NBAA is all about promoting the reality of business aviation, its advantages for the companies that understand and avail themselves of it, and the complications of communicating the critical nature of its activities to the U.S. Congress and regulators. When a reporter from outside of aviation writes a story that helps NBAA in its mission, the organization is quick to recognize that individual with its prestigious Gold Wing Award for Journalism Excellence.
This year’s winner is Molly McMillan, a reporter with the Wichita Eagle in Wichita, Kansas. McMillan wrote about the stress that the recession and Washington rhetoric has put on companies of all sizes that are trying to use business aviation to survive and compete in an unforgiving economy and global marketplace, where even a slight edge makes a difference. Entitled “Corporate Planes Give Business Owners an Edge,” it was published Dec. 13, 2012, and the award was given at the annual press breakfast on October 23 during the NBAA 2013 Convention.