Business Aviation on Parade in Atlanta

The National Business Aviation Association takes center stage next week at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. For three days (Oct. 19-21) more than 25,000 business aviation professionals and many others will congregate for more than 100 seminars, classes, forums and other educational events. Attendees will walk the display halls to take in the best that more than 900 display vendors have to show. Out at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) static display, the ramp will be chock-a-block with the latest in shiny hardware, as well as an impressive inventory of pre-owned aircraft. This year, there is even more than usual for owner-pilots, as NBAA seeks to address the needs of non-professional aviators who love to fly, and particularly love to use their aircraft for business. Pre-show events actually kick off on Sunday (Oct. 17) with a community outreach program. Early arriving NBAA convention attendees will swap their pinstripes for blue jeans to construct a playground, refurbish a teen center and build an outdoor classroom at the Brookhaven Boys and Girls Club in Atlanta. Sunday is also the first day for several professional development programs, including classes on human resource management; emergency response planning, human factors in aviation, and one covering taxes, regulations and risk management. Sunday is also the day for the annual NBAA charity golf tournament. Monday starts the combined Cessna/NBAA single-pilot safety standdown (9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.) — an extension of the professional crew safety programs for which NBAA has become noted. On Tuesday, the main event gets underway with a general session at 8:30 followed by the exhibit hall doors opening at 10. Discussion sessions include "How to Use General Aviation for Business Purposes" at 10 am; and the AOPA Safety Foundation seminar for owner pilots — "Single pilot — Safely" at 3:30. The week will also be punctuated with a host of NBAA committee meetings on topics such as security, operations and insurance. On Wednesday at 4 p.m., there will be a forum on the future of unleaded avgas. Final day topics on Thursday will include a "Meet the Regulators" and a career symposium co-produced by NBAA and the University Aviation Association. But first, of particular importance is the Wednesday evening NBAA/Corporate Angel Network (CAN) Benefit and Auction, featuring a concert by the band Chicago. The annual event raises money for CAN to further its goal of providing transportation on corporate aircraft for cancer patients. That's just the tip of the iceberg. To find out more about all the NBAA events upcoming next week in Atlanta, click here. And expect an extended version of the Flying eNewsletter in your e-mail-box on Thursday morning with all the most important news from the show.