NBAA Head Touts Safety, ATC Advocacy at New York Regional

“We’re on a mission to foster an environment that allows business aviation to thrive in the United States and around the world,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen this morning during the opening session of the organization’s Northeastern Regional Forum at New York’s Westchester County Airport (KHPN). “We like to tell the world business aviation is a great industry, one that needs to be fostered, not impeded.”

Bolen noted that one of the organization’s key tenets is “safety first, safety always,” and as such, it has pushed for legislation that encompasses the NTSB safety recommendations following last year’s tragic midair accident in the skies over the nation’s capital. NBAA has worked to lobby the House and the Senate to move bills in both chambers of Congress to advance those recommendations. “I can’t think of a more lasting tribute to those people who lost their lives in the accident than for our country to respond with safety enhancements,” he told the audience gathered in the show presentation area of host FBO Million Air’s 52,000-sq-ft community hangar.

Another increase in safety is expected to come from the major renovation of the nation’s air traffic control system. Following a recent update on the project from the secretary of transportation, Bolen reported on the progress. “It’s really exciting to see that we’ve replaced about 50% of the copper wires with fiber optics. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it is helping us move from analog to digital,” he said, adding that the upgrades include new voice over the internet protocols (VOIP), new radio systems, and new radar. “We are investing in equipment that doesn’t keep us in the ’90s or the oughts, but builds for the future.”

As well, Bolen noted the association’s advocacy in pushing back against the administration’s imposed tariffs on aviation. “That was a shock for business aviation, because business aviation has always operated in an environment where there are no tariffs between countries,” Bolen explained, adding that NBAA worked to have those tariffs removed one region at a time. “When we saw that the Supreme Court disallowed the tariffs, the president said he was going to find another way to do it, but he’s not looking to add tariffs back for civil aviation. We’ve had that discussion. We won.”

In closing, Bolen asked that the event attendees be industry advocates. “I want everybody to remember that when you’re together today to put buyers and sellers together, there’s also an even bigger purpose, and that is to unite and promote business aviation.”