NBAA Honors Flying Safety Award Recipients at 59th Annual [Meeting and Convention

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

ORLANDO, FL, October 18, 2006 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) recognized the recipients of its 2006 Flying Safety Awards Program during the NBAA 59th Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, FL.

“Since NBAA was founded nearly 60 years ago, safety has been our highest priority,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We are pleased to recognize our Members who continue to meet the highest standards for operational safety.”

Established in 1953, the NBAA Flying Safety Awards have brought worldwide recognition to the excellent safety record of business aviation. The awards also are testimony to the high degree of professionalism inherent in business aircraft operations, and to the skill, ability and dedication of management, maintenance, support-service and pilot teams. The awards provide NBAA Member Companies with well-earned recognition for exceptional achievement in maintaining safe flying operations.

This year, Ford Motor Company will receive the 50 Year Safe Flying Achievement Award, which recognizes NBAA Member Companies that have flown 50 years or more without an accident. Including this year’s recipient, 50 NBAA Members have received this award since its inception in 1998.

Other 2006 Flying Safety Awards honor the categories of Corporate Business, Commercial Business, Pilot, Aviation Maintenance Department, Maintenance/Avionics Technician and Aviation Support Services. The cumulative records for the year ending December 31, 2005, are:

• Corporate Business Flying Safety Award – Member Companies whose aircraft have flown in excess of three or more consecutive accident-free years. This year 255 corporations are cited for 10,001,394 cumulative hours.
• Commercial Business Flying Safety Award – Member Companies whose aircraft have flown in excess of three or more consecutive accident-free years in a nonscheduled, revenue-producing capacity. Receiving this award are 27 companies that have compiled 1,286,758 hours.
• Pilot Safety Award – Member Company pilots who have flown corporate aircraft in excess of 1,500 accident-free hours. There are 711 recipients this year, whose totals add up to 5,315,385 hours.
• Aviation Maintenance Department Safety Award – Member Companies that qualify for a Corporate or Commercial Safety Award and perform their own maintenance. Receiving this award are 82 companies.
• Maintenance/Avionics Technician Safety Award – Member Company technicians who have been employed three or more accident-free years in support of corporate/business flight operations. There are 473 recipients this year.
• Aviation Support Services Safety Award – Member Company support services personnel who have been employed three or more accident-free years in support of corporate/business flight operations. There are 527 recipients this year.

For more information about NBAA awards, visit www.nbaa.org/awards.

# # #

Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association, Inc. (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 7,000 companies and 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.