“We’re here to celebrate business aviation—products, services, and, most importantly, the people,” NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said today during the opening session at the organization’s first regional forum in 2024, which is being held at Miami-Opa Locka Airport for the third year in a row. “People are the future of the business aviation industry.”
While most people picture pilots and aircraft mechanics when they think of the industry, Bolen reminded forum attendees that “it is a big field…we also have accountants, lawyers, journalists, and many others.” He also praised Barrington Irving, the president and founder of Experience Aviation, for his work to bring more young people into business aviation through the Flying Classroom and Barrington Irving Institute, the latter of which was launched at last year’s NBAA regional forum in Miami. The institute also graduated its first 15 aviation technician apprentices last month.
Bolen noted that “business aviation connects communities to the global marketplace, and it makes businesses more efficient and helps those in need with its humanitarian efforts. It’s also an incubator for new technologies, especially on the efficiency and sustainability front.” On the latter, he pointed out that the industry is working diligently to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. “As an industry, we’ve already reduced our emissions by 40 percent over the last 30 years and we’re investing billions in new advancements such as hybrid, electric, and hydrogen aircraft.”