NBAA’s annual Maintenance Conference opened this morning in Columbus, Ohio, with the theme “Built on History, Driven by Innovation.” In his opening comments, NBAA head Ed Bolen addressed the recent spate of aviation accidents across the entire industry and its impact on public perception. “They are asking me and everyone in aviation, ‘Is it safe to fly?’” he told the audience. “Now the empirical data suggests yes; the emotional data, maybe not as much.”
As a result, the entire aviation community, including the airlines and general aviation, has come together to back a proposed $15 billion allocation to the FAA to be put forward under budget reconciliation, to cover the hiring of more controllers and upgrade air traffic control facilities and equipment. “We’re no longer going to have people asking if it’s safe to fly because they will know we have enough well-trained people, using the best equipment and keeping the United States what it’s always been: the largest, safest, the most efficient, and the most diverse mix of aircraft anywhere in the world.”
The industry is also monitoring the current tariff situation. Since 1980, the international aviation community has worked under a trade agreement on civil aircraft, which largely makes aerospace parts and equipment duty-free. “Under that trade agreement, what we have seen is the U.S. is a dominant aerospace country,” explained Bolen. “We have a $120 billion trade surplus as a result of that. Every company in the world has people and planes, facilities and jobs in the United States. We are winning, so our hope is that maybe we continue to operate under that 1980 trade agreement, which has been such a force for U.S. jobs, innovation, and development.”
The conference at the Greater Columbus Convention Center runs through Thursday. It features an exhibit hall and more than 50 expert speakers in 28 education sessions.