NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference Sets New Records

NBAA’s Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC), held last week in Cleveland for the first time, was a record-breaker, according to the show organizers. Over the course of three days, it attracted more than 3,500 attendees—10% of them making their first SDC appearance—to the Huntington Convention Center, coming from all 50 U.S. states and 55 countries. On the sold-out show floor, more than 440 exhibiting companies occupied the largest amount of space in the conference’s 37-year history.

During the event, attendees could choose from a slate of 34 educational sessions, with topics ranging from optimizing fuel planning and uplift to mental health in aviation. To support future industry growth, upwards of $40,000 in monetary scholarships was awarded, along with 16 training scholarships.

On the show’s opening day, NBAA staff and industry leaders welcomed representatives from Ohio’s congressional offices at the city’s besieged Burke Lakefront Airport to illustrate the importance of general aviation in the region.

“This year’s conference was yet another record-breaking event, but it was about much more than a set of numbers,” said NBAA head Ed Bolen. “This conference uniquely brings together a group of professionals who fundamentally understand that we are all better—as individuals, and as an industry—when we can come together to share our passion, our knowledge, and our sense of possibility about the future.”

The event was capped off on Thursday night by the second annual AIN FBO Awards Gala held at Cleveland’s landmark Agora Theater.

Next year’s SDC will be held from February 22 to 24 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.