The National Business
Aviation Association brought its 2017 Business Aviation Convention &
Exhibition to a close on Thursday with organizers reporting an
all-around success, highlighting the strength of the industry, the
host community of Las Vegas and the association, on its 70th
anniversary.
“This year’s show was special in many
ways,” said NBAA President and CEO
Ed Bolen.
“We celebrated NBAA’s 70th anniversary, and how our industry is
stronger when we work together. We gathered in the company of
aviation leaders and legends, like Capt. ‘Sully’ Sullenberger and
Capt. Jim Lovell. We saw the launch of exciting new products, and we
brought a citywide convention to Las Vegas, which the city welcomed
with open arms.”
Bolen said that with
this year’s convention, NBAA hoped to “make Las Vegas proud, just as
Las Vegas has made America proud.”
Before the launch of
the show, NBAA Charities made a $10,000 contribution to the Las
Vegas Victims Fund, and throughout the event, the association
encouraged show participants to contribute to the fund as well.
During the show’s opening session, local leaders welcomed attendees,
saying “with all of you, our city will continue to be Las Vegas
strong.”
As NBAA-BACE 2017
wrapped, organizers pointed to several indicators of the show’s
strength and enduring value:
- The event featured about
1,100 exhibitors, including more than 100 new exhibitors.
Attendees represented all 50 U.S. states, and dozens of
countries.
- With about 100 aircraft on
static display, both at HND and inside the convention center,
NBAA-BACE remains the preeminent venue for manufacturers to
unveil new models. For example, this year, the Bombardier Global
7000, Gulfstream G600 and Pilatus PC-24 made their debut at the
show.
- All three days of the show
were packed with well-attended education sessions, including
half-day programs at the NBAA National Safety Forum and
Single-Pilot Safety Standdown. Discussions featured top safety
experts and representatives from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB).
- On the final day of the show,
more than 1,000 students came to NBAA-BACE, many to participate
in Careers in Business Aviation Day, hearing from Dreams Soar
Founder and around-the-world pilot Shaesta Waiz – plus a chance
to interact with industry leaders and potential employers at the
College/University Roundtable event.
- A charity auction event, held
by NBAA and the Corporate Angel Network, raised $435,000 for
CAN’s mission to transport cancer patients to treatment centers.
Engaging Opening Sessions
The show’s first two
days featured standing-room-only opening sessions with engaging
speakers, including local leaders who welcomed attendees to Las
Vegas - Rep. Dina Titus (D-1-NV), Clark County Commissioner Lawrence
Weekly and MGM Resorts International Chairman and CEO Jim Murren -
along with top government officials, including FAA Administrator
Michael Huerta and NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt.
The sessions also
included industry legends: Miracle on the Hudson hero-pilot
Sullenberger and astronaut Lovell spoke out against Air Traffic
Control (ATC) privatization, during the show’s opening sessions, and
in a special NBAA video, urging aviation professionals to use the
website www.atcnotforsale.com to tell Congress to oppose ATC
privatization.
As part of the show’s
second-day opening session, astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly shared
their adventures on the Space Shuttle, the International Space
Station and as U.S. Navy aviators. |