NBAA Board Approves Development of Business Aviation Certification Program

Contact: Cassandra Bosco

Washington, DC, August 2, 2001 – At its June meeting, the Board of Directors of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) approved moving forward with a certification program for business aviation flight department managers. NBAA and its Corporate Aviation Management Committee intend to develop the program and administer the first certification exam in October 2003.

Business aviation certification through NBAA’s program will involve voluntary education, training, mentoring and testing of potential flight department managers. All business aviation professionals, including managers, pilots, maintenance technicians, schedulers, dispatchers and flight attendants, are eligible for the program and encouraged to seek certification. Individuals enrolled in the Association’s existing Professional Development Program (PDP) will be recognized as potential candidates for certification.

NBAA’s national, voluntary business aviation certification program will:

• Define the profession of corporate aviation management
• Provide nationally recognized, industry-wide standards that will create the highest level of management quality and professionalism within corporate aviation
• Identify those who are qualified to be the next generation of corporate aviation managers by providing an independent assessment of their skills and knowledge based on a high national standard
• Provide a means for NBAA Member Companies to retain qualified individuals in corporate aviation by defining an enhanced career path for positions of increased responsibility.

A high-quality certification program with a strong emphasis on education and training will lead to a defined career path for potential managers, better employee retention and a smooth succession of leaders within the business aviation industry.

NBAA will host an Informational Session titled “Aviation Management Certification and Professional Development: A New Beginning for the 21st Century” on Tuesday, September 18 at 1:30 p.m. during the NBAA 54th Annual Meeting & Convention in New Orleans. This session will explain the concept of aviation manager certification and describe the benefits of certification to individuals, flight departments and the business aviation community. Presenters will answer questions and gather feedback.

For more information about NBAA’s planned certification program or about the session in New Orleans, contact Senior Manager, Airmen & Commercial Services Jay Evans at (202) 783-9353 or jevans@nbaa.org. For more information about NBAA PDP, visit www.nbaa.org/pdp.

NBAA represents the aviation interests of over 6,500 companies which 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.