Pictured in Photo (Left to Right)

Mark Doles (Executive Director, DuPage Airport), Ed Bolen (CEO, NBAA) and Roger Gates (President of CABAA)

The Chicago Area Business Aviation Association welcomed Ed Bolen - President and CEO - National Business Aviation Association, to its Annual Meeting at Drury Lane.

Mr. Bolen opened his keynote address by highlighting the importance of Business Aviation to the local economy in Chicago. “It’s not merely a luxury item for the rich, it’s an effective tool of capitalism and a ‘time machine’ for those looking to optimize opportunities and resources.  In business, victory goes to the one who makes the best use of their time.  Victory goes to the ones who utilize business aviation.”

Bolen highlighted key issues facing the business aviation community in 2020:

ADS-B

“After 10 years in the making, the ADS-B deadline came and went on January 1 as a relatively seamless transition,” Bolen noted.  With the new technology has come added privacy options such as the Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) program, which allows operators to use alternate, temporary ICAO aircraft addresses that aren’t tied to an operator in the Civil Aviation Registry (CAR) and the LAD program which allows aircraft owners to dictate which specific parties can have access to their location.  “ADSB is one of the early building blocks of NextGen,” Bolen added “It will increase safety and decrease the carbon footprint of business aviation by providing more precise spacing of aircraft.  It’s a significant next step into the future.”

Innovation

NBAA hosted its largest gathering of unmanned systems at the 2019 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas. Bolen commented, “There is vision, passion, brilliant people and a lot of money in the unmanned space. When a bunch of smart people get together, something usually happens.” Bolen mentioned Supersonic aircraft and commercial space launches as other examples of the remarkable advances in aviation in the last decade. “The key now is to harness this technology to make aviation safer and better in the future.” 

Workforce is still an issue

The NBAA has stepped up its efforts to recruit its next generation workforce. “We are actively developing career days and looking for talent in places we haven’t looked before.  The advancement of sustainability, using biofuels in business aviation, is also an important element to attracting new talent. “Young people want to work in an industry that supports their values.”

Urge Your Representative to Join the General Aviation Caucus 

Bolen thanked members for their active engagement and encouraged ongoing communication.  “No matter who wins the White House in 2020, we will have to work with them.  Let’s start reaching out now.”  General Aviation had a major impact on user fees; Bolen urged the crowd to keep that momentum going.  “They know If you care enough to write, you care enough to vote. Reach out to your representative and urge him or her to join the GA conference.”

https://nbaa.org/advocacy/contact-congress/

Katy Glynn is Director of Sales for Jet Linx Chicago, the Chairman of the Chicago Area Business Aviation Association’s Communications Committee (www.cabaa.com) and a regular contributor to CABAA web content. Contact her at Katy.Glynn@JetLinx.com

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