports and airspace for the general aviation community.

“We commend officials at DHS, TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for recognizing that effective security measures can coexist with normal economic activity at Washington National Airport, and for allocating the time and resources needed to develop this plan. Credit for this event also goes to leaders in Congress, who have staunchly supported efforts to restore access for general aviation to Washington National Airport.

“While enthusiasm may be tempered in some corners by the restrictions in the plan, our experience in restoring access to Washington airspace for commercial and general aviation tells us that the development of operational procedures is constantly evolving. This plan, therefore, should be viewed as a good first step in normalizing general aviation operations at DCA. NBAA will continue to work with the DHS, TSA, FAA and leaders in Congress to build upon this plan with reasonable procedures that ensure security without prohibiting mobility.

“We look forward to working with security officials and leaders in Congress to ensure that this plan for returning general aviation to Washington National Airport is implemented in a safe, secure and orderly fashion.”

For more information, visit the NBAA web site at www.nbaa.org/dca.

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Founded in 1947, NBAA serves more than 7,000 Member Companies by promoting the aviation interests of organizations utilizing business aircraft in the United States and worldwide. The association provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.